Speeding Up Windows 11 Boot Time by Managing Startup Programmes
So, I’ve been there—Windows 11 can sometimes feel like it takes ages to get to the desktop. Turns out, most of the delay comes from apps and processes launching right after startup, many of which you don’t really need immediately. This can make your PC seem sluggish right from the get-go, leading you to wonder if it’s getting tired, even if it’s still pretty new.
The breakthrough for me was opening up the Task Manager. You can usually do this by pressing Control + Shift + Escape. If it opens in a simplified view, look for the More details button at the bottom—sometimes it hides a bunch of options. Then, head over to the Startup tab. That’s where Windows lists all the apps set to run automatically at startup. The Status column shows what’s enabled or disabled. Turning off the ones you don’t need right away — like cloud syncers, chat apps, or utilities — can shave seconds off your boot time. You might be surprised how much snappier your PC feels just by disabling a few background apps.
Right-click on an app you don’t need at startup and select Disable. Just be careful not to disable anything essential for Windows or your security — like your antivirus or system processes. Disabling the wrong stuff can cause errors or prevent your PC from starting correctly. It’s a bit of a balancing act, but cleaning up this list really helps, especially if your system’s been clogged up for a while. Also, some apps like Dropbox or Slack tend to relaunch after updates, so it’s worth revisiting this list every now and then after updates or software installations.
Adjust Power Settings for Better Speed
Another way to get some extra speed is by tweaking your power plan. It’s not just about saving energy — if you want your PC to respond swiftly, this can make a difference. Press Windows + I to open Settings, then go to System, and select Power & battery. You might need to click on Additional power settings (usually at the bottom or via a link)—sometimes it’s hidden behind a dropdown arrow.
This was a game-changer for me: changing the Power mode dropdown. It might say Balanced, Power saver, or Best performance. Switch it to Best performance. This prioritises responsiveness by giving your CPU and GPU more freedom, but it’ll also drain your battery faster — so keep that in mind if you’re on a laptop.
If you want to go further, click Change plan settings and then Change advanced power settings. Here, you can delve into Processor Power Management and set the Minimum processor state and Maximum processor state to higher levels, like 90% or even 100%. I tweaked these a bit and noticed a noticeable boost in speed. It’s not magic, but every little bit helps.
Defragging Hard Drives — Still Relevant for HDDs
I know, SSDs are the new standard, so defragging might sound like a thing of the past. But if your PC still runs on a traditional HDD, defragmentation remains useful. Over time, files get scattered across the platter — which means longer read and write times. This can slow down overall performance, especially at startup.
To defrag or optimise your drive, press Windows + S, type defragment or Optimize Drives, and select the option. You can also run dfrgui from the Run box (Win + R) for a quick access window. Select your main drive (probably C:), then click Optimize. If it’s an HDD, you’ll see when it was last optimized and can schedule regular defrags. If it’s an SSD, Windows manages that automatically and runs TRIM commands in the background — so no need to defrag manually. You can check if TRIM is enabled by running fsutil behaviour query DisableDeleteNotify in PowerShell or Command Prompt. If it returns 0, all good.
Keeping up with regular maintenance helps keep things running smoothly. I found that a quick defrag restored some speed I thought was gone forever. Especially handy for older desktops or laptops still running mechanical drives.
Summary
Basically, managing startup programmes, tweaking power options, and defragging (if you’re on a HDD) can make a real difference. I’ve shaved several seconds off my boot time, and it’s a relief not to stare at a black screen forever. Just be cautious not to disable anything critical, and double-check which processes are important before turning things off.
Hope this helps — it took me ages to figure it all out, and I wasted a lot of time tinkering. If your PC still feels sluggish after these tweaks, there are more advanced options like registry edits or hardware upgrades, but for a quick speed boost, these tips do the trick.
Still not quick enough? Consider exploring more advanced tweaks or hardware upgrades down the line.
Good luck, and I hope this saves someone else a weekend of frustration!