Is your Windows 11 computer running slower than it used to? You’re not alone — and the good news is, you don’t need to buy a new PC or pay a technician. In this guide, we’ll walk you through 10 proven ways to speed up your Windows 11 PC for free, step by step, using tools already built into Windows.
Why Is My Windows 11 PC Running Slow?
Before we jump into fixes, it helps to understand why Windows 11 slows down in the first place. There are usually a handful of culprits behind a sluggish computer:
Too many startup programs — Apps like Spotify, Teams, Discord, and OneDrive often launch automatically when you turn on your PC, using up memory before you’ve even opened a single window.
A nearly full hard drive — When your storage drive is close to capacity, Windows struggles to function properly. It uses part of your drive as “virtual memory,” and a full drive makes that impossible.
Temporary files and clutter — Over time, Windows accumulates leftover files from updates, app installations, and everyday use. These take up space and slow things down.
Outdated software or drivers — Running old versions of Windows or outdated hardware drivers can cause performance issues and compatibility problems.
Malware or background processes — Sometimes a virus or unwanted program is quietly running in the background, using your CPU and RAM without you knowing.
The great news? Every one of these problems can be fixed using tools already built into Windows 11 — for free. Let’s go through them one by one.
Step 1: Restart Your PC (Don’t Skip This)
It sounds almost too simple, but restarting your PC is one of the most effective quick fixes available. Many Windows users leave their computers in Sleep mode for days or even weeks. Over time, background processes and memory usage build up, gradually dragging down performance.
A full restart clears your RAM, closes all background processes, and gives Windows a fresh start. Make it a habit to restart your PC at least once every few days — especially after installing updates.
- Click the Start button (Windows icon) in the bottom left
- Click the Power icon
- Select Restart — not Shut Down — this clears temporary data
- Wait for your PC to fully restart and check if it feels faster
Step 2: Disable Startup Programs
This is one of the highest-impact changes you can make. Startup programs are apps that launch automatically when Windows boots up, running silently in the background and eating up your memory and CPU before you’ve even started working.
Common culprits include Microsoft Teams, Spotify, OneDrive, Discord, Skype, and manufacturer software that came pre-installed on your PC. Most of these don’t need to start automatically — you can always open them when you actually need them.
- Press
Ctrl + Shift + Escto open Task Manager - Click the Startup apps tab on the left sidebar
- You’ll see a list of programs with a “Startup impact” column (Low, Medium, High)
- Right-click any app you don’t need at startup and select Disable
- Focus on disabling anything marked as High impact that you don’t use daily
Step 3: Free Up Disk Space with Storage Sense
A hard drive that’s more than 80–90% full can significantly slow down Windows 11. Windows needs free space to create temporary files, run system processes, and use as “virtual memory” when your RAM is full.
Windows 11 comes with a built-in tool called Storage Sense that automatically cleans up junk files on a schedule. If you haven’t turned it on yet, now is the time.
- Click Start and open Settings (gear icon)
- Go to System → Storage
- Toggle Storage Sense to On
- Click Storage Sense to open its settings
- Set it to run Every week for automatic maintenance
- Enable “Delete temporary files that my apps aren’t using”
- Scroll down and click Run Storage Sense now to clean up immediately
Step 4: Manually Delete Temporary Files
Even with Storage Sense enabled, it’s worth doing a manual temporary files cleanup. Windows constantly creates temp files during everyday use — from app installations, Windows updates, browser sessions, and more. Over months and years, these can add up to several gigabytes of wasted space.
- Press
Windows key + Rto open the Run dialog - Type
%temp%and press Enter - A folder full of temporary files will open
- Press
Ctrl + Ato select all files - Press the Delete key — skip any files that say they’re in use
- Empty your Recycle Bin afterwards
Step 5: Turn Off Visual Effects and Animations
Windows 11 looks beautiful, with smooth animations, transparency effects, and shadows. But all of these fancy visuals require CPU and GPU power to render. On older or lower-end PCs, turning off these effects can make Windows feel noticeably more responsive.
- Click Start and search for
Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows - Click the result to open the Performance Options window
- Select “Adjust for best performance” to turn off all visual effects
- Or select “Custom” and manually uncheck effects you don’t care about
- Click Apply, then OK
Step 6: Change Your Power Plan to Best Performance
Windows 11 uses a “Balanced” power plan by default, which throttles your CPU to save energy. This is great for battery life on laptops, but it holds back performance on desktop PCs or when your laptop is plugged in.
Switching to a performance-focused power plan tells Windows to let your processor run at full speed.
- Click Start and open Settings
- Go to System → Power & battery
- Under Power mode, click the dropdown menu
- Select “Best performance”
Step 7: Stop Background Apps Running Silently
Many apps in Windows 11 are allowed to run in the background even when you’re not using them. They refresh content, send notifications, and sync data — all while using your RAM and CPU without your knowledge.
Turning off background app permissions for apps you rarely use is an easy way to free up resources.
- Open Settings → Apps → Installed apps
- Find an app you want to restrict, click the three dots next to it
- Select Advanced options
- Under “Background apps permissions”, change it to Never
- Repeat for other non-essential apps
Step 8: Make Sure Windows Is Up to Date
It might seem counterintuitive — updates download and install, which temporarily slows your PC — but keeping Windows up to date is essential for long-term performance. Microsoft regularly releases updates that include performance improvements, bug fixes, and security patches that can speed up your system.
Running outdated Windows versions can also cause compatibility issues with apps and drivers, which contributes to slowdowns.
- Open Settings → Windows Update
- Click Check for updates
- Download and install any available updates
- Restart your PC after updates complete
Step 9: Run a Malware Scan
Sometimes a slow PC isn’t just clutter or background apps — it could be a virus or malware running silently in the background, consuming your CPU and internet bandwidth. Malware is one of the most common causes of sudden, unexplained slowdowns.
The good news is that Windows 11 comes with Windows Security (Windows Defender) — a free, built-in antivirus that is genuinely good enough for most users. You don’t need to pay for third-party antivirus software.
- Click Start and search for Windows Security
- Open it and click Virus & threat protection
- Click Quick scan for a fast check, or Scan options for a full scan
- Select Full scan and click Scan now
- Let it run — a full scan can take 30–60 minutes
- Follow any prompts to remove or quarantine threats found
Step 10: Update Your Drivers
Drivers are small software programs that let Windows communicate with your hardware — your graphics card, network adapter, printer, and more. Outdated drivers can cause performance issues, crashes, and compatibility problems.
Keeping your drivers up to date ensures your hardware is running at its best and that Windows can take full advantage of your components.
- Open Settings → Windows Update
- Click Advanced options
- Click Optional updates
- If any driver updates are listed, tick them and click Download & install
- Restart your PC after installation
Quick Reference: All 10 Fixes at a Glance
Here’s a summary of everything we covered, along with how much of an impact each fix typically has:
| # | Fix | Time Needed | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restart your PC | 2 minutes | High |
| 2 | Disable startup programs | 5 minutes | High |
| 3 | Enable Storage Sense | 3 minutes | High |
| 4 | Delete temp files | 5 minutes | Medium |
| 5 | Turn off visual effects | 3 minutes | Medium |
| 6 | Change power plan | 2 minutes | High |
| 7 | Stop background apps | 5 minutes | Medium |
| 8 | Check Windows updates | 10–30 min | Medium |
| 9 | Run malware scan | 30–60 min | High (if infected) |
| 10 | Update drivers | 10–20 min | Varies |
Conclusion
A slow Windows 11 PC is frustrating, but it’s almost always fixable — without spending a penny or calling a technician. Start with the quick wins: restart your PC, disable startup programs, and change your power plan. Then work through the rest of the steps at your own pace.
If your PC is still slow after trying all of these steps, it might be time to consider a hardware upgrade — specifically adding more RAM or switching from a traditional hard drive (HDD) to a solid-state drive (SSD). That upgrade alone can make an old PC feel brand new.
Bookmark this page and come back to it whenever your PC starts feeling sluggish again. A bit of regular maintenance goes a long way!