While browsing the internet, you may have come across suggestions like switching to an SSD, updating the graphics card driver, increasing RAM, and updating Windows. However, even after following these recommendations, if your Windows PC is still taking too long to boot, what are your options? This is exactly what we will discuss today.
1. Have your fast startup enabled
Fast Startup is a feature that enables your Windows computer to boot faster, but sometimes it can also be the main culprit for slow PC startup. In such cases, disabling it may be a wise decision. That said, here's how to disable Fast Startup on your Windows:
1. open windows search box Find more Choose a power plan setting. Once found, click on it.
2. Now click on left sidebar Choose what the power buttons do option,
3. To edit shutdown settings, click Change settings that are currently unavailable,
4. Finally, enable turn on fast startup Settings and hit save Changes button.
Comment: Fast Startup does not work on restart.
If you don't see the Fast Startup option on your computer, it may be because hibernation is not enabled. To enable it, just open Command Prompt (Admin) Or Windows Powershell (Admin) from the Windows search box and enter the following command:
powercfg /hibernate on
2. Do you have too many startup apps
Many apps on your Windows computer run in the background, and some configure themselves to automatically start at boot, putting a strain on your system and slowing startup speed.
Here's how to disable startup apps:
1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc from your keyboard to open Task Manager,
2. Next, click hamburger menu (3-times) and select startup apps,
3. now right click Application choose more disable Option.
quick note: No Disable any app blindly You see. If the app is necessary, keep it enabled or start it manually.
3. Disable web apps from running in the background
Many browsers allow web apps or extensions to run in the background even after you close your browser. This may slow down the boot time on Windows 10 or 11 computers. Since Chrome is popular, we will show you how to disable background apps in Chrome. For other browsers, just search “disable background apps” followed by your browser's name on Google.
For Chrome, navigate to chrome settings , System and disable Keep background apps running when Google Chrome is closed,
tip: Learn how to make your Google Chrome faster on your Windows.
4. Run a CHKDSK scan
CHKDSK is a command that scans and repairs file system errors on your drive. It can fix corrupted or missing files, potentially solving slow startup problems on your laptop or PC.
Here's how to use CHKDSK (Check Disk) to repair or fix a hard drive/SSD:
1. Type Chairman and Managing Director in your windows search box and right-click on command prompt,
2. then select run as administrator,
3. Now type the following commands based on your requirement:
- chkdsk [drive letter], – It only identifies errors in the file system of your hard disk and does not fix any of them.
- chkdsk [drive letter]: /F – It scans your drive and fixes any system file errors it finds.
- chkdsk [drive letter]: /R – It attempts to fix errors in both the software and hardware parts of the drive. For example, if a sector of the drive is damaged, it will try to recover the data and transfer it to a good sector.
4. if it shows “can't run chkdsk” message type “Y” and press enter Key to schedule the scan after the computer restarts.
5. Perform SFC Scan
If your Windows PC is starting slowly due to an error in the Windows system file, you can use the SFC command. This command is specifically designed to detect and fix errors in the Windows file system. To do this, open Command Prompt (Admin)enter command sfc /scanoand press enter,
That is all. It will start scanning your computer for errors and fix them if any are found.
6. Is your BIOS outdated or corrupted
BIOS is responsible for initializing hardware components and providing basic instructions for starting the computer. So we believe that updating the BIOS may solve the problem.
However, this method has some risks and if the update is not done correctly or is interrupted, it can render your computer unusable. Therefore, take proper precautions before proceeding with this method.
7. Have you checked for viruses?
Malware infection can significantly slow down the startup of your computer. Fortunately, a good third-party antivirus software or the built-in Windows Security app can protect you from many viruses.
Here's how to use Windows Security on your PC:
1. Go windows search find more windows security Application.
2. open Application and navigate Virus and threat protection Section. On the right, click scan options,
3. Finally, select full scan option and click scan Now,
We also recommend you remove any pirated software or games from the PC, as they are one of the biggest sources of malware and can easily degrade your computer's performance, including boot speed.
8. Delete third-party anti-virus software
As mentioned earlier, Windows has built-in anti-virus software, so there is no need for additional anti-virus software. Moreover, it also affects both the performance and startup speed of your PC. Therefore, unless you need a specific feature not provided by the built-in software, it is best to avoid installing additional anti-virus apps.
To check if your current antivirus is slowing down your boot time, uninstall it and see if the startup speed improves.
9. Is your PC running on virtual memory
When your Windows PC runs out of memory, it uses your storage as virtual memory (to prevent crashes). However, Windows automatically adjusts this allocation, which can slow down startup. To avoid this, you can set the virtual memory size manually. This way:
Comment: For faster boot times, prioritize increasing RAM instead of relying heavily on virtual memory.
1. Type Display In windows search box and click “Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows”,
2. switch to now advanced Tab and hit Change button (under Virtual Memory).
3. then uncheck “Automatically manage paging file size for all drives”,
4. Choose To drivechoose custom sizeand set Initial And Maximum size.
5. Once done click set And Ok to confirm.
6. After the pop-up message, press Ok button and restart your computer to see the effect
10. Switch to SSD if possible
We've seen how fast a computer boots when switching from an HDD to an SSD and the difference is huge. So if you have an older computer or laptop that is running on a hard disk, try switching to an SSD. You will notice a noticeable difference in your boot time.
Pro Tip: Check for loose internal cable connections in your PC.
If none of the above methods work, the only option left is to either reset your Windows computer or perform a fresh installation. We have already published an article on how to reset Windows without losing files. Be sure to check it.
