How to Fix a Slow Windows 11 Computer

Simple steps to speed up your Windows 11 PC when it feels sluggish, freezes, or takes too long.

At a Glance

Restart your computer (seriously — it fixes many issues)

~33s

This sounds too simple, but restarting clears out temporary files, closes stuck programs, and frees up memory. Click the Start menu (Windows icon in the taskbar) > Power > Restart. Important: choose "Restart," not "Shut Down." Restarting fully refreshes the system, while Shut Down on Windows 11 uses a fast-startup mode that does not fully clear everything. Wait for your computer to fully restart before checking if it is faster.

Quick Tip

Make it a habit to restart your computer at least once a week. Many slowness issues build up over time and a restart clears them all out.

Check for Windows updates

~25s

Outdated software can cause slowness and security problems. Go to Settings (press the Windows key + I) > Windows Update. Click "Check for updates" and install any updates that appear. Some updates require a restart, so save your work first. Let all updates finish — this might take 15 to 30 minutes.

Quick Tip

For step-by-step help, visit support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows — Microsoft's free support site. You can also search YouTube for "Windows 11 tips" from the official Microsoft channel.

Close programs you are not using

~34s

Every open program uses your computer's memory and processing power. Right-click an empty space on the taskbar (the bar at the bottom of your screen) and select "Task Manager." In the Task Manager window, look at the "Processes" tab. You will see a list of everything running on your computer with how much CPU, Memory, and Disk each one is using. If you see a program using a lot of resources that you are not actively using, click on it and then click "End Task" in the top right. Do not end tasks for things you do not recognize — some are important system processes.

Disable unnecessary startup programs

~30s

Some programs set themselves to start automatically when you turn on your computer, which makes startup slow. In Task Manager (right-click the taskbar > Task Manager), click the "Startup apps" tab on the left side. You will see a list of programs with their "Status" (Enabled or Disabled) and "Startup impact" (Low, Medium, High). Right-click any program you do not need at startup and select "Disable." Good candidates to disable: Spotify, Discord, Skype, OneDrive (if you do not use it), and any other app you can open manually when you need it.

Free up disk space

~23s

A nearly full hard drive slows everything down. Go to Settings > System > Storage. Windows will show you how your storage is being used. Turn on "Storage Sense" to have Windows automatically clean up temporary files. You can also click "Temporary files" to see what can be deleted. Check the boxes next to items you want to remove (Temporary files, Recycle Bin, Downloads folder) and click "Remove files."

Run Disk Cleanup

~22s

Disk Cleanup is a built-in tool that finds and removes files you no longer need. Click the Start menu and type "Disk Cleanup" — click the app that appears. Select your main drive (usually C:) and click OK. Check the boxes for the types of files you want to delete — "Temporary files," "Thumbnails," and "Recycle Bin" are safe to remove. Click "OK" and then "Delete Files" to confirm.

Check for viruses and malware

~35s

Viruses and malware can secretly run in the background and slow your computer to a crawl. Windows 11 has a free built-in antivirus called Windows Security. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Windows Security > Virus & threat protection. Click "Quick scan" to run a scan. If it finds anything, follow the prompts to remove it. For a more thorough check, click "Scan options" and choose "Full scan" — this takes longer but checks every file on your computer.

Warning

Never call a phone number from a pop-up saying your computer is infected. Microsoft will never show you a pop-up with a phone number. That is a tech support scam.

Check for known Windows update issues

~26s

Sometimes a Windows update itself can cause problems. The March 2026 update KB5079473 caused sign-in issues and slowness for many users. Microsoft released a fix in update KB5085516. If your computer became slow after an update, go to Settings > Windows Update and install the latest updates — the fix should be included. If you are still having trouble, you can go to Settings > Windows Update > Update history to see which updates were recently installed.

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