How to Speed Up Your Windows 11 PC in Under 10 Minutes

Windows 11, Microsoft’s sleek and modern operating system, brings a fresh user interface and a suite of powerful features. But like any operating system, over time it can slow down due to accumulated junk files, background processes, startup apps, or outdated settings. Fortunately, you don’t need to be a tech wizard or spend hours optimizing your PC. In fact, with just 10 minutes and a few simple tweaks, you can significantly improve the performance of your Windows 11 system.

This article walks you through practical, effective, and easy-to-follow steps to speed up your Windows 11 PC—no technical expertise required.

1. Restart Your PC First

Before diving into any performance tweaks, the simplest action is to restart your computer. Many users leave their PCs running for days or weeks, putting them into sleep mode instead of shutting down. Over time, background processes and memory leaks can accumulate, bogging down performance.

A fresh reboot clears temporary files, resets background tasks, and often resolves minor glitches that slow down the system. Always make sure to save your work, then go to Start > Power > Restart.

Time taken: 30 seconds

2. Disable Unnecessary Startup Programs

Startup programs are applications that automatically launch when your PC boots up. While some of them are necessary (like antivirus software), others like Spotify, Skype, or OneDrive may be running in the background and consuming valuable system resources.

To disable startup programs:

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
  2. Click on the Startup tab.
  3. Look for programs with a high startup impact that you don’t use often.
  4. Right-click and select Disable.

Reducing startup programs can cut your boot time in half and free up memory for other tasks.

Time taken: 1–2 minutes

3. Uninstall Bloatware and Unused Apps

Windows PCs often come with preinstalled software, sometimes called bloatware. These unnecessary apps can take up disk space and run background processes that slow down your system.

To remove them:

  1. Open Settings with Win + I.
  2. Go to Apps > Installed Apps.
  3. Review the list and uninstall any app you don’t need by clicking the three dots and selecting Uninstall.

Removing apps like trial antivirus programs, toolbars, or games you never use can help streamline your PC.

Time taken: 2 minutes

4. Turn Off Visual Effects and Animations

Windows 11 looks beautiful with its smooth animations and transparency effects, but these visuals consume CPU and memory—especially on older or less powerful systems.

To turn them off:

  1. Press Win + R, type sysdm.cpl, and press Enter.
  2. In the System Properties window, go to the Advanced tab.
  3. Under Performance, click Settings.
  4. Select Adjust for best performance or manually disable animations like Fade or slide menus into view, Animate windows when minimizing and maximizing, etc.
  5. Click Apply and then OK.

Disabling animations can make your PC feel snappier almost instantly.

Time taken: 2 minutes

5. Use Storage Sense to Free Up Disk Space

A cluttered hard drive can negatively impact performance, especially if your system drive (C:) is nearly full. Windows 11 includes a tool called Storage Sense that automatically deletes temporary files and empties the recycle bin.

Here’s how to activate it:

  1. Go to Settings > System > Storage.
  2. Enable Storage Sense by toggling it on.
  3. Click on Storage Sense to configure it.
  4. Choose when to run it (e.g., every day or week), and set conditions for deleting temporary files and unused downloads.

You can also manually click Run Storage Sense now for an immediate cleanup.

Time taken: 1–2 minutes

6. Update Windows and Drivers

Keeping your system and drivers updated ensures you benefit from the latest performance improvements, bug fixes, and security patches.

To update Windows:

  1. Go to Settings > Windows Update.
  2. Click Check for updates and install any available updates.

To update drivers:

  • You can use Device Manager:
    1. Press Win + X, then click Device Manager.
    2. Right-click on devices like Display adapters, Network adapters, etc., and select Update driver.

Alternatively, use tools like Intel Driver & Support Assistant, AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition, or GeForce Experience to keep GPU drivers current.

Time taken: 2–3 minutes

7. Disable Background Apps

Some Windows apps run in the background even if you don’t open them, consuming CPU cycles and memory.

To stop this:

  1. Open Settings > Apps > Installed Apps.
  2. Click the three dots next to an app and select Advanced options.
  3. Scroll down to Background apps permissions and set it to Never.

Focus on apps like Xbox, Weather, Mail, and Skype that often run quietly in the background.

Time taken: 1 minute

8. Clean Up Temporary Files Manually

Besides using Storage Sense, manually deleting temp files can clear space and speed things up.

Steps:

  1. Press Win + R, type %temp%, and press Enter.
  2. Select all files and delete them.
  3. Repeat the process by typing temp and prefetch in the Run dialog.

Note: You might get a few “file in use” messages—just skip those.

Time taken: 1–2 minutes

9. Optimize Your Power Settings

Windows 11 may default to a Balanced power plan that saves energy but can limit CPU performance. If you’re on a desktop or plugged in, switching to High performance or Best performance can help.

To change this:

  1. Go to Settings > System > Power & battery.
  2. Under Power mode, select Best performance.

This change prioritizes performance over power efficiency, giving your PC a noticeable speed bump, especially during multitasking.

Time taken: 30 seconds

10. Run a Quick Malware Scan

Malware, spyware, and PUPs (Potentially Unwanted Programs) can severely slow down your PC. Running a quick scan with Windows Security is fast and effective.

To run a scan:

  1. Open Windows Security from the Start menu.
  2. Go to Virus & threat protection.
  3. Click Quick scan.

If you want deeper analysis, try free tools like Malwarebytes or AdwCleaner.

Time taken: 2–5 minutes (scan runs in background)

Bonus Tips (If You Have Extra Time)

If you’ve completed all of the above and still have some time to spare, here are a few additional tips:

a. Defragment Your Drive (HDD only)

  • Go to Start > Defragment and Optimize Drives.
  • Select your drive and click Optimize.
    Note: Do not defragment SSDs—it shortens their lifespan.

b. Manage Browser Extensions

  • Too many browser extensions can slow down not just your browser, but your entire system (especially Chrome).
  • Go to your browser’s settings and remove any you don’t need.

c. Turn Off Game Mode (if you don’t play games)

  • Settings > Gaming > Game Mode, toggle off if unnecessary.

d. Switch to Lightweight Apps

  • Use lightweight alternatives for resource-heavy apps (e.g., VLC instead of iTunes, SumatraPDF instead of Adobe Reader).

Conclusion

Speeding up your Windows 11 PC doesn’t require deep technical knowledge, expensive software, or a complete system reset. With just a few minutes and the steps outlined above, you can reclaim lost performance, reduce boot times, and enjoy a smoother computing experience.

These changes not only make your PC run faster but also extend its usable life and reduce frustration in daily use. Make it a habit to perform these optimizations every couple of months—or whenever you notice things starting to slow down.

With your PC now running leaner and faster, you’ll spend less time waiting and more time getting things done.

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