3 hours ago
5
Follow ZDNET: Add america arsenic a preferred source on Google.
Windows 11 has been astir for respective years now, and if you were an aboriginal adopter similar I was, there's a bully accidental your machine has slowed down importantly since then. There are respective reasons wherefore a device's show whitethorn plummet.
It could beryllium the effect of excessively galore apps taking up resources, unoptimized settings, oregon adjacent a microorganism infecting the hardware. The easiest happening you tin bash successful the abbreviated word is restart your computer. A elemental reboot restores the RAM and re-establishes connections.
Also: Did you cognize that Windows 11 has a concealed restart method? Here's however to entree it
But to bask semipermanent show improvements, you'll request to set however your machine operates. The proposal I'm astir to springiness you covers everything you tin bash close present to heighten your Windows 11 experience. You won't request to participate a device's BIOS oregon download a random app from an unverified source; these changes tin beryllium made close from the strategy menus.
1. Download the latest updates
This is simply a no-brainer, but it's worthy noting that staying up to day with Windows 11 patches is crucial. Patches often present show enhancements, bug fixes, information updates, and caller features that amended the wide experience. Normally, the OS automatically installs patches arsenic they are released by Microsoft, though you tin cheque for updates manually.
To bash this, spell to the Windows Update conception successful Windows 11 Settings, past click the Check for Updates fastener successful the right-hand corner. Any pending patches volition beryllium installed. For drivers, enactment connected the aforesaid page, prime Advanced Options, and past spell to Optional Updates. It's present wherever you'll find missing drivers. As you tin spot successful the image, I lacked a caller Bluetooth patch.
Conversely, the patches themselves tin beryllium buggy. If you acquisition show issues aft installing a patch, spell to the bottommost of the Update History conception successful Windows Update. Select Uninstall Updates. In this section, you tin region the problematic patch.
2. Disable apps connected startup
Some apps are truthful anxious to commencement that they automatically unfastened erstwhile you crook connected your computer. The occupation is that having excessively galore apps moving successful the inheritance causes a important slowdown. To halt a programme from launching astatine startup, unfastened Task Manager and click the Startup Apps icon -- it's the 1 that looks similar a car speedometer.
Also: Windows 11 Home vs. Windows 11 Pro: How to determine which variation to upgrade your PC to
Here, you'll spot each of the apps that activate connected startup. Right-click an entry, past click Disable. Don't worry; this won't wholly disable the bundle oregon service. It conscionable prevents them from opening connected startup. If you privation the app to run the aforesaid arsenic before, right-click it again, past prime Enable.
I powerfully suggest pausing OneDrive syncing. Microsoft adjacent admits connected its support page that this diagnostic tin dilatory down your PC.
3. Deactivate unused features
Windows 11 has truthful galore features that there's a bully accidental you're not utilizing each of them. Unused features tin bounds the resources your machine tin allocate to much progressive programs.
It's up to you what you privation to disable. Some users mightiness find definite features oregon tools much utile than others. My examples are simply suggestions, though I urge turning the pursuing disconnected to instantly spot a show boost.
Also: If your Windows 10 PC can't beryllium upgraded, you person 5 options earlier clip runs out
Turning disconnected notifications is simply a bully start. To bash this, spell to the System conception successful the Windows 11 Settings paper and click Notifications. Toggle the power connected the pursuing leafage to disable them. Next, spell to Personalization, past to Colors. Disable Transparency Effects to region the translucent ocular effect successful Windows 11. Finally, spell to Device Usage wrong the Personalization conception and toggle the power recovered there. Doing truthful prevents Microsoft ads, tips, and suggestions from appearing.
4. Remove malware
Malware tin origin each sorts of problems, not conscionable hardware slowdown, truthful I powerfully suggest downloading an antivirus programme to cleanable up your instrumentality and support it from aboriginal attacks. Windows 11 already comes preinstalled with Windows Security, which is good for astir scenarios, but it is not the astir robust app.
Also: The champion antivirus bundle for Windows 11 successful 2026: Expert tested and reviewed
It isn't the champion astatine defending against phishing attempts, nor is the bundle the astir intuitive (I inactive don't cognize however to docket a microorganism scan -- and that's assuming it tin adjacent bash that).
There are galore large options retired there, but, successful our opinion, the champion is Malwarebytes. It provides coagulated extortion against malware, viruses, and phishing attacks, with an easy-to-understand idiosyncratic interface. You don't request a assemblage grade to navigate the app oregon recognize however the tools work. You volition request to wage for a subscription to get the astir retired of Malwarebytes. I would besides urge installing the Brave browser connected your Windows 11 PC. It boasts almighty malware extortion and blocks third-party trackers cold.
English (US) ·