When you replace your Windows computer with a new model, you’ll notice a much improved performance. It’s normal for a PC to get slower over time, making work more tedious. But it’s not always necessary to invest in a whole new machine. Windows 10 offers lots of ways to improve performance and increase speed noticeably. We show you eight features and settings that allow you to speed up Windows 10.
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SSL certificate24/7/365 supportHow to speed up Windows 10: a quick guide
Windows 10 offers various ways to improve system performance considerably. To prevent your computer from slowing over time, it’s a particularly good idea to regularly check the factors that affect performance. For instance, you can uninstall unnecessary programs or defragment your hard drive at regular intervals. Read the following sections to find out how this works and what other strategies exist for making Windows 10 faster.
Tip
A possible cause for long loading times is excessively high CPU load. Find out how to overclock the CPU and improve performance in our dedicated article.
Deactivate auto start-up for programs
When you switch on your Windows computer, a number of selected programs start automatically. This feature is especially useful for software you use every day. But often other programs creep into the auto start-up routine which you hardly ever use. These applications continue to run in the background after automatically starting, taking up precious working memory. Windows therefore offers you the ability to manually edit the auto start-up list in the Task Manager.
Follow our guide to deactivate automatic launching of programs and make Windows 10 faster:
Disable automatic start-up for unnecessary programs to make Windows 10 faster.Defragment hard drive and optimize read processes
Your computer saves files in individual data blocks and reads them out when needed. But the arrangement of these fragments gradually becomes mixed up over time if you delete data or save existing documents again. These processes separate related blocks from each other (producing fragments) and read speed therefore slows down. When defragmenting your hard drive, the data is re-arranged – making Windows 10 faster. This not only increases speed but also the lifetime of your hard drive. To defragment your hard drive(s), follow the guide below:
The dialog window indicates whether and to which degree the selected hard drive is fragmented. Note
SSD hard drives do not contain a write/read head. Defragmentation therefore provides no benefits and has no effect on the performance of the operating system.
Deactivate virtual working memory
Virtual working memory is activated by default on Windows 10. This is used when the physical working memory (RAM) is completely utilized. But if your Windows computer does not have a SSD hard drive, the use of virtual storage can have a negative impact on performance. In this case, it is advisable to disable the additional working memory to speed up Windows 10.
Disable virtual memory for your hard drive to speed up Windows 10.Turn off visual effects
Windows 10 not only sets itself apart from the previous version with its new technical features, but also with its neater design including many visual effects. This also includes animations, refined edges, and the display of window shadows. However, these effects take up computing power. If the performance of your computer is deteriorating, it’s worth deactivating them. Although you will then forego a number of design elements, you will benefit from a performance boost. In the performance options, you have the possibility to activate or deactivate individual effects:
Manually disable the visual effects of Windows 10 to optimize performance.Remove unnecessary programs
A number of programs and tools are available to download online for free. It can be tempting to try a range of different applications. But even when you don’t use a program, it still takes up precious storage space – and this can have a negative effect on your computer’s performance. For this reason, it’s a good idea to regularly check the list of installed programs and apps. Deinstall any programs you don’t need in order to speed up Windows 10.
Uninstall programs that are no longer needed, in order to speed up Windows 10. Note
With most programs, it’s necessary to follow additional instructions to complete the uninstallation process.
Switch off background apps
Windows sometimes continuously runs apps in the background in order to provide you with ongoing information and notifications – such as for an email client. However, this feature is a burden on working memory and can have a negative effect on overall performance. Here too, Windows offers the option to manually manage the use of apps in the background and to deactivate this function completely or for selected programs.
Deactivate the use of background apps.Empty cache and junk data
Every computer system has a cache. This is a form of interim storage where programs can quickly save and access data at any time. However, data is often left in this storage area that is no longer required, thus slowing down the system. Regularly clearing the cache is one of the most important steps you can take to speed up Windows 10:
Clean up your drives to make Windows 10 faster.
Use of working memory can affect the performance of your computer in a similar manner. Since it also works with an interim storage, you have the option to clear it in order to speed up Windows 10. Find out how this works in the article “Empty Working Memory: A Step-by-Step Guide”.
Note
If your computer’s CPU is heavily utilized, this will have a negative impact on the speed of programs and processes. Learn more about the CPU and the possible reasons for high processor load in the article “High CPU Load – What Causes This?”.
Reset Windows 10 as a final option
Have you followed all the tips above but your computer’s performance still hasn’t noticeably improved? In this case, resetting the system remains the final option. This means Windows resets all system settings to the factory settings and deletes all installed programs. You can also delete your personal data during this process if you wish, but the data can also be kept. It’s a good idea to try this option before completely reinstalling the system or buying a new computer.
Reset your PC in the Windows Settings to factory settings. Tip
The feature for resetting Windows 10 is also practical when you plan to sell your computer. This way, you can delete all data automatically so that no personal information is passed on to third parties. Find out more in our in-depth article.
Related articles
Windows 10 dark mode: Enabling and disabling the dark theme
Windows 10 dark mode improves readability considerably in dark lighting conditions. The alternative mode protects the eyes and promotes concentration, while reducing the energy consumption of the display significantly. We show you three ways to enable the Windows 10 dark theme – in the system settings, via the registry, and using free software.
Defragmenting a hard disk in Windows 10: step by step
Defragmenting can speed up your hard disk and boost your computer’s performance – that used to be the case. Modern file systems and SSD data carriers make defragmentation almost superfluous and can even be more harmful than beneficial. Windows 10 takes care of this once time-consuming process automatically in the background, without users noticing any delay.
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