How to Optimize SSD (Solid State Drive) Performance on Windows 10/11

Solid State Drives (SSDs) offer significantly faster read/write speeds compared to traditional Hard Disk Drives (HDDs), improve overall system performance and boot times. However, to maximize the lifespan and efficiency of an SSD, it’s important to optimize settings and maintain proper usage habits. Windows 10 and 11 include several built-in features that help ensure SSDs perform at their best. This article explores various methods to optimize SSD performance on Windows 10 and 11.

How to Optimize SSD Performance

To optimize your SSD for performance and longevity, enable AHCI mode, ensure TRIM is enabled, update firmware, disable defragmentation, and consider disabling indexing and hibernation.
Optimize SSD Performance:

• Ensures data is accessed and stored efficiently.
• Reduces unnecessary wear and tear on memory cells.
• Prevents lag, slow boot times, and file corruption.
• Helps laptops maintain longer battery life by reducing unnecessary SSD activity.

Enable TRIM for Automatic SSD Maintenance

TRIM command allows notifying the SSD to wipe out data from blocks that are no longer in use. Erasing those blocks reduces the Write speed and maintains optimum performance throughout the lifespan.

By default, the TRIM feature should be enabled in Windows 11/ 10, but sometimes it may not happen. Here’s how you can ensure that TRIM is configured properly:

1. Type cmd on the start menu search, Right click on the command prompt select run as administrator.
2. Type in the following command and press Enter

fsutil behavior query DisableDeleteNotify

After executing the command, you should get a result of zero (0), it means TRIM is enabled.

NTFS DisableDeleteNotify = 0 (Disabled)
ReFS DisableDeleteNotify = 0 (Disabled)

If you get result as one (1), then it means TRIM is disabled, enable TRIM using this command:

fsutil behavior set DisableDeleteNotify 0

It should enable the TRIM and you should get DisableDeleteNotify = 0

Set SATA controller to AHCI mode

SSD works better with AHCI (Advanced Host Controller Interface) mode. Most of the modern motherboards SATA controller is set to AHCI by default, you can see it from Device Manager >> IDE ATA/ ATPI controllers.

If you see the SATA controller mode in IDE, do the following to change it from IDE to AHCI.

• Restart your PC and enter BIOS/UEFI by pressing F2, F10, DEL, or ESC (varies by manufacturer).
• Navigate to the Advanced or Storage Configuration section.
• Locate the SATA Mode option and set it to AHCI instead of IDE.
• Press F10 to Save changes and restart your system.

Enabling it ensures better compatibility with Windows and maximizes performance.

Ensure SSD Firmware is Up-to-Date

To make sure your SSD is running as well as it can, it’s worth staying on top of firmware updates for it. Unfortunately, these aren’t automated; the process is irreversible and a bit more complex than, say, a software update.

Each SSD manufacturer has their own method for SSD firmware upgrades, so you’ll need to go to the official websites of your SSD manufacturers and follow their guides from there.

• Identify your SSD model by pressing Win + X > Device Manager > Disk Drives.
• Visit the SSD manufacturer’s website and search for firmware updates.
• Follow the provided instructions to update your SSD’s firmware.

Disable Indexing for SSDs

Windows indexing speeds up file searches but can cause excessive writes on SSDs, potentially reducing lifespan.

• Open File Explorer, right-click your SSD and select Properties.
• Uncheck Allow files on this drive to have contents indexed.
• Click Apply and select Apply changes to drive and subfolders.

Once you do this the operating system will apply this to all the files and folders on the drive. If you see a dialog telling you that it couldn’t remove a file from the index, click “Ignore All.” That will streamline the process and ignore any errors.

Enable Write Caching

Write caching improves SSD performance by temporarily storing data in the cache before writing it to the drive.

• Press Win + X, then select Device Manager.
• Expand Disk drives, right-click your SSD, and select Properties.
• Go to the Policies tab and check Enable write caching on the device.
• Click OK and restart your PC.

Disable Prefetch and Superfetch (SysMain)

Windows sometimes places information in your physical memory and virtual memory belonging to programs that you don’t currently use but use very often. This is known as “Prefetch” and “Superfetch.” If you are stuck with having to cope with virtual memory on your SSD, you’re better off just doing away with these two features.

• Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
• Locate SysMain, right-click it, and select Properties.
• Change the Startup type to Disabled.
• Click Apply and restart your PC.

Enable High Performance Power Plan

A high-performance power plan ensures the SSD and CPU run at optimal speeds.

• Press Win + R, type powercfg.cpl, and press Enter.
• Select High Performance or Ultimate Performance (if available).
• If the plan isn’t available, create a new custom plan by clicking Create a power plan.

Keep SSD Storage Usage Below 80%

Overfilling an SSD reduces its performance. Leaving at least 20% free space ensures the drive operates efficiently.

• Open File Explorer and check your SSD’s storage usage.
• If usage exceeds 80%, move large files to an external drive or cloud storage.
• Regularly clean unnecessary files using Storage Sense (Win + I > System > Storage).

Adjust Virtual Memory (Page File) Settings

If you have a secondary drive, it’s best to put the pagefile on that drive rather than on your SSD. If you don’t have a secondary drive, you can reduce the pagefile size.

1. Hold down your Windows Key and press Pause (Break), releasing both and just like magic up pops the System properties window.
2. On the system windows, click Advanced System Settings.
3. On the System Properties window and under the Advanced tab. Click the Settings inside the Performance box.
4. On the Performance Options windows. Click Advanced tab then click Change.
5. On the Virtual Memory windows. Uncheck the Automatically Manage Paging File Size on all Drives.
   

6. Select your SSD and set it to No Paging File if you plan to move the paging file on your second drive or change the paging file size via Custom Size.
7. If you plan to move it to your second drive. Select your second drive then click System Manage Size or set the paging file size on your won by setting it on Custom Size.

Disable ClearPageFileAtShutdown and LargeSystemCache

Windows is quick to implement things that are no longer necessary. An SSD operates on flash memory, making it possible to easily overwrite things on the disk. Therefore, the page file doesn’t need to be erased while the computer’s shutting down. This will make the Windows shutdown process much faster. LargeSystemCache, on the other hand, exists primarily in Server versions of Windows and tells the computer whether it should use a large cache for pages on the drive.

Both these options are found in your registry editor under

• Press Windows + R, type regedit and ok to open the Windows registry editor.
• Then navigate to the following path
• Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Current\ControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management
• Double-click on memory management and set its value to 0

Restart Windows, you may now feel the difference, and your computer will run more smoothly. Also, apply these Windows 10 optimization tweaks that help to speed up your Laptop/Desktop PC.