To speed up Windows 11, restart the computer and close unnecessary programs, install updates, remove unneeded startup apps, free up disk space and check the power mode. These are the settings from Microsoft’s help: registry edits and third-party “optimizers” are not needed.
The instructions were checked against Microsoft’s help as of October 14, 2026. Menu names are given in Russian, as in the source; in other builds they may differ. Microsoft warns that on an old computer these steps may do little, and then replacing the hardware is the answer. How to tell whether the system is limited by its hardware is covered in the first step.
Close unnecessary programs and restart the computer
Close the programs and browser tabs you aren’t using. Microsoft advises restarting the computer if that doesn’t help.
Then press Ctrl + Shift + Esc and open Task Manager. On the Processes tab, close what you don’t need, and on the Performance tab, check what is under the heaviest load: processor, memory or disk. This determines which steps will help most: if memory or disk is full, expect results from the startup and disk-space steps; if the load stays at maximum after all the steps, the hardware may be the reason.
Result: You know what is loading the processor, memory and disk.
Turn off unnecessary startup and background apps
Every program in startup launches with Windows and takes up processor, memory and disk resources. Open Settings → Apps → Startup and turn off the apps you don’t need right away. You can do the same in Task Manager on the “Startup apps” tab: select an app and click “Disable”. There is also a “Startup impact” column there: Microsoft assigns “High impact” to an app that uses the processor for more than a second at startup or reads more than 3 MB from disk.
Before you turn off an unfamiliar program, search for its name: Microsoft’s help has no list of apps that must not be disabled. Turning it off only removes autostart; you can still open the program itself.
One more setting: Settings → Apps → Installed apps → the ⋯ icon next to the program → Advanced options → “Let this app run in the background” → Never. Unnecessary notifications are turned off in Settings → System → Notifications.
Result: The computer starts faster and does less in the background.
Install Windows and driver updates
Open Settings → Windows Update → “Check for updates”. Then click Advanced options → Optional updates: driver updates may appear there. During an update, the computer may restart.
Check your system version as well. According to Microsoft as of October 13, 2026, Windows 11 versions 26H2 (since September 29, 2026) and 25H2 receive updates; version 26H1 is meant for new devices that went on sale since early 2026 and is not installed on existing computers. Version 24H2 no longer receives updates for the Home and Pro editions. If you have it, upgrade to 25H2 or 26H2 through Windows Update.
Support for Windows 10 ended on October 14, 2025: if you’re still on it, see how to upgrade Windows 10 to Windows 11.
Result: The latest Windows and driver updates are installed.
Free up disk space
Open Settings → System → Storage. Turn on Storage Sense and click “Run Storage Sense now”: Windows will delete temporary files. Manually: “Temporary files” → choose what to remove → “Remove files”. For manual cleanup, there is also the classic Disk Cleanup: search for it in the Start menu.
Then remove unnecessary programs: Settings → Apps → Installed apps → ⋯ → Uninstall. Don’t remove programs whose purpose you don’t know.
Result: There is enough free space on the system drive.
Scan the computer for viruses
Slow performance can be a sign of malware, which is why Microsoft includes a scan in its tips. Open Settings → Privacy & security → Windows Security → Virus & threat protection, and click “Quick scan”. The computer may restart after the scan.
Result: The system has been checked for malware.
Check the power mode
Open Settings → System → Power & battery, and in the “Power mode” list, choose “Best performance”. Microsoft warns that the computer uses more energy, a laptop drains its battery faster and may get hotter. Turn this mode on when power is not limited; the name of the option may differ between Windows builds.
If power saving mode turns on by itself and slows down your laptop, see how to turn off power saving mode on a Windows laptop.
Result: The power mode matches the task.
Simplify visual effects
In the Start menu, find “Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows”. On the Visual Effects tab, choose “Adjust for best performance” and click “Apply”. Windows will stop animating, and some of the look will disappear. If you don’t like the result, go back to the same tab and choose another option.
Result: The interface is simpler, with animations and shadows turned off.
Optimize the drives
Find “Defragment and Optimize Drives” in the Start menu, select a drive and click “Optimize”. The operation runs in the background and may take time, so start it when you can leave the computer alone.
Result: The drives have been checked with Windows tools.
If Windows 11 is still slow
- The hardware isn’t up to it. Windows 11’s minimum requirements, according to Microsoft: a 1 GHz processor or faster with two or more cores, 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage. At this level, the system starts, but there is little room for a browser and programs. For older computers, the most noticeable gain usually comes from an SSD instead of a hard drive, plus extra memory.
- The load in Task Manager stays the same. If a process keeps taking up the processor or disk, search for it by name: it may be a specific program that you should update or remove.
- Nothing helped. The last resort is “Reset this PC”. Microsoft calls it the most destructive option and advises trying other options first. Apps and settings are removed in both modes (“Keep my files” and “Remove everything”), so make a backup in advance. If BitLocker is turned on, you will need the BitLocker recovery key when starting from the recovery environment.
Sources and methodology
Analysis of public sourcesChecked 14 October 2026
- Microsoft — Tips for improving computer performance in Windows support.microsoft.com
- Microsoft — Configure app startup in Windows support.microsoft.com
- Microsoft — Windows 11 release information learn.microsoft.com
- Microsoft — Windows 11 system requirements microsoft.com
- Microsoft — Recovery options in Windows support.microsoft.com
Frequently asked questions
Why is Windows 11 slow after an update?
First, restart the computer and check Windows Update: Microsoft advises keeping the system up to date. Then, in Task Manager, see which process is loading the processor, memory or disk.
Do you need to clean the registry to speed up Windows 11?
Microsoft’s guide to speeding up Windows 11 has no such advice. It’s best not to edit the registry unless necessary: a mistake can break the system.
Can you turn off startup apps completely?
Yes: in Settings → Apps → Startup, each app can be turned on and off separately. You don’t have to turn off everything: remove what you don’t need right away, based on its name and startup impact.
Which power mode should you choose for maximum speed?
“Best performance” in Settings → System → Power & battery. But according to Microsoft, it increases energy use and heat, and a laptop with it drains its battery faster.
What should you do if Windows 11 is slow on an older computer?
Compare it with Microsoft’s minimum requirements: 4 GB of memory and 64 GB of storage. If resources are tight, an SSD and more RAM will help more than settings do.
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