Slow Windows PC: checks in order of likely payoff

Work through these checks in order and test the PC after each one. Everything here uses tools already in Windows, so there is nothing to buy or install.

1. Restart the PC instead of shutting it down

   On most PCs, Shut down does not give Windows a fresh start. A feature called Fast Startup saves part of the running system to disk and reloads it next time, so whatever was slowing the PC can carry over. Restart always starts clean.

   1. Save your work and close your apps.
   2. Select Start › Power › Restart.
   3. After you sign in, wait two or three minutes before judging the speed, while Windows finishes loading.

   To see when the PC last restarted, open Task Manager (step 2), select Performance, then CPU, and read Up time. Several days or more means a restart is overdue.

2. Find what is using the processor, memory and disk

   Task Manager shows which apps are working hardest right now, so you can see the cause instead of guessing.

   1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc. If you see only a short list, select More details.
   2. On the Processes tab, select the CPU column heading to sort by it, then do the same for Memory and Disk.
   3. If an app you are not using sits near the top, select it and choose End task.

   End only apps you recognize. Some heavy work is normal for a while, such as Antimalware Service Executable during a scan; give it 15 to 30 minutes. If an unfamiliar name stays busy day after day, scan the PC with Microsoft Defender.

3. Turn off apps you do not need at start-up

   Many programs set themselves to open every time you sign in. Each one adds to the wait and keeps running in the background.

   1. Go to Settings › Apps › Startup. The same list is on the Startup apps tab in Task Manager (the Startup tab on Windows 10).
   2. Sort by Startup impact, and turn off anything you do not need the moment the PC starts, such as chat apps, music players and game launchers.
   3. Restart to see the difference.

   Leave your antivirus switched on, along with anything from your PC maker for the touchpad, audio or graphics. An app you turn off here still works normally when you open it yourself.

4. Free up space on the system drive

   Windows needs room to work. When the C: drive is nearly full, updates fail and everything slows down. Aim to keep at least 10 to 15 percent of it free.

   1. Go to Settings › System › Storage to see what is using the space.
   2. On Windows 11, open Cleanup recommendations. Review each list before you select Clean up, because it can include files from your Downloads folder.
   3. Open Temporary files, tick the items you are happy to lose, and select Remove files. Leave Downloads unticked unless you have already checked that folder.
   4. Turn on Storage Sense so Windows clears temporary files on its own from now on.

5. Install Windows and driver updates

   Updates fix performance problems, and a half-finished update keeps the PC busy until it is installed.

   1. Go to Settings › Windows Update (on Windows 10, Settings › Update & Security › Windows Update) and select Check for updates.
   2. Install what it offers, and restart if asked.
   3. For drivers, look under Advanced options › Optional updates (on Windows 10, View optional updates). Install drivers only for hardware that is giving you trouble.

   Your PC maker’s support website also lists the latest drivers for your exact model. If updates will not install, follow the procedure for a stuck Windows Update.

6. Check the power mode

   A PC set to save energy deliberately runs slower. On Windows 11, go to Settings › System › Power & battery (called Power on some desktops) and set Power mode to Balanced or Best performance. On a laptop, make sure Energy saver (Battery saver on older versions) is off while you are plugged in.

   On a Windows 10 laptop, select the battery icon on the taskbar and move the power slider toward performance.

7. Close browser tabs and remove unused extensions

   Each open tab and extension uses memory, and dozens of tabs can slow the whole PC. In Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome, press Shift + Esc to see which tabs and extensions use the most.

   Close tabs you can find again later, and remove extensions you no longer use from the browser’s Extensions page. An extension you do not remember installing may be adware; the browser clean-up procedure deals with those.

8. Decide whether more memory or an SSD would help

   If the PC is still slow after these steps, the hardware may be the limit. Open Task Manager and select Performance.

   • Memory: if the amount in use stays close to the total during your normal work, more memory (RAM) is likely to help.
   • Disk: if the type shows HDD and the disk is busy most of the time, replacing it with an SSD (solid-state drive) usually makes the biggest single difference to start-up and app loading.

   Not every PC can be upgraded; many thin laptops have memory built into the main board. Your PC maker’s support website lists what memory and drives your model accepts.