Windows 11 is more demanding than Windows 10, and on hardware that was already ageing it can feel genuinely sluggish. The good news: most of the slowdown is configurable. Here are the eight most effective changes, in order of impact, with the exact path in Windows 11's Settings for each one.
Quick reference
| Setting | Where to find it in Windows 11 | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Disable startup apps | Settings → Apps → Startup | Faster boot, less RAM used from the start |
| Reduce visual effects | Start → search 'Adjust the appearance' → Visual Effects | Smoother performance on older hardware |
| High Performance power plan | Settings → System → Power → Power mode → Best performance | CPU runs at full speed instead of throttled |
| Storage Sense | Settings → System → Storage → Storage Sense | Automatically removes temp files |
| Background app permissions | Settings → Apps → Installed apps → each app → Advanced options | Stops apps running in background when not in use |
| Notifications off | Settings → System → Notifications | Reduces background activity from notification checks |
| Search indexing reduced | Start → search 'Indexing Options' → Modify locations | Less disk activity on older hard drives |
1. Disable startup apps (the biggest single win)
Windows 11 loads every startup app before you open a single window of your own. Open Settings → Apps → Startup, sort by "Startup impact", and switch off everything you don't need the moment Windows loads — Teams, Spotify, OneDrive (if you don't use it), Discord, and any manufacturer utilities you never open. The effect is immediate on the next boot. Note: your antivirus and any VPN set to auto-connect should stay on.
2. Change your power mode to Best Performance
By default Windows 11 uses a "Balanced" power mode that deliberately limits your CPU speed to save battery. Open Settings → System → Power and set Power mode to Best performance. On a desktop this has no downside at all. On a laptop it will drain the battery faster when unplugged — worth switching back when on battery and forward when plugged in.
3. Reduce visual effects
Windows 11 adds animations, shadows and transparency effects that look polished but cost real CPU and GPU cycles. On older hardware the trade-off isn't worth it. Press Start, search "Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows", select Adjust for best performance, and click Apply. This removes animations and makes the interface feel noticeably snappier on any PC with less than 16 GB of RAM.
4. Turn on Storage Sense
Storage Sense automatically deletes temporary files, empties the Recycle Bin on a schedule and clears your Downloads folder of old files (optional). Open Settings → System → Storage, toggle Storage Sense on, and click it to configure the schedule. Running it once manually right now by clicking "Run Storage Sense now" at the bottom will clear out whatever has built up.
5. Limit background app activity
Many apps continue checking for notifications, syncing data or running update checks when you're not using them. In Windows 11 go to Settings → Apps → Installed apps, click the three dots next to any app you don't need running in the background, Advanced options, and set "Background apps permissions" to Never. Do this for apps like Maps, Mail, News and any other Windows built-in you don't use.
6. Reduce Search Indexing (important for HDDs)
If your PC still has a traditional spinning hard drive (HDD), Windows Search indexing runs in the background reading and cataloguing files, which competes with everything else for disk access. Press Start, search "Indexing Options", click Modify, and remove any large folders you don't need searched instantly. If you have an SSD this matters much less.
7. Adjust virtual memory (for low-RAM machines)
If you only have 4–8 GB of RAM, Windows uses a portion of your hard drive as "virtual memory" when RAM runs out. On an HDD this is very slow. Letting Windows manage this automatically is usually fine, but on a low-RAM machine with an HDD you can reduce the paging file size to force Windows to manage RAM more carefully. Search "Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows" → Advanced tab → Virtual memory → Change. This is an advanced step — leave it at "System managed" unless you're comfortable here.
8. What these Windows 11 settings don't fix
The steps above cover what Windows 11 exposes in Settings — but there are layers underneath that these menus don't touch: RAM optimisation (clearing leaked memory from programs that don't release it cleanly), the full list of background Windows services, disk-type-specific tuning for your exact HDD or SSD, and browser-level cleanup. These are exactly what PC Turbo handles automatically, in a single click, without you needing to navigate eight different settings menus.
Frequently asked questions
Will these steps make Windows 11 noticeably faster?
Yes, for most people — especially disabling startup apps and switching the power mode. The visual effects change is the most dramatic on older hardware. Combined, these steps regularly recover 20–40% of boot time and make everyday use feel lighter.
Is it safe to disable startup apps?
Yes. Disabling a startup app doesn't uninstall it or stop it from working — it just means Windows won't load it automatically. You can still open it yourself any time. The only things worth keeping on are your antivirus and anything you genuinely need running from the moment the PC starts.
Why does my PC feel slower after a Windows 11 update?
Windows updates frequently reset power plans to Balanced, re-enable some background services, and sometimes slow things down temporarily while indexing new files. After any major update, go back through the steps above — especially the power mode — because Windows often reverts your settings.
How often should I do this?
The one-time settings (power mode, visual effects, startup apps) stay until Windows resets them after an update. Storage Sense handles ongoing cleanup automatically once enabled. For RAM, background services and browser buildup — which accumulate continuously — a tool like PC Turbo handles these automatically in one click, any time the PC starts to feel slow again.
Do these steps work on Windows 10 too?
Most of them do, but the menu paths are different. In Windows 10: startup apps are in Task Manager → Startup tab; power plans are in Control Panel → Power Options; visual effects are in the same place as Windows 11.
My PC is still slow after trying all of this. What next?
If it's still slow right after a restart with nothing open, it's likely a hardware limit — not enough RAM for what you're running, or a failing hard drive. If it starts fast but slows down over hours of use, it's RAM buildup or background process accumulation — both of which PC Turbo handles automatically.
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