9 Performance Optimization Tips for Windows 11
Feeling like your Windows machine is crawling? Before you throw it out the window (pun intended), try these simple tips to speed things up!
I'll keep things simple, actionable, and beginner-friendly. You don't need to be a tech wizard to do any of these.
1. Disable Startup Programs
If you have too many apps launching at boot, they can negatively impact your system's performance.
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager (or search for it in the Start Menu), then go to the Startup Apps tab and disable what you don't need.
Right-click on the startup apps you want to disable at startup and select Disable.
Don't worry; disabling them here won't uninstall anything, it just stops them from launching automatically.
2. Uninstall Bloatware
You'd be surprised how many pre-installed apps or unused software sit around doing nothing but slowing things down. Some run in the background and consume resources silently when you aren't even using them.
Go to Settings > Apps > Installed Apps and uninstall junk you never use.
If you see something that you don't recognize or looks like a development tool, don't uninstall it immediately. Ask someone knowledgeable about it or search about it online to confirm its purpose before uninstalling so you don't accidentally remove system dependencies.
You can also sort the apps by size to identify the biggest ones. They don't necessarily cause the most lag, but they use a lot of disk space.
3. Clean Up with Storage Sense or Disk Cleanup
Clear out temporary files, old updates, and recycle bin trash.
- Storage Sense: Turn it on in Settings > System > Storage.
- Or run Disk Cleanup from the Start Menu for a manual sweep.
4. Enable High Performance Mode
Windows likes to save power, which is nice — unless you want speed!
To enable High Performance mode, search "Control Panel" in the Start Menu. Launch it.
Now, follow closely in the next steps. Windows 11 makes it tricky to enable High Performance mode due to environmental efforts.
- Go to Hardware and Sound from the Control Panel.
- Click on Power Options.
- Scroll to the bottom and click on the "Show additional plans" accordion.
- Select High Performance.
5. Keep Drivers & Windows Updated
Outdated drivers can cause bugs, crashes, and slowness. It's a good idea to check for driver updates and windows updates often. You can do this in settings.
6. Adjust Visual Effects for Speed
Warning! Applying these optimizations can change fonts, scrolling behavior, and other things essential to your PC experience. Proceed with caution and be prepared to change the settings back to their original state ("Let Windows choose what's best for my computer") if needed.
Fancy animations are great, but they slow things down. And Windows has a lot of them by default. If you disable some of them, your PC experience might feel faster but not as great looking, so this tip has trade-offs!
Search "adjust appearance and performance" in the Start Menu and open the Control Panel "Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows" dialog.
By default, "Let Windows choose what's best for my computer" is selected. You can select "Adjust for best performance", which disables all animations, and then enable ones that you can't live without from there.
Click "Apply" to see the changes, then "OK" to quit if you decide to keep it that way. You might save this section of the article if you want to find the menu again later.
7. Turn Off Background Apps
Some apps run in the background for no good reason.
To disable background processes for an app or limit its resources, head to Settings > Apps > Installed Apps and click the ... on an app. If available, choose "Advanced options" and set the Background app permissions to "Power optimized" or "Never".
8. Defragment (HDD) or Optimize (SSD)
If you're on a hard drive (HDD), defrag it. If you're on an SSD, don't; just optimize.
Search for "Defragment and Optimize Drives" in the Start Menu and optimize your main drive.
9. Turn on Game Mode (Gamers Only)
Game Mode tells Windows to chill out on background stuff while you're playing.
To turn it on, go to Settings > Gaming > Game Mode and toggle it on.
Final Thoughts
A laggy PC doesn't always mean it's dying. Most of the time, it's just bogged down with junk or background apps. Try a combo of the tips above, even a few can make a big difference.
If you liked this post, share it with a friend who's still suffering through 100% CPU usage 😅