- Rung one: close things and restart
- Rung two: check for updates
- Rung three: stop apps launching at startup
- Rung four: refuse background permissions
- Rung five: mute notifications you don't need
- Rung six: run a quick malware scan
- Rung seven: free some disk space
- Rung eight: turn down the visual effects
- Rung nine: set Power mode to Best performance
- Rung ten: optimize your drives
- Rung eleven: find what's hogging resources
- When none of it helps
- Quick answers
Start with what costs you nothing: close unused apps, restart, install updates and disable startup apps. Only then move on to visual effects, power mode and drive optimization.
Don't touch anything clever until you've done the boring stuff. That's the whole idea behind this ladder. Microsoft's PC performance page lists twelve solutions, checked as of Nov 2026, and recommends trying all of them because several things can slow a PC at once. It doesn't rank them by effort. The order below is my own call, cheapest and quickest first, and the Settings paths are Microsoft's for Windows 11.
Rung one: close things and restart
Having lots of apps or browser tabs open can slow you down, so close what you don't need. If that doesn't help, restart: Start > Power > Restart. Afterwards, open only what you need and close it when you're done. It's free, and it costs you nothing to rule out.
Rung two: check for updates
Microsoft says Windows updates often include fixes and performance improvements. Go to Start > Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates. If anything's waiting, select Download & install. If it says You're up to date, look at the optional ones: Start > Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates. An optional update, such as a new non-critical driver, may help. Your device may restart to finish. There's more on the update side in our guide to Windows 11 updates.
Rung three: stop apps launching at startup
Apps that run at startup can slow boot time and add to background usage. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, select Startup apps from the left-hand menu, right-click anything you don't need starting automatically, and select Disable. This is my favourite rung, because you can see exactly what's set to load.
Rung four: refuse background permissions
Some apps run background processes even when you aren't using them. Go to Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps, find the app, select More options, then Advanced options. Under Background app permissions, in the Let this app run in the background list, select Never. It's done one app at a time, so go for the ones you rarely open and leave the rest.
Rung five: mute notifications you don't need
Go to Start > Settings > System > Notifications and turn them off for the apps you don't need. Be realistic here: Microsoft calls these small performance improvements, on top of fewer interruptions. It's worth doing for the peace and quiet alone.
Rung six: run a quick malware scan
Malware can consume CPU and disk resources, which can reduce performance. Go to Start > Settings > Privacy & security > Windows Security > Virus & threat protection and select Quick scan. Your device may restart if it needs to.
Rung seven: free some disk space
Low disk space can reduce performance too. The place to start is Start > Settings > System > Storage, and the temporary files side of that has its own page: clearing temporary files and caches on Windows 11. While you're here, remove apps you no longer use, which Microsoft says can free storage and reduce background activity. Go to Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps, find the app, select More options, then Uninstall.
Rung eight: turn down the visual effects
Now you're trading looks for speed. Windows 11 visual effects can use system resources. Select Start, type Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows and open it. On the Visual Effects tab, select Adjust for best performance. Microsoft says this can improve responsiveness, and it doesn't put a figure on it.
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Rung nine: set Power mode to Best performance
This one has a price, so it's low on my list. Go to Start > Settings > System > Power & battery, then in the Power mode dropdown select Best performance. It can help the CPU run at higher performance when needed. It also increases power consumption, and on a laptop it'll drain the battery more quickly and may make the device run warmer. Microsoft says to use it only when you need maximum performance and power isn't a limitation. I wouldn't leave it on a laptop you carry around.
Rung ten: optimize your drives
Select Start, type Defragment and Optimize Drives and open it. Select the drive you want, then select Optimize. Microsoft says optimizing your hard drive can improve performance, and that's as much detail as its page gives. It doesn't say how often to run it.
Rung eleven: find what's hogging resources
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc again. On the Processes tab, right-click and close apps you aren't using. Then look at the Performance and Startup apps tabs to find what's using high resources. It's last on my ladder because it asks you to read the screen and make judgement calls, where the other rungs tell you exactly what to click. Close apps you recognise, and don't go closing things just because the number looks big.
When none of it helps
Microsoft is blunt about this, and I respect it. Older PCs with outdated hardware may not see significant improvements from these steps, and in those cases upgrading the device may be the best long-term solution. It lists hardware that no longer meets modern performance needs among the reasons a device may run slowly. If you're unsure where yours stands, our page on Windows 11 system requirements is a sensible place to look.
Before you spend any money, there's one more Microsoft option: its own PC Manager app, which it says offers tools to clean up storage, manage startup apps and optimize performance. That's the only helper tool the page names, and it doesn't endorse any third-party optimiser or registry tweak. It doesn't give speed figures for any of these fixes either, so don't trust anyone who promises you a number. A full reset isn't on this page at all; if you're heading that way, it's a separate decision, covered in our guide to resetting Windows 11.
Quick answers
What's the first thing to try when Windows 11 is slow?
Close the apps and browser tabs you don't need, then restart from Start > Power > Restart. Microsoft recommends trying all its solutions, because several factors can contribute to slow performance.
Does Best performance mode hurt a laptop's battery?
Microsoft says it increases power consumption, drains a laptop battery more quickly and may make the device run warmer. Use it only when you need maximum performance and power isn't a limitation.
Will these steps fix an old PC?
Maybe not. Microsoft says older PCs with outdated hardware may not see significant improvements, and upgrading the device may be the best long-term solution.
