Beginner-friendly guide to speed up Windows 11. Learn practical Windows 11 optimization tips for slow computers, best settings for gaming, and easy tweaks anyone can apply. Updated for 2025.

If you’re a beginner wondering how to speed up Windows 11, the quickest optimization steps include disabling start-up apps, enabling Storage Sense, switching to performance mode, uninstalling bloatware, updating drivers, and using an SSD. These simple tweaks instantly improve Windows performance, reduce lag, and make your PC run smoother—even on older or slow computers.

Windows 11 Optimization for Beginners (2025 Guide)

Windows 11 looks modern and smooth — but many beginners still struggle with lag, slow boot time, and performance drops. The good news? You don’t need deep technical knowledge to speed it up.

This beginner-friendly guide gives you practical, step-by-step optimization tips to boost speed, improve gaming performance, and make Windows 11 run like new.

1. Disable Startup Apps (Biggest Performance Boost)

Startup apps silently eat your RAM and CPU the moment you turn on your PC.

How to do it:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc
2. Open Task Manager
3. Go to Startup Apps
4. Disable apps with High Impact

This instantly improves boot time and reduces unnecessary CPU load.

2. Remove Bloatware & Unwanted Apps

Windows 11 ships with unnecessary pre-installed apps.

How to uninstall them:

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Installed Apps
2. Remove apps you don’t use:
   • Xbox apps
   • Widgets
   • Manufacturer bloatware
   • Pre-installed trials

This frees storage and improves Windows performance.

3. Turn on Storage Sense (Automate Cleanup)

If your PC storage is full, Windows slows down drastically.

Enable Storage Sense:

• Go to Settings > System > Storage
• Turn ON Storage Sense
• Enable:
  • Automatic temp file cleanup
  • Recycle bin cleanup
  • App cache removal

This is essential for slow or low-storage computers.

4. Switch to Best Performance Mode

This is one of the strongest Windows 11 organization and optimization tips for slow computers.

Steps:

1. Go to Settings > System > Power
2. Change Power Mode to Best Performance

Great for:

• Old laptops
• Low-RAM systems
• Heavy multitasking
• Gaming

5. Enable Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling (HAGS)

This reduces latency and improves frame rates.

Enable it:

1. Search Graphics Settings
2. Turn ON Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling

This is one of the best Windows 11 performance settings for gaming.

6. Update Drivers (Especially Graphics & Chipset)

Outdated drivers cause lag, crashes, and low FPS.

Update using:

• Windows Update
• NVIDIA GeForce Experience
• AMD Radeon Software
• Intel Driver & Support Assistant

Keeping drivers updated is essential for gaming and video editing.

7. Turn Off Visual Effects (Small Tweaks, Big Difference)

Windows animations look nice but slow down performance.

Disable them:

1. Search Adjust the appearance of Windows
2. Choose Adjust for Best Performance
3. Or keep important ones like smooth edges

Your system becomes faster and more responsive instantly.

8. Use an SSD (Night and Day Difference)

If your PC still uses HDD:

• Boot time improves from 2 minutes → 10 seconds
• Apps open 3x faster
• Overall system becomes butter-smooth

This is the #1 upgrade every beginner should do.

9. Clean Temporary Files Regularly

You can also clean manually:

1. Press Win + R
2. Type: %temp%
3. Delete all files
4. Repeat for temp and prefetch

This frees GBs of storage.

10. Turn Off Background Apps

Steps:

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features
2. Select app → Advanced options
3. Turn Background apps OFF

Useful for low-RAM PCs.

Bonus: Best Windows 11 Performance Settings for Gaming

1. Enable Game Mode

Settings > Gaming > Game Mode

2. Set Game as High Priority

Open Task Manager → Details → Right-click game → Set Priority → High

3. Disable Fullscreen Optimization

Right-click game EXE → Properties → Compatibility → Disable fullscreen optimizations

4. Turn on Variable Refresh Rate

For smoother gameplay on supported monitors.

These settings can improve FPS by 5–20% depending on your hardware.

FAQs

1. What are the easiest Windows 11 optimization tips for beginners?

• Disable startup apps
• Remove bloatware
• Turn on Storage Sense
• Switch to Best Performance mode
• Update drivers
• Disable visual effects

2. How to speed up Windows 11 for slow computers?

Use these steps:

• Turn off background apps
• Reduce animations
• Enable performance mode
• Clean temporary files
• Use an SSD

These give instant improvements even on older PCs.

3. How do I optimize Windows 11 for gaming?

Turn on Game Mode, enable GPU scheduling, set high performance mode, update graphics drivers, and adjust full screen optimization.

4. Why does my Windows 11 laptop feel slow?

Most beginners face slow performance due to:

• Too many startup apps
• Low storage
• Outdated drivers
• Heavy background processes
• Using an HDD instead of SSD

5. Is Windows 11 better for gaming than Windows 10?

Yes, thanks to features like Auto HDR, Direct Storage, and better GPU scheduling. But proper optimization is still needed for best results.