Windows 10 slowdowns happen to everyone. That once-snappy system now takes forever to boot, apps freeze mid-task, and even basic clicks feel sluggish.
Disabling unnecessary startup programs, cleaning your hard drive, updating your drivers, and switching your power plan to High Performance can improve your system’s responsiveness and reduce its boot times.
Deeper issues like malware, corrupted system files, or outdated hardware require targeted solutions. A fresh Windows reinstall works as a last resort when nothing else does.
This guide covers why Windows 10 slows down, 10 proven fixes, advanced hardware upgrades for demanding workloads, and quick troubleshooting steps for sudden slowdowns.
TL;DR: Quick Actions to Speed Up Windows 10
- Disable startup programs in Task Manager to cut boot time significantly
- Switch the power plan to High Performance or Balanced in the Control Panel
- Clean your hard drive by deleting temp files and keeping the boot drive under 80% capacity
- Update drivers for display, audio, and network adapters
- Disable visual effects through System Properties > Performance Settings
- Run malware scans with Windows Defender if slowdowns appear suddenly
- Upgrade to an SSD for the single biggest performance boost (up to 70x faster)
- Add RAM if your system has less than 8 GB and you multitask frequently
Can I Switch to Another Windows to Get a Better Speed?
Before addressing the main issues behind Windows 10 slowdowns, let’s consider a fundamental question: could another version of Windows solve the problem? The answer largely depends on your hardware. Outdated hardware is usually the cause of a slow Windows 10, though exceptions exist.
Why does this matter? If you have decent hardware and Windows 10 still runs slowly, changing versions won’t solve the problem. Switching Windows versions only makes sense for low-end PCs.
In theory, each Windows version should outperform its predecessor. Windows 11 is designed for an entirely different class of computer than Windows 7. Installing Windows 11 on an old PC won’t deliver significant improvements and may actually worsen performance.
| Scenario | Recommended Action |
| Modern PC (2020+) with Windows 10 | Upgrade to Windows 11 for slight speed gains |
| Mid-range PC (2015-2019) | Stay on Windows 10 and apply optimizations |
| Older PC (pre-2015) | Stick with optimized Windows 10 |
| Any PC with hardware issues | Address hardware first before switching OS |
If you have a modern PC, upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11 may offer a slight speed improvement. For older computers, you are safer sticking with an optimized version of Windows 10 if Windows 11 is not an option.
Other optimization methods exist that don’t require changing your OS. Note that Windows 10 reached the end of support on October 14, 2025, which means no more security updates unless you enroll in the Extended Security Updates program.
What’s Actually Slowing Windows 10 Down?
If you’d rather not switch Windows versions, let’s examine the main culprits behind Windows 10 slowdowns. Understanding these issues will help us address how to speed up a Windows 10 laptop or desktop.
Malware and Viruses
This is one of the most common causes of a PC suddenly slowing down. The good news is that it usually arrives with other warning signs, so you can detect it early.
If your PC ran fine for months and suddenly slowed down, look for recent changes. A bad driver update or a new background process is often the real issue. You should still scan for malware, but if only one app crashes, it’s likely just a bug in that software.
You should protect your personal computer with the same standards used for servers. The strategies we use to secure Windows VPS environments work just as well for your laptop. Regular updates, strong passwords, and active malware protection prevent most infections.
Overloaded PC
An overloaded PC can affect even the highest-end computers. It doesn’t matter if you have 512MB of storage or several terabytes; when the hard drive fills up, your PC slows down.
Keep an eye on your storage and try not to exceed your booting drive beyond the 80% margin. An overloaded PC will be slow no matter what, so even if you change your Windows, it will slow down again after the initial boost.
Switching to solid-state drives offers the best solution for storage performance.
Outdated Drivers
Drivers are designed to adapt your different hardware parts to your Windows device. When drivers get out of date, they lose considerable operating efficiency.
Even devices you have attached to your PC and are not part of the computer use their own drivers. These drivers are not as impactful as system drivers, such as your display, but they may still slow down your PC.
Keep your drivers updated, especially key drivers like your internet adapter, audio, and display. Maintaining driver updates is one of the key ways to make Windows 10 faster.
Outdated Hardware
This is by far the biggest reason for slowing down computers. The performance demand for computers has increased over time, and some of these increases are not obvious.
The number of updates since Windows 10’s launch in 2015 has altered the demand for hardware to run Windows 10 effectively. The most efficient way to tackle this issue is to recognize the slowest components and replace them.
Sadly, this is not as easy for laptops, but still worth keeping in mind when learning how to speed up Windows 10.
Corrupted System Files
System files are files that Windows 10 uses to perform. These files carry extreme importance, and if altered in any way, they will slow down your computer significantly.
Detecting why they are corrupted is complicated. The user may unknowingly mess them up, and viruses are likely culprits here.
In severe cases, the computer won’t just slow down. It will suffer blue screen errors like IRQL not less than or equal, and force a reboot. A fresh Windows reinstall usually solves this.
10 Proven Tips to Speed Up Windows 10 (Step-by-Step)
Let’s get into the top 10 tips to speed up Windows 10. Some connect directly to the issues mentioned above, and others offer general optimization. All these methods will improve Windows 10 performance.
1. Adjust Your Power Settings
Windows often limits your CPU speed to save energy, even on desktops plugged into the wall. Your system might be running at reduced speeds without you knowing it. Switching plans tells Windows to stop throttling your hardware and prioritize performance.
To fix this:
- Open the Control Panel
- Go to Hardware and Sound
- Click Power Options
- Choose either Balanced or High Performance
Even desktops without batteries sometimes have Power Saver enabled. Switching plans will speed up Windows 10 immediately.
2. Disable Startup Programs
This solution will instantly make a noticeable difference in your Windows 10 booting time. Whenever you install new software, it often marks itself as startup-enabled.
Every time you boot up Windows 10, multiple programs start loading simultaneously, which explains why some PCs take ages to start.
To fix this:
- Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete
- Choose Task Manager from the menu
- Click the Startup tab
- Right-click on unnecessary programs
- Select Disable
This will speed up Windows 10 significantly.
3. Disable Tips and Notifications
Most experienced Windows 10 users don’t need constant tips and tricks in 2026. These features consume computing resources that could be better used elsewhere.
To free up these resources, go to Settings > System > Notifications & actions. Switch the toggle for ‘Get notifications from apps and other senders’ to Off.
This simple change reduces background activity and frees up system resources for more important tasks.
4. Clean Your Hard Drive
This is one of the most straightforward ways to make Windows 10 faster.
Time to tackle the issue and eliminate junk from your PC, especially from your boot drive. Downloads default to your boot drive and accumulate over time.
The temp folder can house considerable amounts of unnecessary cached data. Clear the temp folder and delete everything you’re not using. This will immediately speed up your PC.
5. Defrag Your Hard Drive
Hard drive fragmentation is a silent performance killer that becomes significant over time. Your hard drive stores data in scattered fragments, and when you run a program spread across multiple fragments, your computer takes extra time to rebuild the related files.
Important: If you have an SSD, skip this step entirely.
For traditional hard drives:
- Search “defrag” in your Windows search bar
- Select “defragment and optimize drives.”
- Run defragmentation on every drive
- Set it to repeat automatically (weekly or monthly)
6. Uninstall Unused Apps
Apps you don’t use do more than just take up space. They often run background services that waste system resources, even when you aren’t using them. Uninstalling them is the safest way to clean your system and free up storage.
To fix this:
- Open Settings and select Apps
- Under Apps & features, review the list for programs you don’t need
- Click on the app and hit Uninstall
7. Disable Graphics and Animations
When you first installed Windows 10 after using Windows 7 or 8, you probably appreciated the fresh colors, graphics, and animations. These visual effects directly contribute to slower performance.
To disable them:
- Search for “sysdm.cpl” in your search bar
- Open System Properties and go to the Advanced tab
- In the Performance section, click Settings
- Disable animations until you achieve satisfactory speed
- Open the Settings app, click Personalization
- Turn off the transparency option
8. Update Windows to the Latest Version
Each Windows 10 update introduces new security measures and optimizes system performance. These updates help your hardware and OS work more efficiently together, providing dual benefits of improved security and enhanced performance. The process takes just a few minutes and represents one of the easiest ways to speed up Windows 10.
9. Disable Background Apps
By default, many Windows apps run in the background to receive information, send notifications, and stay up-to-date, even if you never use them. This eats up RAM and battery life. Turning this feature off is an easy way to reclaim system resources without breaking the apps—they will still update and work normally when you actively open them.
To fix this:
- Go to Settings > Privacy > Background apps
- Toggle the switch for ‘Let apps run in the background’ to Off
10. Make a Fresh Reinstall of Windows 10
Consider this a last resort. If you’ve tried everything and your system still drags, a clean reinstall gives you a fresh start. It wipes away accumulated software junk, resets system files, and clears out deep-seated conflicts that other fixes can’t reach. While drastic, returning Windows to its factory state could be the only way to fix persistent slowdowns when your hardware is fine.
Advanced: How to Make Your Computer Faster for Real Workloads
For users who need more than basic performance improvements, especially those running demanding applications or workloads, hardware upgrades provide the most significant boost.
Upgrade to an SSD
If you’re still using a traditional hard disk drive, upgrading to a solid-state drive is the single most effective way to speed up Windows 10.
| Drive Type | Read Speed | Performance Gain |
| Traditional HDD | 100-200 MB/s | Baseline |
| SATA SSD | ~500 MB/s | 3-5x faster |
| NVMe SSD | 3,000-7,000+ MB/s | Up to 70x faster |
The performance difference translates to dramatically faster boot times, quicker application launches, and more responsive overall system performance.
Add More RAM
Windows 10 requires a minimum of 2 GB of RAM for the 64-bit version, but 4 GB is recommended. For power users running multiple applications simultaneously, 8 GB or more is ideal.
If your PC lags when you have multiple tabs open or when using Office apps, low RAM could be to blame. Adding RAM allows your system to handle more processes at once, loading necessary programs more efficiently.
Use ReadyBoost
If upgrading your RAM isn’t immediately feasible and you have a traditional hard drive, Windows 10’s ReadyBoost feature can help.
This feature uses a USB flash drive or SD card to cache data, taking advantage of faster random access times compared to HDDs. ReadyBoost isn’t as effective as an SSD upgrade, but it can provide noticeable improvement for systems with limited RAM.
Troubleshooting Slow-Down Culprits (and Fixes to Bookmark)
When your Windows 10 system slows down unexpectedly, these quick diagnostic steps can help identify and resolve the issue.
Check for Malware
Run a full system scan using Windows Defender or your preferred antivirus software. Malware can consume significant CPU and disk resources, dramatically reducing system performance.
Regular scans help detect and remove threats before they cause major slowdowns.
Monitor Resource Usage
Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and check the Performance tab. Look for processes consuming excessive CPU, memory, or disk resources.
If you notice consistently high usage, identify the culprit applications and either close them, uninstall them, or find lighter alternatives.
Update Drivers
Outdated or corrupted drivers can cause significant performance issues. Check Device Manager for any devices with warning symbols.
Visit manufacturers’ websites to download the latest drivers for your graphics card, network adapter, and other critical components.
Check Disk Health
Use the built-in CHKDSK utility to scan for and repair disk errors. Open Command Prompt as administrator and type chkdsk C: /f /r.
This will schedule a disk check for the next restart. Disk errors can cause slowdowns, crashes, and data corruption.
Run System File Checker
Corrupted system files can severely impact performance. Open Command Prompt as administrator and run sfc /scannow.
This utility scans for and repairs corrupted Windows system files, potentially resolving crashes and slowdowns.
Using a Windows VPS: The Final Solution
Some users can’t upgrade their hardware or access a Windows license for a fresh reinstall. Others need a Windows environment for work but run macOS or Linux on their primary machine. In these situations, a Windows 10 VPS sidesteps local hardware limitations entirely.
A VPS gives you a fresh Windows 10 installation running on server-grade hardware. The performance bottlenecks discussed throughout this article simply don’t apply when your Windows environment runs on NVMe SSD storage and DDR5 RAM. Boot times, application launches, and file operations all benefit from hardware that most consumer PCs can’t match.
Cloudzy’s Windows 10 VPS runs on NVMe storage and DDR5 RAM. This hardware speeds up everything from boot times to file transfers. You also get a 40 Gbps network connection, a dedicated static IP, and full administrator access. Windows comes pre-installed, so you can just connect via RDP and start working.
For developers, a VPS eliminates the need for local testing infrastructure. You can test applications, run demanding workloads, or maintain a clean Windows environment without touching your primary machine.
Conclusion
A slow Windows 10 system rarely needs a complete hardware overhaul. Most performance issues stem from fixable software problems like bloated startup programs, full hard drives, outdated drivers, or misconfigured power settings.
Start with the quick wins. Disabling startup programs and switching to High Performance mode takes under five minutes and often delivers immediate results. If those don’t help, work through the deeper fixes like registry cleaning and system file repairs.
Hardware upgrades make sense only after software optimization fails. An SSD upgrade provides the most dramatic improvement, but it’s an investment worth making only when you’ve ruled out free solutions first.
The 10 tips in this guide work for any Windows 10 system, regardless of age or specifications. Apply them in order, measure the results, and stop when your system runs at acceptable speeds.
