Windows 11 is marketed as lightning fast, but, like its predecessors, it can suffer from slow boot times. Here's how to fix it.
Windows 11, with its improved memory and hardware resource management, is advertised to be faster and more efficient than its predecessor. However, like all versions of popular operating systems, slow startup problems aren't exactly a thing of the past.
Going through a slow startup is frustrating, but you can tweak a few things to speed up the process.
Slow boot problems are relatively rare on SSD-equipped machines. However, occasionally invalid Windows updates, file corruption, and tons of startup bloatware can strain system resources, resulting in slow startup times.
Follow the basic and advanced troubleshooting steps listed in the article to fix slow startup problems with your computer. Also, review your system configuration to determine if hardware updates can fix slow boot and performance issues.
Here we have listed some troubleshooting tips to help you fix a slow startup in Windows 11.
What are the causes of Windows 11 for a slow start?
Common causes for slow startup include:
- Configure built-in and third-party startup apps.
- Problems with system files and Windows installation.
- Invalid Windows Updates.
- Using a conventional hard drive on SSD as a Windows boot drive.
Fortunately, you can change some settings on your computer to improve startup times. Here's how to do it.
Disable unwanted startup apps that slow down your PC
When you install a new app, it may configure itself to start during startup. With multiple apps attempting to launch at the same time, your system may struggle to boot quickly due to a heavy load.
Fortunately, Windows 11 allows you to quickly disable startup apps from its new Settings panel.
What's more, you can also use the good old Task Manager to disable startup apps.
To disable startup apps in Windows 11 using Task Manager:
- Right-click the button Home to open the WinX menu and select Task Manager . You can also use the combination Win + X to access the menu.
- In the Task Manager window, open the tab Start .
- Select each item and then click the button Disable .
- Close the Task Manager. Please reboot and check for any improvements.
Note that some apps hide and may not appear on the startup tab. To disable such apps, browse the respective app's settings and disable startup on startup.
Perform a clean boot
When you perform a clean boot, Windows starts with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs and disables all third-party services. This is useful for determining if a third-party background app is interfering with system functionality.
Likewise, a clean startup can also help you determine if background apps are causing slow startup problems in Windows 11.
To perform a clean boot:
- Awards Win + R to open the Run dialog box.
- To type msconfig.msc and do click su OK to open System configuration.
- When the System Configuration Utility opens, click the tab Services .
- Then, check the box Hide all Microsoft services .
- Then, click the button Disable everything .
- Then, open the tab Start and click Apri Task Manager.
- In the card Start , select each item and click Disable .
- Close Task Manager.
- In the System Configuration window, do click su OK and restart your PC.
If startup time improves in the clean startup environment, look for startup apps that are bogging down your computer. To identify the problematic app, enable all services and disable clean startup in System Configuration. Restart your PC and make a note of any apps that run on startup. Disable each program one by one to identify and eliminate the malfunctioning app.
Update Windows
Microsoft tends to annoy users from time to time to update their computer to the latest version of Windows. While it may sound annoying, the most recent updates usually consist of performance improvements and existing bug fixes.
If you're running the older edition of Windows 11, the latest updates can often help improve performance as Microsoft fixes early bugs via updates.
To update Windows 11:
- Awards Win + I to open Settings.
- In the Settings window, open the tab Windows Update in the left pane.
- Click the button Check for updates and wait for Windows to scan for pending updates.
- Click the button Download and install . Once the update is installed, restart your PC and check for any improvements.
That said, sometimes Windows updates can get buggy and break more things than they can fix. If you think newly installed Windows updates are the cause of your slow startup problems, try performing an in-place update to fix the issues.
Enable Windows Quick Start Mode
Fast Startup in Windows allows your computer to start faster after a shutdown. It is a hybrid between a complete shutdown and hibernation.
If enabled, it will not save active sessions and close running apps, but the operating system will go into hibernation mode, thus helping you to boot faster.
On systems compatible with hibernation, fast startup is enabled by default. And if you turned it off, here's how to enable this handy feature on your PC.
To enable quick start mode:
- Awards Win + R to open Run.
- To type control and do click su OK to open the Control Panel.
- So, go on System and Security> Power Options.
- In the left pane, click Choose what the power buttons do.
- click on Change settings currently unavailable.
- In the section Shutdown settings , select Enable quick start.
- Do click su Save Changes. Restart your PC and check for any improvements.
Perform an in-place upgrade of Windows 11
You can fix the slow startup problem in Windows 11 by performing an in-place upgrade. This involves reinstalling the Windows operating system without deleting any files or programs.
While a clean install is recommended, an in-place upgrade works wonders if you don't want to go through the hassle of setting up your PC from scratch.
To perform an in-place upgrade of Windows 11:
- Go to Microsoft.
- Scroll down to to the disc image di Windows 11 (ISO section).
- Click on the drop-down menu and select Windows 11.
- Click the button Download per I will proceed.
- In Select the product language , click on the drop-down menu and select the English or your preferred language.
- click on Confirmation .
- To download the Windows 11 ISO, click the button Download a 64 bit .
- Once the download is complete, right-click the file Windows_ISO.iso and select Various.
- Then, double-click the file setup.exe to install Windows 11.
- In the configuration window, click Change how the installer downloads updates.
- Select Not now if you don't have a stable internet connection or are low on bandwidth. If not, leave it as default.
- click on NEXT and then on Accept.
- Make sure that Keep personal files and apps is displayed with a check mark in the Ready to Install screen.
- click on Install to start the update process. This will take some time to complete depending on the hardware.
- After the update is complete, check if the slow startup problem is resolved.
Upgrade your startup disk to an SSD
Sometimes, the problem of slow startup is usually due to hardware bottlenecks. Most modern laptops are equipped with an NVMe SSD boot drive to improve system performance. It is an essential aspect of any computer purchasing decision. However, if you bought an inexpensive machine with a HDD as a boot drive, it's time to upgrade.
While it may seem like an expensive upgrade, SSDs can reduce boot time to seconds by optimizing app loading speed.
