Windows 11 Performance Tips

Essential optimization techniques to speed up your Windows 11 system

Disable Startup Programs

Easy

Prevent unnecessary programs from starting automatically when Windows boots up.

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager
  2. Go to the Startup tab
  3. Right-click on programs you don't need and select Disable
  4. Restart your computer for changes to take effect

Optimize Visual Effects

Easy

Reduce visual effects to improve system performance, especially on older hardware.

  1. Right-click on This PC and select Properties
  2. Click Advanced system settings
  3. Under Performance, click Settings
  4. Select Adjust for best performance or customize individual effects

Clean Up Disk Space

Easy

Remove temporary files and unnecessary data to free up storage space.

  1. Press Windows + R, type cleanmgr and press Enter
  2. Select the drive you want to clean
  3. Check the boxes for files you want to delete
  4. Click OK to start the cleanup

Update Drivers

Medium

Keep your device drivers up to date for optimal performance and compatibility.

  1. Press Windows + X and select Device Manager
  2. Expand categories and look for devices with yellow warning icons
  3. Right-click on devices and select Update driver
  4. Or visit your hardware manufacturer's website for latest drivers

Disable Background Apps

Easy

Prevent apps from running in the background and consuming system resources.

  1. Go to Settings > Privacy & security > Background apps
  2. Turn off Let apps run in the background
  3. Or disable individual apps you don't need running in background
  4. This will save battery life and improve performance

Optimize Power Settings

Easy

Choose the right power plan for your needs - performance vs. battery life.

  1. Right-click on the battery icon in taskbar
  2. Select Power & sleep settings
  3. Click Additional power settings
  4. Choose High performance for maximum speed

Optimize Windows Search

Medium

Configure Windows Search indexing to exclude unnecessary folders and improve performance.

  1. Go to Settings > Search > Searching Windows
  2. Click Advanced search indexer settings
  3. Click Advanced and then Index Settings
  4. Add or remove folders from the index as needed

Check for Malware

Easy

Malware can significantly slow down your system. Regular scans help maintain performance.

  1. Open Windows Security from Start menu
  2. Click Virus & threat protection
  3. Click Quick scan or Full scan
  4. Remove any threats found

Manage Windows Services

Hard

Disable unnecessary Windows services to free up system resources.

  1. Press Windows + R, type services.msc and press Enter
  2. Right-click on a service and select Properties
  3. Change Startup type to Disabled
  4. Warning: Only disable services you understand

Consider Hardware Upgrades

Hard

Sometimes software optimization isn't enough - hardware upgrades can provide significant performance gains.

  1. SSD: Replace HDD with SSD for faster boot and file access
  2. RAM: Add more RAM for better multitasking
  3. CPU: Consider upgrading for intensive tasks
  4. GPU: Upgrade for gaming or video editing

Optimize Network Settings

Medium

Improve internet speed and network performance by optimizing Windows network settings.

  1. Press Windows + R, type gpedit.msc and press Enter
  2. Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Network > QoS Packet Scheduler
  3. Double-click Limit reservable bandwidth
  4. Set it to Enabled and set bandwidth limit to 0%

Optimize Gaming Performance

Easy

Configure Windows for optimal gaming performance and reduce input lag.

  1. Go to Settings > Gaming > Game Mode
  2. Turn off Game Mode (can cause issues on some systems)
  3. Go to Graphics settings and add your games
  4. Set high-performance graphics for gaming applications

Clear Browser Cache

Easy

Regularly clear browser cache and cookies to improve web browsing performance.

  1. Open your browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox)
  2. Press Ctrl + Shift + Delete
  3. Select time range and check boxes for cache, cookies, and browsing data
  4. Click Clear data to free up space

Optimize Virtual Memory

Medium

Configure virtual memory (page file) settings for better system performance.

  1. Right-click This PC and select Properties
  2. Click Advanced system settings
  3. Under Performance, click Settings
  4. Go to Advanced tab and click Change under Virtual Memory
  5. Uncheck Automatically manage and set custom size

Disable Windows Tips

Easy

Turn off Windows tips and suggestions to reduce system overhead and improve performance.

  1. Go to Settings > System > Notifications & actions
  2. Turn off Get tips, tricks, and suggestions as you use Windows
  3. Go to Settings > Privacy & security > General
  4. Turn off all toggle switches for better privacy and performance

Use Storage Sense

Easy

Automatically free up disk space and optimize storage with Windows Storage Sense.

  1. Go to Settings > System > Storage
  2. Turn on Storage Sense
  3. Click Configure Storage Sense
  4. Set automatic cleanup frequency and configure cleanup options

Reduce Telemetry

Medium

Minimize Windows telemetry and data collection to improve privacy and reduce system overhead.

  1. Go to Settings > Privacy & security > Diagnostics & feedback
  2. Set Diagnostic data to Basic
  3. Turn off Send optional diagnostic data
  4. Go to Privacy & security > General and disable all toggles

Create High Performance Power Plan

Medium

Create a custom high-performance power plan for maximum system performance.

  1. Go to Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options
  2. Click Create a power plan
  3. Select High performance and name your plan
  4. Click Change plan settings and set all options to Never

Optimize Windows Updates

Easy

Configure Windows Update settings to reduce bandwidth usage and improve performance.

  1. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update
  2. Click Advanced options
  3. Click Delivery Optimization
  4. Turn off Allow downloads from other PCs

Enable ReadyBoost

Easy

Use a USB flash drive as additional RAM cache to improve system performance on older systems.

  1. Insert a USB flash drive (at least 4GB, USB 2.0 or faster)
  2. Right-click the drive in File Explorer and select Properties
  3. Go to ReadyBoost tab
  4. Select Use this device and allocate space