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How to Speed Up Your PC (Windows 11)

Quick Tips
  • Disabling startup apps helps your PC boot up quicker and run smoother.
  • Cleaning up junk files with built-in tools can free up space and improve speed.
  • Turning off visual effects reduces the load on your system and boosts performance.

If your PC feels like it’s taking forever to open apps or load websites, you’re not alone. Windows 11 looks nice, but sometimes it can slow things down on older or budget laptops. The good news? You don’t need to be a tech expert to speed things up.

Here are three quick and easy ways to make your computer run faster without downloading anything or messing with settings you’re not familiar with.

Option 1. Turn Off Startup Apps

Many programs automatically start running in the background when you turn on your computer. The problem is, most of them don’t need to be running all the time. This slows down your boot time and eats up memory you could be using for other processes. Here’s how to fix it:

Step 1. Right-click the Start button and select Task Manager.

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Step 2. Click the Startup apps tab on the left.

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Step 3. Check the list. If you see something you don’t use every day, right-click it and select Disable.

That’s it. You’re not deleting the app, you’re just stopping it from starting up every time. Your PC should boot faster now.

Option 2. Use Storage Sense to Clean Up Your Files

Over time, your computer collects junk like leftover files from updates, temporary files, or stuff you’ve deleted but not emptied from the Recycle Bin. These pile up and can make your system sluggish. To clean things up:

Step 1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.

Step 2. Click on System, then Storage.

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Step 3. Scroll down and click Storage Sense, then toggle it On.

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Step 4. To run it right away, click Run Storage Sense now.

This tool automatically clears out useless files. It’s built into Windows 11 and safe to use. If you want even more control, there are many PC cleaning software tools that give you thorough cleanups.

Option 3. Reduce Visual Effects

Windows 11 uses many animations and transparency effects that look nice, but they also use up system power. Turning some of these off can make your PC faster, especially if it’s struggling. Here’s how:

Step 1. Press Windows + S or navigate to the task bar search and type View Advanced System Settings, then open it.

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Step 2. Under the Performance section, click Settings.

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Step 3. Select Adjust for best performance, or pick Custom and uncheck things like Animations and Transparency.

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You’ll lose some of the better visuals but your computer will run smoother, and you likely won’t notice the difference. These simple steps on how to speed up your PC (Windows 11) can make a big difference, especially if it has been slowing down over time. You don’t need to install anything or mess with your system settings too much, just a few small changes that help Windows 11 run the way it should.

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Last updated on 11 May, 2025

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