The latest Windows 11 version 23H2 is here with a wide range of new features, performance improvements, and design changes. Microsoft regularly updates the operating system to make it more secure and error-free and pushes new features as well. As per the company latest Windows 11 is much faster and more secure than older Windows 10, we agree on this because Windows 11 installation requires the latest hardware configuration with TPM 2.0 with UEFI and Secure Boot capability. However, some users complain Windows 11 is slower than Windows 10 or the recent Windows 11 free upgrade slows down their computer. So what causing the issue, Let’s find out Why your Windows 11 PC or laptop is so slow and how you can speed it up.
Why Windows 11 computer is so slow?
There are various factors Why Windows 11 PC gets Slow Over Time, lack of storage space to corrupted system files or virus malware infection to the older outdated driver are some common ones. Again Too many background programs, startup programs, or outdated operating systems also slow down the Windows 11 start and shutdown. Another common reason why Windows 11 getting slower is its lack of self-cleaning capability, when you regularly use its temporary files and registry keep bloating and making your PC slow. Here in this post, we have compiled a list of several reasons why Windows 11 is slow and what you can do about it.
If your PC or laptop is running slow, this could be a sign that it needs to be restarted, especially if it’s been a long time since your last one.
Latest Windows updates not installed
If you have not installed the latest Windows updates on your device or Turned off updates for some reason you may experience Windows 11 PC getting Slow Over Time. Yes with regular Windows updates Microsoft not only pushes security improvements and bug fixes to the operating system but also brings performance optimization to make Windows 11 and other Microsoft software run faster. And if you have not installed the latest Windows updates on your system you are missing that optimization.
- Press the windows key + x and select settings from the context menu,
- Go to Windows Update then hit the check for updates button,
- Allow the download and install if pending updates there, make sure you are connected to a stable internet connection to download Windows updates from the Microsoft server.
- Once done you need reboot your computer to apply them, now check the difference on Windows 11 performance.
Windows System Files are corrupted
If system files are corrupted or missing on your computer you may experience Windows 11 PC very slow or acting strangely. Or sometimes it prevents opening programs, PC crashes with different blue screen errors, and overall it slows down Windows 11 performance. Running System File Checker or the DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) tools that are already pre-installed on your system usually resolve such issues.
- Press Windows key + S and type cmd, right click on command prompt and select run as administrator,
- First run the DISM command dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth, to fix corrupted or damaged Windows operating system files and features directly from Windows online servers.
- Next run the system file checker command, sfc /scannow to scan all protected system files, and replace corrupted files with a cached copy that is located in a compressed folder at %WinDir%\System32\dllcache.
- Let the scanning process complete 100%, and once done reboot your PC. The above action most probably fixes the problem If corrupt files are the cause of your Windows 11 slow performance and now your PC should run a lot more smoothly.
You Have Too Many Startup Programs
Did your Windows 11 laptop take a long time to start or shut down or even freezes up during boot? It may be because when you start your computer lots of startup apps or programs start automatically without your knowledge, eating up system resources and slow down the performance. To fix such problems you need to disable such startup programs that automatically run on startup.
- Press the Windows key + X and select Task Manager, you can press ctrl + shift + ESC simultaneously to open the task manager on Windows 11.
- Move to the startup tab, Look through the list of programs that run on startup, and find the programs you don’t necessarily need or never actually use.
- Right-click on the unhelpful program, then click Disable. Repeat this for all programs that are using up extra resources on startup.
Not Enough Storage Space in the system drive
If your system drive (usually its C) is 85% full then it can reduce computer processing speed by upto 50% because the operating system doesn’t have enough free space to work adequately. Yes, windows 11 needs space to use the swap file to prevent fragmentation and create temporary files, and you have to free up at least 20% of your total hard disk storage so that your computer works properly.
- You can free up space on the system drive by deleting old and unnecessary files file or folders on the desktop or documents folder or move them to a different driver or external HDD.
- Empty recycle bin And run the disk clean-up tool to Delete temporary files and make room for new ones.
- Uninstall programs or Games you no longer use, You can also move photos and videos to an external storage device, like a USB stick to free up space on the system drive.
Use storage sense to free up space:
- Press the Windows key + X and select settings,
- Navigate to the system storage, and click on temporary files,
- Here delete the appropriate files by selecting them and clicking remove files.
Also, you can run free system optimizer tools like the Ccleaner program to speed up the process.
Antivirus Software Is Extremely Active or PC infected with a virus
Well if you notice Windows 11 PC slowing down at random times, there may be chances it’s infected with a virus or malware or your antivirus taking up processing power while running a background scan.
It’s advised to download and install a verified and recognized antivirus program for Windows 11 that uses low system resources. Make sure its up to date and Use it to run a malware scan on your computer for viruses or malware frequently.
Or Change your antivirus scan settings, to do so open antivirus software For example, I’m using Malwarebytes.
- Click Settings. Then click Scan Schedule. Select the box of the Scan you wish to change, then click Edit.
- Change the time and date of the scan to your convenience, as well as its frequency, if you’re given the option.
Shortage of RAM Memory
RAM or Random access memory is the temporary, “volatile” memory in your PC where Windows 11 stores data it needs to retrieve quickly. It means RAM keeps data easily accessible so your processor can quickly find it without having to go into long-term storage to complete immediate processing tasks. Not having enough RAM for the processes you’re trying to run can tellingly cause your computer to slow down.
If you don’t have enough RAM, your computer will run slowly and apps will lag
Nowadays memory-hungry browsers like Chrome, demand a healthy supply of RAM memory for PCs. And your system needs at least 4 GB of RAM, preferably 8 GB for systems used for anything beyond the most basic office work. If you have less than that, Upgrading the RAM is a great way to improve the overall performance of your PC.
Too much multitasking
If too many programs are you are running at the same time on your computer or there is a number of tabs active on your Chrome browser that might impact Windows 11 performance. We advise only open the tabs you need to use at that moment, similarly for programs close them once you are done with each program.
In addition press the Windows key + R, type perfmon /report, and click ok to run the Performance Monitor tool that automatically runs a report and diagnose issues that are impacting your PC.
In addition watch, this video explains, How to improve your computer’s performance.
Also read:
- Windows 11 is very Slow after update? Let’s Improve Windows 11 Performance
- What is MsMpEng.exe or Antimalware Service Executable in Windows 11
- DPC Watchdog Violation in Windows 11 (9 solutions to fix it)
- The drive where Windows is installed is locked Windows 11
- 7 ways to fix YouTube Audio renderer error on Windows 11 or 10
- Wi-Fi Keeps Disconnecting on Windows 11 (9 ways to fix the problem)
