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How to speed up Windows 10: eight tips to improve performance

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How to speed up Windows 10
Disable autostart programs
Defragment the hard drive and optimize read operations
Disable virtual memory
Disable visual effects
Remove unnecessary programs
Disable background apps
Empty cache and delete junk data
Reset Windows 10 as the last option

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How to speed up Windows 10: eight tips to improve performance

If you replace your Windows computer with a new model, you will notice that the performance of the new one is much better. However, if your PC slows down over time and working becomes increasingly cumbersome, it is not necessary to invest in a new model. Windows 10 offers many ways to dramatically improve performance and speed . We will show you eight features and settings available to speed up Windows 10..

Index
  1. How to speed up Windows 10
    1. Disable autostart programs
    2. Defragment the hard drive and optimize read operations
    3. Disable virtual memory
    4. Disable visual effects
    5. Remove unnecessary programs
    6. Disable background apps
    7. Empty cache and delete junk data
    8. Reset Windows 10 as the last option

How to speed up Windows 10

Windows 10 offers several ways to significantly improve system performance. To ensure that performance does not deteriorate over time, it is worth checking regularly the factors that influence it: uninstalling unnecessary programs or defragmenting your hard drive regularly, for example. In the following sections we explain the procedure in more detail and we tell you what other strategies exist to speed up Windows 10.

advice

If load times are very long, one possible reason is higher than average CPU usage. In the article What is overclocking? Tuning the Central Processing Unit we will tell you how to overclock the CPU and thus improve performance..

Disable autostart programs

When you start the Windows computer, some programs start automatically . This function is particularly useful for programs that are used every day. However, programs that you don't need or rarely use often sneak into autostart. These applications run in the background after automatic startup and therefore take up valuable memory space. For this reason, Windows offers the ability to modify the list of autostart programs in Task Manager.

Follow our instructions to disable automatic program startup and speed up Windows 10..

  1. Open the Task Manager with the key combination [Ctrl] + [Shift] + [Esc].
  2. Select the tab? Startup applications ? (or? Home?) .
  3. The Task Manager displays a list of all the programs installed on the computer. The status column indicates whether automatic start is enabled or disabled for each program. Check the list for processes that you don't want to start automatically when you turn on your computer. To change the status, right-click on? Enabled? or? disabled? in the corresponding row and select the desired option from the context menu.
  4. You can also left click on the respective program and then select? Disable ? in the lower right corner.
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Disable the automatic start of unnecessary programs to speed up Windows 10.

Defragment the hard drive and optimize read operations

The computer stores the files in individual data blocks and reads them when necessary. However, over time, as data is erased or existing documents are re-saved, the arrangement of these fragments becomes disordered. These processes separate the contiguous blocks from each other (fragments are created), which reduces the reading speed. By defragmenting the hard drive, the data is reorganized, making Windows 10 faster. This improves not only the speed, but also the life of the hard drive. To defragment the hard drive (s), follow the instructions below:

  1. Open Windows Explorer and select? This Team ? in the left panel.
  2. Next, right-click on the hard drive whose data blocks you want to rearrange. Select the option? Properties ? from the context menu.
  3. This opens a dialog with information about the selected hard drive. Select the tab? Tools ? and then click? Optimize ?
  4. In the new "Optimize Drives" dialog box, select the desired hard drive again with a left click and start the defragmentation process by clicking the? Button. Optimize ?
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The dialog box indicates whether and to what extent the selected hard drive is fragmented.
Note

The SSDs have head read and write, so in this case no advantage defragmentation does not affect the performance of the operating system.

Disable virtual memory

In Windows 10, virtual working memory is enabled by default . It is used when the physical memory (RAM) is already fully occupied. However, if your Windows computer does not have an SSD, the use of virtual memory adversely affects performance . In this case, it is recommended to disable this additional memory to speed up Windows 10.

  1. Writes ? See advanced system settings ? in the search field on the taskbar and select the result.
  2. In the? System Properties? which will open, select the tab? Advanced options ? Click the button? Configuration ? , in the section? Performance ?.
  3. The "Performance Options" window will then open. Click on ? Advanced options ? and then on the button? Change ? , in the section? Virtual Memory ?.
  4. First, disable the option? Automatically manage paging file size for all drives ?. Then you can select the option ? No paging file ?.
  5. To accept the settings and disable virtual memory, confirm the selection in all open windows with? Accept ?
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Disable virtual memory on your hard drive to speed up Windows 10.

Disable visual effects

Windows 10 differs not only from its predecessor by its technical innovations, but also by its elegant appearance, which includes many visual effects: animations, edge refinement, and display of window shadows, among others. However, these effects require computing power . If your computer's performance decreases, it may be advisable to disable them. While deactivation means leaving out some design elements, you will benefit from the increased performance . In the performance options, you can enable or disable individual effects:

  1. Writes ? Tweak the appearance and performance of Windows ? in the search box on the taskbar and select the desired result.
  2. The "Performance Options" window then opens. By default, the required tab is usually open,? Visual effects ?
  3. Select the "Adjust for best performance" option. In this way, Windows will prioritize performance over visual effects . You also have the option to set custom settings. For this, manually select which effects you want to be displayed.
  4. To finish, confirm with? Accept ?
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Manually disable Windows 10 visual effects to optimize performance.

Remove unnecessary programs

The Internet offers a large number of programs and tools that can be downloaded for free - a great temptation to try many different applications. However, programs take up valuable memory space even if you don't use them, which can slow down your computer's performance. For this reason, it is advisable to regularly review the list of installed programs and applications . To speed up Windows 10, uninstall unnecessary apps.

  1. Open Windows settings by first clicking on the Windows taskbar icon and then on the cogwheel icon.
  2. Select the option? Applications and features .?
  3. Windows 10 then displays a list of all currently installed programs. If you find an application that you don't use, simply select it with the left mouse button.
  4. Push the button ? Uninstall ?.
  5. Repeat this procedure for all the programs you don't need.
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Uninstall unnecessary programs to speed up Windows 10.
Note

Most programs require additional instructions to be followed to complete the uninstallation.

Disable background apps

Windows constantly runs some applications in the background to send information and notifications continuously, such as when you use an email client. However, this feature loads memory, which in turn affects overall performance. Fortunately, in this sense, Windows also offers the option to manually control the running of applications in the background and to disable it generally or for some selected programs.

  1. To change the settings for background apps, click the Windows taskbar icon and then the cogwheel icon .
  2. Select the option? Privacy ?
  3. Select section? Background applications ? from the left menu.
  4. Deactivate the function? Allow applications to run in the background? to disable all app notification features . You can also disable the feature only for selected apps .
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Disable running apps in the background.

Empty cache and delete junk data

Every computer system has a so-called cache memory: a buffer memory in which programs store data for quick retrieval at any time. However, this memory can contain unnecessary data that weighs down the system. Therefore, one of the most important measures to speed up Windows 10 is to regularly clear the cache .

  1. Writes ? Disk Cleanup ? in the search box on the taskbar and select the corresponding result.
  2. Select the drive you want to clean and confirm the selection with? OK ?.
  3. Windows 10 automatically calculates how much memory the cleaning process can free up. You also have the option to select and delete files manually .
  4. Select the files you want to delete and confirm with? Accept ?
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So you can free up disk space and speed up Windows 10.

Memory usage affects computer performance in a similar way. Since it also uses a cache, you can empty it to speed up Windows 10. We explain the process in the article Freeing up RAM: A step-by-step guide .

Note

If your computer's CPU is overloaded, this will negatively affect the execution speed of programs and processes. You can read more about the CPU and the possible reasons for its overload in the article High CPU usage: what are the possible causes? .

Reset Windows 10 as the last option

Have you implemented all the above tips and yet the performance of your computer still does not improve? In this case, the last option is to reset the system. With this, Windows resets all system settings to factory settings and removes all installed programs. In this process, you have the option of erasing your personal data or keeping it. Always try this option before completely formatting your system or buying a new computer.

  1. To open Windows settings , click the Windows icon on the taskbar and then the gear icon.
  2. Choose ? Update and security ?
  3. Click? Recovery ?, in the left area.
  4. Start the recovery by clicking? Start ? , in the section? Reset this PC ?.
  5. Does the window open? Reset this PC ?. First, choose whether you want to keep your personal data or erase it completely.
  6. Follow the dialog and click? Reset ? to start the process.
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Reset Windows 10 PC to factory settings.
advice

The Windows 10 reset function is also handy if you want to sell your computer . In this way, you can automatically erase all data and thus no information will be passed on to third parties. Our dedicated article contains more information on this.


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