10 Free Ways to Speed Up a Slow Windows Laptop
Practical, free steps to make a slow Windows 10 or 11 laptop faster, from startup apps and storage clean-ups to updates and malware checks.
Before you spend money on a new laptop, try these free fixes. Work through them in order; the first few usually make the biggest difference.
1. Restart it properly
It sounds too simple, but many laptops go weeks without a real restart, because closing the lid only sleeps them. Choose Start > Power > Restart. This clears memory and finishes pending updates.
2. Stop apps launching at startup
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, then go to Startup apps. Disable anything you don't need the moment you switch on, such as chat apps, game launchers and updaters. This alone can cut boot time a lot.
3. See what's using your computer right now
In Task Manager's Processes tab, click the CPU, Memory or Disk column to sort it. If one program is constantly near the top, close it or consider uninstalling it.
4. Free up storage space
Windows slows down when the main drive is nearly full. Open Settings > System > Storage and use Cleanup recommendations to remove temporary files, old downloads and leftover update files. Try to keep at least 15–20% of the drive free.
5. Uninstall programs you don't use
New laptops in particular come with trial software. Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps, sort by size, and remove what you don't recognise or need. If you're unsure what something is, search its name before removing it.
6. Install updates
Open Settings > Windows Update and install everything available, including optional driver updates. Updates often fix performance problems and security holes.
7. Scan for malware
Hidden malware can eat up resources. Open Windows Security > Virus & threat protection and run a full scan. Windows' built-in protection is good enough for most people; you don't need to pay for extra antivirus to be reasonably safe.
8. Tame your web browser
Dozens of open tabs and old extensions are a common cause of sluggishness. Close tabs you don't need, remove extensions you don't use, and turn on your browser's memory or efficiency saver if it has one.
9. Check your power mode
On battery, Windows may limit performance to save power. In Settings > System > Power & battery, set Power mode to Balanced or Best performance when plugged in.
10. Consider a cheap upgrade
If your laptop still has a traditional hard drive (HDD), replacing it with a solid-state drive (SSD) is the single biggest speed boost you can buy, often for less than the cost of a takeaway for two. Adding more memory (RAM) helps too, if your model allows it. A local repair shop can fit either for you.