No one likes a slow PC. A slow PC can cost your company money in the long run. All our suggestions are available on Windows 10 and 11. So here are 6 things to make Microsoft Windows faster.
1 Enable Storage Sense to reduce clutter
Unwanted files could slow down your PC. Windows 10 has a built-in tool for doing this called Storage Sense. We advise customising how Storage Sense works so that files you want are not deleted. This will free up space and speed up your PC.
Go to: Start menu > Settings > System > Storage. At the top of the screen, move the toggle from Off to On.
2 Enable OneDrive Files On-Demand
For most users, you don’t want to stop OneDrive files from syncing as it defeats the object of having the latest files on-demand. You want to make Microsoft Windows faster. But there is an option to have the best of both worlds. This requires syncing OneDrive to a minimum; this therefore speeds up the performance of your PC. To do this Windows have a OneDrive Files On-Demand feature. You choose what files you want on your PC and the rest are in the cloud.
To enable this: Right-click the OneDrive icon > Settings > Settings tab > Check box ‘Files On-Demand’ > Click ‘Ok’.
Now go back into OneDrive through the File Explorer window and select the files you want stored only in the cloud, but not on your PC, then select “Free up space”. The files will be removed from the disk, but accessible in the cloud.
3 Disable unnecessary applications from starting during boot
Too many programs running in the background during a boot will slow down your PC. It is best to ensure only the programs you will use, start during a boot.
To fix this go to: Task Manager > Startup > Startup impact, and disable any programs listed as ‘High’. This won’t disable the program, but only prevents it from launching on the start-up.
4 Ensure the latest Windows Updates and drivers are installed
Ensuring you have the latest Windows updates is crucial for any business. Windows have a way for you to check which update version you currently have.
Go to: Start menu > Settings > Update and Security > Windows Update.
From here you are presented with a host of options. You can check for updates, view your update history, change active hours, plus more advanced controls, and settings.
5 Disable hibernation
Hibernation is a function that comes already enabled on your Windows PC. You can put your PC into hibernation instead of shutting it down or putting it to sleep and thus allows the computer to start up faster. However, when hibernation is enabled it reserves a large portion of your hard drive space. So if you need the extra gigs of hard drive space back, then disabling it might be advantageous.
Go to: Right-click on the Start button > Command Prompt > In the Command Prompt window, type powercfg.exe /hibernate off and press the Enter key > Exit the Command Prompt window.
6 Uninstall any applications that you no longer use
Windows 10 and 11 have built-in ways to delete unwanted software that you no longer use, this helps free up space. Firstly, you can simply uninstall an application straight from the Start menu by right-clicking and selecting ‘Uninstall’. But if you want to make a more informed decision, see below.
Go to: Start menu > Settings > Apps > Apps & features.
From here you can hand select which apps you do not want to run on your machine.
How Cambridge Support Can Help
As an IT support provider, we know all the ins and out regarding optimizing your PC. Ultimately you want to make Microsoft Windows faster on your device. Therefore if you have any concerns regarding the performance of your PC, feel free to contact us on 01223 921000 or email at ask@cambridgesupport.com.