How to Speed Up Windows 11 PC in 2026

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10 Proven Tips That Actually Work for Speed Up Windows PC 2026

By Bhavik Munjapara | TechBhavik.com | April 2026

A futuristic digital illustration showing a laptop with the Windows 11 logo and a speed boost arrow, titled "10 Proven Tips to Speed Up Windows 11 PC in 2026" with a checklist graphic.

Is your Windows 11 PC running slow? Does it take forever to boot up, lag when opening apps, or freeze during simple tasks? You are not alone. Millions of Windows 11 users face this problem every day — especially after updates, prolonged use, or simply from accumulated digital clutter.

The good news is you do not need to buy a new computer. In this complete guide, I will show you 10 proven ways to speed up Windows 11 in 2026 that actually work — all for free, without any technical expertise.

These tips work on all Windows 11 PCs and laptops — whether you have a brand new machine or an older computer running slow. Let us get started!

Why is Windows 11 Running Slow?

Before jumping into the fixes, let us understand why Windows 11 becomes slow over time:

  • Too many apps launching automatically at startup
  • Visual effects and animations consuming CPU and GPU resources
  • Accumulated temporary files and junk data
  • Outdated drivers causing compatibility issues
  • Low disk space slowing down the system
  • Background apps consuming RAM and processor power
  • Windows tips and suggestions monitoring your activity

Now let us fix all of these issues one by one.

Tip 1 — Disable Startup Programs (Biggest Impact!)

This is the single most effective way to speed up Windows 11. Many apps like Spotify, Discord, Teams, and browser update services start automatically when you turn on your PC — slowing down boot time significantly.

How to do it:

Step 1 — Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager

Step 2 — Click the “Startup apps” icon on the left side

Step 3 — You will see a list of all apps that start with Windows

Step 4 — Right-click on any unnecessary app and select “Disable”

What to disable:

  • Spotify
  • Discord
  • Steam or Epic Games launcher
  • OneDrive (if you do not use it)
  • Teams (if not needed at startup)
  • Any app you do not use immediately after turning on your PC

What to keep enabled:

  • Antivirus software
  • Audio drivers
  • Windows Security

Expected result: Boot time can improve by 30-60% after disabling unnecessary startup apps.

Tip 2 — Adjust Visual Effects for Best Performance

Windows 11 has beautiful animations, transparency effects, and shadows — but these consume significant CPU and GPU resources. Turning them off makes your PC feel noticeably faster, especially on older hardware.

How to do it:

Step 1 — Press Windows key + R, type “sysdm.cpl” and press Enter

Step 2 — Click the “Advanced” tab

Step 3 — Under Performance, click “Settings”

Step 4 — Select “Adjust for best performance”

Step 5 — Click Apply and OK

For a balanced approach: Select “Custom” and uncheck only these options:

  • Animate windows when minimizing and maximizing
  • Animations in the taskbar
  • Fade or slide menus into view
  • Show shadows under mouse pointer

Expected result: 10-20% performance improvement, especially on older systems.

Tip 3 — Disable Transparency Effects

Windows 11’s transparency effects look great but consume extra GPU resources. Turning them off gives a small but noticeable speed boost.

How to do it:

Step 1 — Press Windows key + I to open Settings

Step 2 — Go to Personalization → Colors

Step 3 — Turn OFF “Transparency effects”

Step 4 — Also go to Accessibility → Visual Effects

Step 5 — Turn OFF “Animation effects”

This takes less than one minute and instantly makes Windows feel snappier.

Tip 4 — Change Power Plan to High Performance

Windows 11 defaults to “Balanced” power mode, which intentionally limits your CPU speed to save battery. Switching to “Best Performance” unlocks your processor’s full potential.

How to do it:

Step 1 — Press Windows key + I to open Settings

Step 2 — Go to System → Power and Battery

Step 3 — Click the “Power mode” dropdown

Step 4 — Select “Best performance”

Step 5 — Close Settings

Important note: This setting increases power consumption. On laptops, it will drain battery faster. Use it when plugged in for maximum performance.

Expected result: Significant improvement in app launch times and overall responsiveness.

Tip 5 — Clean Up Disk Space with Storage Sense

Windows accumulates temporary files, cache, old update files, and junk data over time. When your drive gets full, Windows slows down significantly. Cleaning it up is essential.

How to do it:

Step 1 — Press Windows key + I to open Settings

Step 2 — Go to System → Storage

Step 3 — Click “Temporary files”

Step 4 — Check all boxes — Temporary files, Recycle Bin, Thumbnails, Downloads (be careful with Downloads)

Step 5 — Click “Remove files”

Also enable Storage Sense:

Step 1 — In Storage settings, click “Storage Sense”

Step 2 — Toggle it ON

Step 3 — Set it to run automatically every month

Step 4 — Save settings

For manual cleaning: Press Windows key + R, type “%temp%” and press Enter. Select all files and delete them. This removes temporary files manually.

Expected result: Freeing up space improves system performance significantly, especially if your drive was over 80% full.

Tip 6 — Disable Background Apps

Many apps continue running in the background even when you are not using them — consuming RAM and CPU power silently. Disabling them frees up significant resources.

How to do it:

Step 1 — Press Windows key + I to open Settings

Step 2 — Go to Apps → Installed apps

Step 3 — Click on any app you want to manage

Step 4 — Click “Advanced options”

Step 5 — Under “Background apps permissions”

Step 6 — Select “Never” from the dropdown

Repeat for all apps you do not need running in the background — especially social media apps, news apps, and entertainment apps.

Tip 7 — Turn Off Windows Tips and Suggestions

Windows 11 constantly monitors your activity to give you tips and suggestions. This background monitoring slows down your PC without providing much value.

How to do it:

Step 1 — Press Windows key + I to open Settings

Step 2 — Go to System → Notifications

Step 3 — Scroll down to “Additional settings”

Step 4 — Click the arrow to expand it

Step 5 — Uncheck “Get tips and suggestions when using Windows”

Step 6 — Also uncheck “Suggest ways to get the most out of Windows”

This simple change can noticeably improve overall system responsiveness.

Tip 8 — Update Drivers (Especially Graphics Drivers)

Outdated drivers are a leading cause of Windows 11 slowdowns. Graphics drivers especially impact performance for both everyday use and gaming.

How to update drivers:

Step 1 — Right-click the Start button

Step 2 — Select “Device Manager”

Step 3 — Expand “Display adapters”

Step 4 — Right-click your graphics card

Step 5 — Select “Update driver”

Step 6 — Choose “Search automatically for drivers”

For NVIDIA users: Download GeForce Experience from nvidia.com for automatic driver updates.

For AMD users: Download AMD Adrenalin from amd.com for automatic driver updates.

For Intel users: Download Intel Driver and Support Assistant from intel.com.

Expected result: Significant improvement in graphics performance and overall system stability.

Tip 9 — Use Efficiency Mode in Task Manager

Windows 11 includes a useful feature called Efficiency Mode that limits the CPU resources used by specific apps — freeing up power for the apps you are actively using.

How to do it:

Step 1 — Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager

Step 2 — Click the “Processes” icon on the left

Step 3 — Find an app consuming high CPU that you are not actively using

Step 4 — Click on it to select it

Step 5 — Click the “Efficiency mode” button at the top right

Step 6 — Confirm by clicking “Turn on Efficiency Mode”

This is especially useful for browser processes, update services, and background system processes.

Tip 10 — Restart Your PC Regularly

This sounds obvious, but many Windows 11 users never restart their PC — they just put it to sleep. Over time, RAM fills up with cached data and background processes accumulate, slowing everything down.

Best practice:

  • Restart your PC at least once every 2-3 days
  • Always use “Restart” not “Shutdown” for a proper fresh start
  • After Windows updates, always restart immediately

A fresh restart clears RAM, resets background processes, and often fixes mysterious slowdowns instantly.

Bonus Tip — Upgrade to SSD (Biggest Hardware Upgrade!)

If your computer is using an old HDD (Hard Disk Drive) and you want the biggest possible speed improvement, upgrading to an SSD is the single best investment you can make.

Speed comparison:

  • HDD boot time: 45-90 seconds
  • SSD boot time: 8-15 seconds

An SSD makes Windows boot faster, apps open instantly, and everything feel like a brand new computer. A 512GB SSD costs just ₹2,500-₹3,500 in India in 2026.

Quick Summary — All 10 Tips at a Glance

TipActionDifficultyImpact
1Disable startup programsEasyVery High
2Adjust visual effectsEasyHigh
3Disable transparency effectsEasyMedium
4Set power plan to High PerformanceEasyHigh
5Clean disk space with Storage SenseEasyHigh
6Disable background appsEasyMedium
7Turn off Windows tipsEasyMedium
8Update driversMediumHigh
9Use Efficiency ModeMediumMedium
10Restart PC regularlyEasyHigh

How Much Speed Improvement Can You Expect?

After applying all 10 tips from this guide:

  • Boot time improvement: 30-60% faster
  • App launch speed: 20-40% faster
  • Overall responsiveness: 25-50% improvement
  • Gaming performance: 10-20% improvement

Results may vary depending on your hardware, but most users notice a significant difference after applying even just the first 3-4 tips.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1. Why is my Windows 11 PC suddenly very slow?

The most common reasons for sudden slowdowns in Windows 11 are a recent Windows update, too many startup programs, a full hard drive, or outdated drivers. Start by disabling startup programs and cleaning up disk space — these two steps alone fix most slowdown issues.

Q2. Does Windows 11 run slower than Windows 10?

Windows 11 can feel slower on older hardware because it has higher system requirements and more visual effects. However, on modern hardware with at least 8GB RAM and an SSD, Windows 11 runs smoothly. The tips in this guide help optimize performance on both old and new hardware.

Q3. Will these tips damage my computer?

No, all the tips in this guide are completely safe. They involve changing Windows settings and disabling unnecessary features — not modifying any system files. You can always reverse any of these changes if needed.

Q4. How often should I clean temporary files in Windows 11?

You should clean temporary files at least once a month. Enabling Storage Sense automates this process. If you notice your PC slowing down, cleaning temporary files is always a good first step.

Q5. Does restarting really help speed up Windows 11?

Yes, restarting Windows 11 clears RAM, resets background processes, and applies pending updates. It is one of the simplest and most effective ways to restore speed to a sluggish PC. Always restart instead of using sleep mode for the best performance.

Q6. What is the single best way to speed up an old Windows 11 laptop?

Upgrading from an HDD to an SSD is the single biggest performance improvement you can make on an old laptop. It makes everything — from booting to opening apps — dramatically faster. Combined with disabling startup programs and visual effects, an old laptop can feel almost like new.

Final Verdict

Windows 11 can become slow over time, but it does not have to stay that way. By following the 10 tips in this guide, you can significantly improve your PC’s speed and responsiveness without spending any money.

Start with the easiest wins — disable startup programs, adjust visual effects, and change your power plan. These three steps alone can transform a sluggish Windows 11 PC into a fast and responsive machine.

If you have tried everything and your PC is still slow, consider upgrading your RAM to 8GB or switching to an SSD — these hardware upgrades deliver the most dramatic improvements on older computers.

Did these tips help speed up your Windows 11 PC? Leave a comment below or contact us at contact@techbhavik.com

— Bhavik Munjapara, TechBhavik.com

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