What Is Windows Health and Optimized Experiences Service

Windows 11 PCs have several built-in features intended to improve performance. One of these is the Windows Health and Optimized Experiences Service, or [whesvc]. The service gathers local diagnostic data on Windows performance, which can help investigate performance issues and support certain optimization features.

While continuous improvements to your laptop’s battery performance and other features sound appealing, some Windows users find that the service can slow their computer down. Discover more about how the Windows Health and Optimized Experiences Service affects laptops and why you might want to disable it.

Windows Health and Optimized Experiences Service Explained

The service [whesvc] had some controversy surrounding it when it was first launched in 2025. Gamers were convinced it was tanking their performance, while conspiracy theorists determined the service was there to spy on laptop users.

Neither is strictly true. includes collecting local diagnostic information when Windows detects performance problems. So, yes, the service does collect data, but the available evidence does not establish that it routinely sends this information directly to Microsoft. Leaving [whesvc] active may help support Windows features that rely on it.

The performance-draining aspect is also only partially correct. At times, the service may cause high disk usage spikes, which can temporarily slow your laptop and impact performance. While these spikes rarely last longer than a few seconds, if you find that the performance drop is unacceptable, you can follow the steps below to disable the service.

Windows Health and Optimized Experiences Service Disable Guide: Step-by-Step

Step 1. Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog. Type services.msc into the Run box and press “Enter.”

Step 2. Scroll down the list of services until you find “Windows Health and Optimized Experiences.”

Step 3. Right-click on the service and select “Properties.”

Step 4. Click the drop-down arrow next to Startup type and change “Automatic (Delayed Start)” to “Disabled.” Click “Apply,” then “OK,” to confirm the change. This prevents the service from starting automatically when you switch on your laptop. You can change this back at a later date if necessary.

Windows Health and Optimized Experiences Service: Optimization Guide

Step 1. If you want to keep the service running but want to minimize the impact it has on performance, you can try to limit the amount of data Microsoft collects and sends. Start by going to Settings > Privacy & security > Diagnostics & feedback.

Step 2. Under Diagnostic data, you can change “Send optional diagnostic data” to “Off” by clicking the button next to the option. This limits the optional diagnostic data Windows sends to Microsoft, but it does not necessarily improve your laptop’s performance or prevent the service from collecting local diagnostic information.