Optimizing Windows 10 to speed up your PC

Many users are faced with the need to optimize Windows 10 to speed up their computer and increase system performance. The operating system slows down on computers.

A large number of stationary PCs and laptops have insufficient performance for comfortable work. Users are wondering how to speed up Windows 10 and optimize computer performance.

Content:

1. How to speed up Windows 10
2. Installing Windows updates and software
3. Putting things in order on the computer
4. Checking your computer for viruses
5. Checking system files for integrity
6. Check disk for file system errors
7. Using the System Troubleshooting Tool
8. Freeing up space on the system drive
9. Cleaning the system from unnecessary data
10. Choosing an antivirus
11. Intermittent shutdown and restart of the computer
12. Using the Quick Launch Feature
13. Removing unnecessary programs from Windows startup
14. Controlling the number of running programs
15. Turn off transparency in the start menu
16. Turning off unnecessary personalization elements
17. Disable unnecessary Windows settings
18. Setting the “Games” settings
19. Set up computer privacy
20. Disable background apps
21. Disable special effects
22. Disable live tiles
23. Choose a priority in the performance settings
24. Setting the power plan
25. Turn off notifications, recommendations and tips
26. Disable User Account Control (UAC)
27. Turn off OneDrive sync
28. Use of specialized programs
29. Other Ways to Increase Performance
30. Extreme methods to speed up the system (for experienced)
31. Article Conclusions

The most preferred method is to replace the hardware (PC upgrade) and then optimize the computer software.

The performance increase occurs when replacing computer hardware:

• installing an SSD (solid state disk) on a PC, using it as a system disk, instead of an HDD (hard disk);
• replacement of the central processor with a more powerful one;
• installing more RAM;
• using a more powerful video card for those who like to play computer games.

Unfortunately, not all users can afford to install new hardware on a computer. Therefore, you will have to use another option: accelerate Windows 10 programmatically. We will cover these methods in the instructions of this guide.

How to speed up Windows 10

Tuning and optimizing the system will slightly increase the performance of Windows. In some cases, miracles should not be expected due to “bottlenecks” in the hardware of the computer; on many PCs, after taking appropriate measures, the performance of the operating system will increase compared to what it was before.

Windows is optimized in different ways, in this article we will look at ways to solve the problem: how to speed up Windows 10. To optimize performance and increase system performance, you will need to change some settings.

The first stages do not directly affect the acceleration of Windows, but they will prepare the computer for other work to optimize the operating system. The following steps will change the system settings, resulting in a faster Windows 10 computer.

Preparatory steps:

• Install updates for the system and programs.
• Putting things in order on the computer.
• Virus check.
• Checking system files for integrity.
• Check disk for errors.
• Troubleshooting with built-in tools.
• Free up space on the system drive.
• System cleaning.
• Choosing an antivirus
• Periodic shutdown and restart of the computer.

Steps that directly affect the acceleration of Windows 10:

• Using the quick launch function.
• Removing programs from startup to reduce timeout.
• Program control.
• Personalization setting.
• Disable unnecessary system settings.
• privacy settings.
• Disable special effects.
• Priority selection in performance settings.
• Setting up the power plan.
• Turn off notifications, recommendations and tips.
• Disabling User Account Control (UAC).
• Disable background apps.
• Removing unnecessary programs.

To follow some of the recommendations on how to speed up your Windows 10 computer, you will need to follow the links from this article. It is not possible to fit a description of all specific actions in one article, therefore, other articles on this site describe in detail the process of performing certain tasks.

Do on your PC what suits you from the suggested methods: leave the settings that you use, the rest can be turned off. The implementation of many recommendations that give little effect, in total, can give a positive result.

Before performing Windows optimization work, create a system restore point or Windows 10 backup . If something went wrong, you can roll back the operating system to the state before applying the changed settings.

Installing Windows updates and software

There are tips on the Internet for disabling Windows 10 updates to speed up the system. I do not support this point of view, now I will tell you why.

By itself, installing updates does not affect the degree of system performance. Monthly updates are mainly installed after the computer is turned off and does not take much time. The user strains only very frequent: once a weather, the release of “major” updates that take a long time to install.

System updates mainly close security gaps, apply fixes and changes to system functions, and solve various problems. There is nothing wrong with the computer becoming more secure, or there will be new features.

Similarly, it is necessary to keep the software installed on the computer up to date. Developers make changes: new functionality appears in programs, errors in application operation are corrected, security problems are solved.

PC gamers know to keep their graphics card drivers up to date. Graphics card manufacturers are optimizing modern games for their equipment, fixing identified problems.

Putting things in order on the computer

The first step I recommend is to clean up the computer. It is necessary to organize files and folders in the proper order, remove duplicate files, and then maintain order on an ongoing basis.

These activities will help optimize computer performance and increase user efficiency. There is a detailed article on my site about putting things in order on a computer , I advise you to read this material.

Checking your computer for viruses

Malicious software can have a noticeable effect on speeding up Windows 10. A computer virus (in the general sense of the word) can start processes on the system, transfer data, interfere with programs, modify system files, etc.

Viruses affect PC performance. To neutralize viruses, you need to scan your computer with a virus scanner. The anti-virus scanner is designed for a one-time system scan; it does not need to be installed on a computer. For greater reliability, you can check your PC with several antivirus programs from different manufacturers.

Read also: The best antivirus scanners that do not require installation on a computer

Checking system files for integrity

Due to file corruption in the Windows operating system, the computer may run very slowly. The user needs to check the system using the built-in utility.

Using the system tool: SFC (System File Checker), important system files are checked for integrity. If necessary, sfc.exe restores system files on the computer, replacing damaged files with the original copy from the Windows Component Store.

In most cases, the command is used: “sfc /scannow”, executed in the Windows command line. This command detects and automatically repairs corrupted system data.

Read more: Check and repair Windows system files with sfc scannow

Check disk for file system errors

File system errors and bad sectors on the disk negatively affect the operation of the Windows operating system. A system tool will help us detect and fix the problems found: CHKDSK – a utility for checking a disk for errors.

Follow these steps:

1. Open File Explorer, and then right-click on the system drive “C:”.
2. Select “Properties” from the context menu.
3. In the “Properties: Local Disk (C:)” window, open the “Tools” tab.
4. In the “Check for errors” section, click on the “Check” button.

Read more: CHKDSK – check hard drive for errors

Using the System Troubleshooting Tool

Malfunctions in the operation of devices and the operating system affect the operation of the PC, so the problems must be corrected. The Windows 10 operating system has built-in tools to automatically fix system and hardware errors, such as problems with sound, printer, keyboard, Internet connection, BSOD, etc.

The Troubleshooter automatically fixes problems with devices or certain system features. To do this, select a problem from the available list, and then run the system tool:

1. Enter the Start menu, launch the Settings app.
2. Open “Update and Security”, enter the “Troubleshooting” section.

Read more: Windows 10 Troubleshooter

Freeing up space on the system drive

Filling up the system drive, usually the C: drive, seriously affects the speed of the Windows operating system. Due to the lack of physical memory, the computer will become noticeably slower.

The system disk must have at least 15% free space of the total disk size for optimal system performance. Windows warns the user about low disk space: the space occupied in Explorer turns red.

The user needs to move some data to another disk partition (if available), to another hard drive, or to an external drive (external hard drive, USB flash drive, CD/DVD/Blu-ray drive, memory card, etc.).

If your system drive is small and your PC has another hard drive or drive partition, you can move some system folders from the C: drive to save space.

For example, with active use of the Internet, the Downloads folder usually accumulates a large number of files that take up a lot of space on the system disk. These notes also apply to the Documents folder, which stores data for some programs, saves for games, etc.

If necessary, move these folders to another computer drive:

• Video;
• Images;
• The documents;
• Music;
• Downloads.

If desired, you can also move the “Desktop” folder. Methods for transferring system folders are described in detail in the articles on my website.

You may also be interested in:

• How to move Documents, Downloads, Desktop to another drive – 3 ways
• How to Transfer the Windows Download Folder – 3 Ways

Cleaning the system from unnecessary data

The operating system accumulates a lot of unnecessary files that need to be deleted from the PC from time to time. This can be done by system tools or third-party programs.

Read more: Cleanup Windows 10: Automatic and manual removal of junk files

Choosing an antivirus

Any antivirus program slows down the computer. There are more “light” and, conversely, “heavy” antiviruses in terms of the degree of impact on the performance of the PC.

Some users do not use antivirus programs on their computers. Most, including myself, believe that such a program should be installed on the computer.

When choosing an antivirus, you need to take into account the fact that a full-fledged antivirus is built into the Windows 10 operating system: Windows Defender. According to research by antivirus labs, Windows Defender is now in no way inferior to other products. Therefore, it is not necessary to install a third-party solution on the PC.

Intermittent shutdown and restart of the computer

A modern computer can work for a long time without shutting down or rebooting the system. But this does not mean that the PC does not need to be unplugged from power from time to time.

During operation, the system memory of the computer is used. When you turn off or restart the system, the computer’s RAM is cleared, all processes are deleted, including erroneous ones.

In some cases, this will help speed up the system somewhat.

Using the Quick Launch Feature

At default settings, the Windows 10 operating system has the Fast Startup feature enabled, which allows you to start systems faster than normal startup. Windows 10 fast start does not affect reboot mode.

Removing unnecessary programs from Windows startup

During installation on a computer, many programs are registered in Windows autorun. This means that these applications are launched at the start of the operating system.

A large number of programs at startup negatively affects the speed of Windows startup and the work in the OS, because applications run in the background and take up computer memory uselessly.

Now I will show the easiest way to disable a program from startup in the Task Manager:

1. Press the keys “Ctrl” + “Alt” + “Del”.
2. In the window that opens, select “Task Manager”.
3. In the Task Manager window, open the Startup tab.

The “Status” column indicates the status of the program in startup: “Enabled” or “Disabled”. In the “Startup Impact” column, the status of the application’s impact on Windows startup is marked as “High”, “Medium”, or “Low”. Figure it out on your own whether you need specific programs at startup or not. When in doubt, search the internet for information.

1. Right-click on the application, select Disable from the context menu.

You should also pay attention to the delayed launch of programs. Some programs are needed at startup, but the simultaneous launch of these programs affects the speed of Windows startup.

It makes sense to delay the launch of applications for a while (5-10 minutes) in order to slightly speed up the system boot. You can do this yourself in the Task Scheduler, or using third-party software, such as Autorun Organizer or AnVir Task Manager.

After completing these steps, Windows 10 will boot faster.

Controlling the number of running programs

A large number of simultaneously running programs can significantly affect the speed of the operating system. In most cases, there is a shortage of RAM (RAM), and the CPU is affected in fewer cases.

Some “heavy” applications create a large load on the computer. You can check the current state of memory and processor in the Task Manager.

In the “Task Manager” window, open the “Performance” tab, click on “Memory”. The window will display the state of the RAM at the current time.

You can track applications in the “Processes” tab. The most “gluttonous” programs will be highlighted in color.

From here you can disable an unnecessary or frozen program (in the “Applications” section):

1. Click on the application with the right mouse button.
2. In the context menu, click on End task.

Turn off transparency in the start menu

In the Windows operating system, great attention is paid to a pleasant appearance with various effects and animations. But, this beauty has a downside: visual effects consume computer resources.

The user will have to find a compromise between a beautiful appearance and some decrease in PC performance from applying effects.

First, we’ll turn off transparency in the start menu:

1. Press the Win + I keys to launch the Settings app.
2. Enter “Personalization”.
3. In the “Colors” section, in the “Transparency Effects” option, move the slider to the “Off” position.

Turning off unnecessary personalization elements

In the personalization options, open the “Start” section, disable unnecessary items.

Click on the link “Choose which folders appear in the Start menu”.

In the window that opens, disable all folders, leave only what you really need.

Open the “Taskbar” section, disable unnecessary items.

Navigate to the “Notification area” option, click on “Choose the icons that appear on the taskbar”.

In the window that opens, leave the icons that you really need to display, such as the status of the antivirus, network, or volume. The remaining icons will be hidden in the notification area.

In the “Notification area” option, click on the “Turn system icons on or off” link.

In the “Turn system icons on or off” window, disable everything you don’t need.

Disable unnecessary Windows settings

Now we will disable some unnecessary operating system options. From the Settings app, enter System Settings.

In the System window, open the Focusing section. Disable all automatic rules.

Click on the Priority List link.

In the “Priority List” window, uncheck the box next to “Display notifications from pinned contacts on the taskbar” and remove all programs from the “Applications” option. Uncheck the “Calls, SMS and Reminders” option.

Enter the “Device memory” section, disable the memory control function.

Open the Tablet Mode section. Computer users (stationary PCs, laptops and netbooks) can disable the use of this mode:

• In the “At logon” option, set the “Use desktop mode” setting.
• For When device automatically turns tablet mode on or off, select Don’t ask for permission or switch mode.

Disable other options.

Enter the “Multitasking” section. If you do not dock windows on the screen, then you can disable these settings.

Turn off unnecessary options in the “Work with multiple windows” option, and then turn off the “Timeline” option.

Enter the “Applications” option, open the “Offline Maps” section. Click on the “Remove all maps” button and then turn off map updates.

Go to the “Accessibility” option. In the Display section, in the Simplify and Personalize Windows option, turn off the available options.

Setting the “Games” settings

Enter the “Games” option. In the “Xbox Game Bar” section, uncheck “Open the game menu with this button on your controller” and move the switch to the “Disabled” position in the “Record game clips, take screenshots and broadcast them from using the game menu.

Open the “Game Mode” section. If you don’t play PC games on your PC, disable Game Mode.

Set up computer privacy

Many users disable many privacy settings when installing Windows. Open “Privacy” to check and disable the settings.

In the General section, turn off all settings.

In the “Voice functions” section, the option for voice recognition on the network should be disabled.

In the “Personalize handwriting and typing” section, turn off the “Get to know you” option.

Open the “Diagnostics and feedback” section, in the settings for sending diagnostic data, enable the item “Basic: send only information about your device, its settings, capabilities and health”.

Disable all options in this section, click on the “Delete” button to delete diagnostic data. Set Feedback Frequency to Never, and set Recommended Troubleshooting to Ask Me Before Troubleshooting.

These settings must be made in the appropriate sections of the “Privacy” parameter:

• In the “Action Log” section, disable all checkboxes and switches, and then clear the activity log.
• In the Location section, make sure everything is turned off.
• Enter the “Camera” section, if your PC does not have a camera, disable all settings.
• In the Microphone section, check the apps that have access to the microphone.
• Disable all options in the “Voice Activation” section.

Prevent applications from accessing data in the following sections:

• “Account Information”;
• “Contacts”;
• “Calendar”;
• “Phone calls”;
• “Call log”;
• “Email”;
• “Tasks”;
• “Message exchange”;
• “Radio”;
• “Other devices”;
• Application Diagnostics;
• “The documents”;
• “Images”;
• “Video”.

Disable background apps

In the Background Apps section, turn off apps running in the background to reduce power consumption.

Disable special effects

To disable various special effects, follow these steps:

1. Follow the path: “Settings” => “System” => “About the system” => “Related settings” => “System Information”.
2. In the “View basic information about your computer” window, click on “Advanced system settings”.
3. In the System Properties window, click the Advanced tab.
4. In the “Performance” section, click on the “Settings …” button.

1. In the “Visual Effects” tab, adjust the appearance and performance settings of Windows. Select the “Ensure the best performance” option.

If these settings do not suit you, choose to display some of the effects of your choice. For example, you can leave the settings: “Animate windows when minimized and maximized”, “Show thumbnails instead of icons”, “Smooth scrolling of lists”, “Display shadows cast by windows”, “Smooth jagged screen fonts”. In this case, the system will switch the parameters to Special Effects.

Disable live tiles

Windows 10 has tiled interface elements. Tiles can be static or dynamic (“live”). Tiles display applications in the Start menu, display various notifications.

You can remove live tiles from the Start menu as follows:

1. Right-click on a live tile.
2. From the context menu, select Advanced and then Disable Live Tiles.
3. Do this for all tiles.

Read more: How to remove or disable Live Tiles in Windows 10

Choose a priority in the performance settings

Check in the settings that priority is given to the operation of programs on your computer:

1. In the “Performance Options” window (how to open the window, see the “Disable special effects” section of the article), open the “Advanced” tab.
2. In the “Processor time allocation” option, select the resource allocation method “Optimize performance:” – “Programs”, click on the “OK” button.

Setting the power plan

Change your power plan to improve performance. Notebook owners are advised to leave this setting at its default, in the recommended Balanced mode, because this scheme strikes a balance between performance and battery consumption.

Other users can enable maximum power performance on the computer:

1. Right click on the start menu.
2. In the menu that opens, click on “Power Management”.
3. In the “Power and sleep” section, in the “Related settings” option, click on “Advanced power settings”.
4. In the “Select or configure a power plan” window, select the “High performance” option.

Turn off notifications, recommendations and tips

In Windows 10, you can turn off receiving notifications, tips, and tricks. The necessary actions are performed from the OS settings.

In the System window, open the Notifications and actions section.
Here you can disable all notifications. First, consider whether this setting is right for you. For example, perhaps you should leave notifications from the antivirus.

Uncheck the boxes next to:

• Show notifications on the lock screen.
• Show reminders and incoming VoIP calls on the lock screen.
• Show the Windows Welcome screen after updates and sometimes when you sign in to announce new features and offers.”
• Get tips, tricks, and tips while using Windows.

In the “Receive notifications from these applications” option, turn off notifications from programs, leave only the notifications you really need.

In the “Quick Actions” option, click on “Edit Quick Actions” and then remove unnecessary items from the Windows 10 Action Center.

Disable User Account Control (UAC)

User Account Control is a feature to protect your computer from unauthorized launch of programs with elevated rights. In the warning window, the user decides whether to allow the application to run or not. This is a useful tool, especially for novice users.

Disabling UAC is as follows:

1. Open “Control Panel” , select “User Accounts”.
2. In the User Accounts window, click the Change User Account Control settings link.
3. In the “Configure notification of changes to computer settings” window, move the selector slider to the “Never notify” position.
4. Click on the “OK” button.

Turn off OneDrive sync

OneDrive cloud storage is built into the Windows 10 operating system. The operation of the application has an impact on system performance. OneDrive can be used through a web interface in a browser, without an application installed on a computer.

If you don’t use this storage, you can disable it or even remove it from Windows.

Read more: How to disable or remove OneDrive in Windows 10

Use of specialized programs

Many Windows 10 settings, especially those related to privacy and security issues, can be disabled using third-party programs. You can use one of the proposed programs. They work in Russian and these applications have the function of re-enabling previously disabled settings.

You may also be interested in:

• O&O ShutUp10 to disable snooping in Windows 10
• Ashampoo AntiSpy for Windows 10

Other Ways to Increase Performance

There are tips on the Internet that offer the following ways to optimize the system:

• Disable the Windows Search service.
• Disable unnecessary Windows services.
• Disable system protection and delete restore points.
• Disable defragmentation.

Indexing in the search affects the performance of the system. On the other hand, this function is necessary for most users. Whether or not to disable this feature is up to you.

Here you can read how to disable Windows system search. Everything is a great replacement for the standard search .

It is often advised to disable unnecessary system services. This will not result in any noticeable increase in system performance. The user may mistakenly disable services that are needed for Windows or programs to work.

After disabling system protection and deleting restore points, free space on the system partition will increase. This will not affect the speed of the PC, unless there is not enough free space on the disk. This recommendation should only be used if the computer is backed up regularly and the system is backed up.

Disabling defragmentation is bad advice, which is explained by the fact that the user will independently turn on defragmentation manually, at a convenient time. But, most will forget about it and will not regularly defragment, and due to disk fragmentation, system performance will decrease.

Extreme methods to speed up the system (for experienced)

Advanced users can use tools to remove Microsoft firmware from a PC. Using these tools will help lighten the system and speed up Windows.

If you don’t need some Microsoft apps, uninstall them. Before executing, create a system restore point or create a Windows backup so that you have the option to roll back changes if something goes wrong. You perform all actions at your own peril and risk, the responsibility for the consequences lies solely with you.

Article Conclusions

If the user is faced with the problem of how to speed up the Windows 10 computer, there are ways to improve system performance. You will need to change the settings and optimize Windows to get a quick response from the OS and programs.