Talking about boot time, Windows is far behind Macbooks. Starting from a long boot time, the laptop hanging for a while before being able to log in, to the laptop restarting repeatedly before finally turning on.
First, don’t panic because this is normal. Second, there are lots of ways you can do it so you don’t get old waiting for windows to turn on. Third, Windows that takes a long time to boot is probably your own fault.
What’s wrong with you? Yes, like it or not, we have to accept reality because 90% of Windows users do things that can make laptop performance slower and slower.
So basically, how do you make your Windows 11 and 10 laptop boot up lightning fast?
1. Clean junk files
Junk files can clog your operating system and slow down boot time. These junk files can be files that are not needed such as browser cache, temporary files, and other unused files.
You can use a system cleaning tool such as CCleaner to delete these junk files. CCleaner will automatically delete unnecessary junk files and free up used storage space.
2. Turn off unnecessary applications when booting
This is probably one of the most common reasons for slow windows booting. When booting, Windows will run all the programs it thinks it should run, eg operating system, wifi drivers, keyboard drivers and so on.
Over time, you will usually install a lot of applications that enter the ‘must run’ list at startup. Is it actually necessary? Definitely not!
To fix this, you can go to Task Manager and deactivate necessary applications from the “Startup” tab. This step will reduce the load on the system when booting, so boot time will be faster.
3. Delete unnecessary applications
Maybe it’s a bit beyond logic, because if you don’t use the application, it shouldn’t affect booting, right?
Wrong, basically the operating system is strange, so even applications that are not running are still running. Yes, that’s the point, so basically you have to delete applications that are not used. Unused applications will only burden the system and slow down the boot time.
4. Update the drivers
The urgency is not too big, but it would be nice if you update the driver when there is an update because usually the developer also optimizes the newest driver so that it runs smoother.
Devices that usually use drivers include graphics cards, mice, keyboards, WiFi, and cameras. Make sure all drivers on your system are updated to the latest versions. You can use a tool like Driver Easy to update drivers automatically.
5. Turn off visual effects
The visual effects are really good, but they can also slow down the boot time. You can turn off unnecessary visual effects such as transitions and animations to make it boot faster.
The method is to go to Control Panel > System and Security > System > Advanced System Settings > Advanced tab > Settings under Performance > select Adjust for best performance and click Apply .
6. Defragmentation
Defragmentation is a process that helps rearrange the files on your hard drive so that the system can access them more quickly.
We also don’t really understand the technical stuff, but the point of defragmentation is a kind of tidying up system files so they can be accessed more quickly. It’s just like tidying up books on a shelf, so it’s faster to find, right?
Use Windows’ built-in defragmentation tool to carry out this process. Go to Control Panel > System and Security > Administrative Tools > Defragment and Optimize Drives . Select the drive you want to defragment and click Optimize . This process can take a while, depending on the size of the drive you choose.
7. Reset the system
If you’ve tried all the steps above and still can’t speed up your boot time, it might be time to reset your system. This will return the system to its default settings and remove all the applications you have installed, but of course all the applications and your settings will be lost!
The trick is to go to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Get Started under ” Reset this PC “. Select ” Keep my files ” if you just want to delete the application, but still want to keep your files, or select ” Remove everything ” if you are bored with everything.
8. Turn off Fast Startup
Fast Startup is a built-in feature that speeds up boot time by saving system information into a special file when the laptop is turned off.
This way, the laptop will only need to read the file and hopefully of course it can boot instantly. However, this feature can actually slow down boot time if there is a problem with the file!
Turn off this feature by going to Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options > Choose what the power button does > Change settings that are currently unavailable > uncheck Turn on fast startup (recommended) .
9. Delete the prefetch file
The prefetch file is a file stored in the C:\Windows\Prefetch folder which functions to speed up boot time by saving information about applications that you frequently use. However, the prefetch files can be overwhelming and actually slow down the boot time.
Delete the prefetch file by going to the folder above, and deleting the files in it. Make sure not to delete files currently in use by the system.
10. Disable the OneDrive feature
OneDrive is Windows’ built-in cloud storage service that can slow down boot times if there are problems with your internet connection or if there are too many files on it.
Honestly, why do you use OneDrive if you have Google Drive? Take it off! Go to Task Manager > Startup > search for OneDrive > click Disable.
11. Disable the SuperFetch feature
SuperFetch is a built-in Windows feature that helps speed up boot times by saving information about frequently used applications into memory. However, this feature can also slow down the boot time if there is a problem with the system or if there is not enough memory.
You can turn off SuperFetch by going to Command Prompt and typing “net.exe stop superfetch”.
12. Delete unnecessary files from the Temp folder
The Temp folder is a temporary folder used by the system to store files that are not needed. These files can overflow in the Temp folder and prolong boot time. You can remove unnecessary files from the Temp folder by going to the folder, usually located at C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\Temp.
13. Use a more advanced system cleaning tool
If you’ve tried all the steps above and still feel like your system is taking too long to boot, it might be time to try a more advanced system cleaning tool.
Tools like Auslogics BoostSpeed or System Mechanic can help clean hidden junk files, optimize system settings, and perform automatic defragmentation to speed up boot times.
14. Turn off Windows Search
Turning off the Windows Search feature does speed up Windows booting, but we don’t really recommend it because this feature might be useful. We ourselves don’t turn off Windows Search (even though it boots slowly) so we can still search files.
Windows Search is a built-in feature that helps you quickly search for files and folders. This feature can also slow down boot time if there is a problem with the index or if your hard drive is too full.
Turn off Windows Search by going to Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features > Turn Windows features on or off > unchecking Windows Search.
15. Turn off Windows Defender
Windows Defender is a security feature to prevent maxxxxe atxxxks, while slowing down boot time if there are problems with scanning or if there are too many files.
Disable Windows Defender by going to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Manage settings > turn off “Real-time protection”.
16. Delete unnecessary files from the Downloads folder
The Download folder is often a place where unnecessary files accumulate. Even though it has nothing to do with the application, it also causes the boot to take a little longer.
17. Turn off Windows Update
Apart from speeding up boot times, turning off Windows Update can prevent you from suddenly slowing down the internet because it’s suddenly used to download gigabytes of updates!
Windows Update is a built-in Windows feature that helps update the system with the latest version. However, this feature can also slow down boot time if there are problems with updates or if there are a lot of files that need to be downloaded.
Go to Control Panel > System and Security > Windows Update > Change settings > select Never check for updates (not recommended) and click Apply. Since Windows Update is dead, make sure you update your system manually regularly to keep it safe from cyber atxxxks.
18. Turn off Startup Repair
Startup Repair is a built-in Windows feature that helps resolve problems that arise when the system boots. However, this feature can also slow down boot time if there are problems with the recovery process or if there are damaged files. Turn off the Startup Repair feature by going to CMD and typing “bcdedit /set {default} recovery enabled no”.
19. Remove junk files from the AppData folder
The AppData folder is a folder used by applications to store temporary files. These files can accumulate as well and take a long time to boot up. Delete the files in C:\Users\Username\AppData.
20. Disable System Restore
System Restore helps restore the system to its previous settings in case of problems. But, he will prolong the boot if there are files that are damaged. Turn off the System Restore feature by going to Control Panel > System and Security > System > System Protection > Configure > Select Turn off system protection and click Apply.
21. Turn off the Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
Remote Procedure Call (RPC) is a built-in Windows feature that helps send and receive requests between applications and also slows down boot time if there are problems with the connection.
Turn off the RPC feature by going to Services (type “services.msc” in search) > look for Remote Procedure Call (RPC) > right click > Properties > select Disabled in Startup type and click Apply.
22. Turn off Task Scheduler
Task Scheduler helps schedule tasks to run automatically but can also slow boot time if there is a problem with the schedule. You can disable the Task Scheduler feature by going to Services > looking for Task Scheduler > right-clicking> Properties > selecting Disabled in the Startup type and clicking Apply.
23. Clean junk files in the TempInternetFiles folder
The TempInternetFiles folder is a folder used by Internet Explorer to store temporary files. These files can cause buildup in the TempInternetFiles folder and slow boot times. Delete the file in C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache.
24. Turn off Windows Time
This stage can speed up boot time but is not recommended because update time is much more important.
Windows Time is a built-in feature of Windows that helps synchronize system time with Internet time servers. However, this feature can also slow down boot time if there are problems with the connection or if there are damaged files.
You can turn off the Windows Time feature by going to Services (by typing “services.msc” in Start Search) > search for Windows Time > right click > Properties > select Disabled in Startup type and click Apply .
25. Disable Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service
Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service helps share media content over the network. However, it can slow down boot time if there are problems with the connection.
The way to turn it off is the same as in the previous item, but just replace the search with Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service.
26. Turn off the Windows Event Log
Windows Event Log is a built-in Windows feature that helps keep system records that can be used to analyze problems. However, the event log will slow down boot time if there is a problem with the log or if there are corrupted files.
The way to turn it off is still the same, but replace the search with Windows Event Log.