13 Ways to Speed Up Windows 10 PC

How to speed up Windows 10? It is the common question old desktop or laptop PC users search for with frustration. However, many new computers can be slowed down gradually if you are not careful enough. There are a significant number of factors hampering PC speed. Some are related to hardware, and some are associated with the user’s lack of proper guidance.

How to Speed Up Windows 10 Desktop and Laptop

Windows 10 is the most popular operating system after 7. Though Windows 11 came out, Windows 10 still covers the whole PC industry with the highest percentage. From the user interface to navigation, Windows 10 has the perfect combination of security and compatibility. Also, users are comfortable using this OS version.

However, many Windows 10 users experience slower performance. Slowing down, hanging, and crashing Windows 10 PC are frustrating while you are in the middle of an important task. I have compiled a list of ways to speed up Windows 10 in this post. Some of them may work, while some of them don’t speed up your PC. Follow one by one and check which one or a few methods speed up your Windows 10 desktop or laptop.

Ways to Speed Up Windows 10 Performance

1. Restart your PC

Restarting or rebooting a computer is the old and traditional way to speed up Windows 10 PC. While working on Windows 10, we open multiple tasks such as software, browser, media player, etc. Also, there are many software that runs in the background. These applications occupy significant amounts of temporary space or RAM, which makes your PC slower. As a result, your Windows 10 computer takes time to open a new app or perform the current task.

Restarting your computer will refresh the memory, delete the temp files, close the current tasks, and be ready to perform faster and better.

To restart your PC, follow the instructions below.

1. Click the Windows icon from the bottom-left of your PC.
2. Click the “Power” button and select “Restart” option.

2. Open only the apps you need

Many PC users open hundreds of software and apps but use only a few. These apps, browsers, programs, and software occupy the memory and slow down your PC. If you have lower RAM, you will notice that your PC performs slower than before. So to make your Windows 10 faster, open only the apps you need and close the rest of them.

3. Check for update

Though Windows 10 OS has been in the market for a long time, it regularly updates essential features, functions, and security patches. Often, the older version may be different from the latest software. So it slows down the PC until you update it.

Though Windows 10 notifies you when it needs to update, you can regularly check if it has any latest updates. To update your Windows 10, follow the steps below.

1. Click the Windows icon from the bottom-left and click the “Settings” icon.
2. From the “Settings” pop-up, click the “Update & Security.”
3. If you see “You’re up to date,” then you are good. However, if you notice any update available, click on “Update,” and it will take several minutes to complete the update process.
4. During the update process, your PC may restart several times. Please don’t switch off or click on anything until the whole process is completed.

4. Delete unnecessary Software, programs, and files

Go to “This PC” from the home page and check if any drive shows red, especially the “Local Disk (C)” drive. If any drive is full or almost full, it will show red, indicating no space. Lower disk space will slow your PC.

Delete unnecessary files, images, and videos if your disks are full. Also, uninstall unnecessary programs to clear the hard drive. This process will make your PC significantly faster.

To uninstall any software, follow the steps below.

Step 1: Click the “Windows” icon from the bottom-left of your PC.

Step 2: Search “Control Panel” and click the Control Panel app.

Step 3: Click “Uninstall Programs” under the “Programs” option to see a list of installed software on your PC.

Step 4: Check which software you don’t need and uninstall them one by one.

Step 5: To uninstall any software, double-click on the program and click the “Uninstall” button.

Step 6: Your Windows 10 PC will take a while, depending on the size of the software, to uninstall.

Clearing disk space and keeping a free disk are the major factors to speed up Windows 10 computers. In most cases, I have seen Windows 10 users install hundreds of programs and store so many files, videos, movies, and images that you can hardly find a gigabyte of space. This will slow down the Windows 10 desktop or laptop.

5. Cleanup Disk

While using the PC and internet, your Windows 10 download and store certain files and programs to load faster in the next sessions. Also, it stores temporary and system files to make your browsing easy. These files slow down your Windows 10 PC. If you haven’t deleted them for a long time, you will notice how big these files are by following the instructions below.

1. Click the “Start” or “Windows” icon from the bottom-left and search “Disk cleanup.”
2. Open the disk cleanup, select “Temporary system files, recycle bin, temporary files, and thumbnails” and click “OK” to start the cleaning process.
3. Wait a while, and Windows 10 will delete all the temporary files to speed up your PC.

6. Clear the home page and download the folder

Have you ever seen someone’s Windows 10 homepage with hundreds of files? Also, did you see someone’s messy download folder? Many Windows 10 users make home pages and download folders on their PCs. Having hundreds of files and programs in these folders fills up the local disk and thus makes your PC slower.

If you have a messy Windows 10 home page and download folder with hundreds of files, either delete them which are unnecessary or cut/paste them to any drive. Clearing up the home page and downloading the folder will make your Windows 10 PC significantly faster. Also, don’t forget to empty your recycling bin.

7. Close unnecessary startup programs

When you switch on your Windows 10 PC, you may open and see 2-3 programs, but you don’t know that other programs are running in the background. These programs occupy your RAM and slow your PC; some are important, but some are unnecessary. You need to close unimportant programs by following the steps below.

1. Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete and click the “Taskbar” option.
2. Check which programs you don’t need that are running in the background.
3. Click the unnecessary programs and close them.

Also, you can check the background-running programs from the notification bar. Click the notification icon and find the hidden icons. If you don’t need any of them, right-click on the icon and exit it. This process will limit the background-running programs and speed up your Windows 10 PC.

8. Scan for viruses and malware

Viruses, malware, bloatware, adware, and spyware are small programs that can affect your Windows 10 PC and slow down the functionalities. If your computer is affected by a virus, you may see random pop-ups, ads, and unknown apps running. Also, often you need to gain control of your mouse and keyboard.

A virus-infected PC downloads more unknown files on your PC or corrupts your existing files. It will make your PC messy and slow. That’s why you need to regularly scan your Windows 10 PC with either Windows Security or any third-party antiviruses such as Avast, Norton, AVG, or Avira.

However, scanning your Windows 10 regularly before affecting the virus is risk-free. Also, you can take a few preventive steps not to affect your PC by the virus. Many users think that you need a third-party antivirus to protect your PC. But you should know that Windows 10 has a default antivirus called “Windows Security,” which has all functions to prevent viruses, malware, and other malicious programs.

To set up your Windows security, follow the steps below.

1. Click the “Start” or “Windows” icon from the bottom left of your Windows 10 PC and click the “Settings” option.
2. Click the “Update & Security” and go to the “Windows Security” option from the left menu.
3. Open “Virus & threat protection” and check if there are “threats found” under the “Current threats.”
4. Click the “Scan options,” choose the “Quick Scan,” and click the “Scan now” button.
5. After scanning and deleting the virus, go back and click the “manage settings” under the “Virus & threat protection settings” option.
6. Switch on all four settings.
7. Go back and click “Manage ransomware protection” under the “Ransomware protection” option.
8. Switch on the “Controlled folder access” to protect files, folders, and memory areas from unauthorized changes. This will notify and block any third-party program that wants to change your files and prevent ransomware attacks.

If you have third-party antivirus, run the program regularly to scan your Windows 10 desktop or laptop or change the settings to automatic scanning after every few days. This will prevent virus attacks.

Also Read: How To Protect Your Computer from Viruses

9. Add RAM to speed up

Random Access Memory or virtual memory is a part of your Windows 10 PC’s hardware. While working on your desktop, all the functions are happening on the RAM. Every file or program you open will occupy the memory of your RAM. So, if you have low RAM but open multiple files, media, and software, you will experience slower performance. That’s why adding more RAM to your PC can faster speed and performance.

How To Speed Up Windows 10 Startup/Boot-Time

After using Windows 10 for a while, did you notice your PC takes more time to start than the first time when your computer was new? The reason is that you install software, apps, and programs as time goes by. Also, you store more files, images, and videos. The hardware becomes less powerful after using your PC for a long time. All these factors slow down your Windows 10 startup time.

If you experience slow Windows 10 boot time and want to speed up, you can follow the steps below.

10. Disable unnecessary startup programs

You may not know that when you switch on your Windows 10 PC, there are many software starts too. This process takes time, and your Windows 10 is taking longer to start. If you want to start your PC fast, disable unnecessary startup programs. Here’s how you do it.

1. Click Ctrl+Alt+Delete and go to the “Task Manager.”
2. Open the “Startup” tab and check the list of programs open at the startup.
3. Click the programs you don’t use and disable them. This process will limit startup programs and speed up the boot time.

11. Keep up to date with your Windows 10 OS

Old operating systems and outdated versions are the main reasons to slow down your Windows 10 desktop or laptop. If your Windows 10 is updated and updated, many features and functions may need to be fixed. As a result, startup will take time.

To speed up Windows 10 boot time, you need to up to date your Windows 10 regularly. To do that, follow the instructions below.

1. Click the “Start” or “Windows” icon and go to the “Settings” option.
2. Click “Update & Security” and open “Windows Update” from the left menu.
3. Check if there is any update available and update the OS accordingly.
4. If your Windows 10 is updated, it will show “You’re up to date” text.

12. Add an SSD with HDD

Nowadays, most high-end computers, especially laptops, come with SSD and HDD. The SSD drive contains Windows OS and other application software, which are separate from the other drives. It will speed up the startup time significantly.

If your PC is old and has low disk space, add a 128GB or 256GB SSD drive and install Windows 10. This will speed up the boot time.

13. Turn on fast startup

Windows 10 has a default feature called fast startup mode. It helps start your Windows 10 faster after shutdown. You can easily switch on this feature, and it will reduce the boot time. To enable fast startup mode, follow the steps below.

1. Click the “Start” or “Windows” icon and search for the “Control Panel.”
2. Open the “Control Panel” and search for “Power Options.”

1. Click the “Change what the power buttons do” option under the “Power Options.”

1. Turn on fast startup under the “Shutdown settings” and “Save changes.” If it’s already turned on, leave it.

How To Speed Up Windows 10 With MSConfig

When you press the power button on your Windows 10 PC, it simultaneously starts the OS and a few other programs. With many startup programs, your PC will take longer to boot. However, not all startup software is necessary, at least in the beginning. If you avoid launching a few programs with the OS, you can reduce the Windows 10 startup time.

To speed up Windows 10 with MSConfig, follow the steps below.

1. Click the “Windows” or “Start” icon from the bottom-left of your Windows 10 and search for the “Run” app. Alternatively, press Windows Key + R to open the Run app.
2. Type “msconfig” or copy/paste it into the open box and click “OK” to run the command.
3. When the “System Configuration” opens, click the “Startup” tab.
4. Click the “Open Task Manager.” In the latest Windows 10 update, the “Startup” feature moved to the Task Manager.
5. Check which programs open at the startup and how much it impacts, like low to high.
6. If any program shows “High” startup impact and is enabled, click the program, and press the “Disable” button below.
7. Repeat the process of which programs you need to launch at the startup.

Speed up Windows 10 FAQs

1. Why is my Windows 10 PC so slow?

Your Windows 10 PC needs to be faster for the following reasons.

• Open so many software and programs at the same time.
• So many apps and software are running in the background.
• Windows 10 is not up to date.
• Windows 10 is affected by viruses or malware.
• Low RAM or disk space.
• Didn’t clean your PC.

2. How to speed up Windows 10 low RAM?

• Click Ctrl + Alt + Delete and open “Task Manager.” Select unnecessary programs occupying higher memory and click the “End task” option.
• Go to the “Startup” tab from the Task Manager and close unnecessary programs.
• Uninstall unused or rarely used software.
• Clear Windows 10 download folder and home page.
• Don’t open or keep opening too many programs simultaneously. Use one program, complete the task, and close it.

3. Why is my PC lagging?

There are several reasons why your PC might need to catch up. These are:

• Your Windows OS is not up to date.
• You have too many programs running at the same time.
• Your PC may be affected by viruses or malware.
• Your PC has too many apps and software running in the background.
• Your PC has low RAM, or the disk spaces are full.
• Your PC is getting old, and the hardware becomes less powerful.
• Software and programs are not compatible with the hardware.
• Your Windows 10 operating system files are getting corrupted.

4. How do I fix my slow laptop?

• Limit startup and background programs.
• Clear disk space by deleting unnecessary files, programs, videos, and images.
• Clear the download folder and home page.
• Uninstall unnecessary software.
• Scan for viruses and malware.
• Update your Windows OS.
• Enable virus protection.
• Add more RAM.

More Articles about PC:

• How To Clear Browser Cache
• How To Make Google Chrome Faster
• How To Backup Your Computer

Conclusion

If you are a regular Windows 10 user, you must notice that after a few days, you get a notification saying your Windows 10 needs to be updated and you need to restart your PC. Whenever you see this notification, click the update or restart icon, and your Windows 10 will automatically update and restart. This is the primary step to speeding to Windows 10 PC.

Also, scan your PC regularly with Windows Security or other third-party antiviruses. Don’t forget to clean your hard drive by deleting unnecessary programs and software. If you have less RAM, add more RAM. Also, try to add an SSD drive. These tips will significantly increase your Windows 10 performance, startup time, and speed.