Windows 11 - How to
A laptop that drags on can really poison your day. The good news: in most cases you can speed up a slow laptop with Windows 11 in an afternoon by yourself and without reinstalling the system. We've written down seven specific steps that work in 2026 - from simple setup to hardware upgrades.
Why is a Windows 11 laptop slow?
The three most common causes are: a cluttered application launch list, a cluttered disk, and aging hardware (especially HDD instead of SSD). Before you reach for a reinstall, go through the following steps in order.
1. Turn off programs that run at system startup
Ctrl + Shift + Esc Opens Task Manager. Go to the tab Running applications and turn off everything you don't really need right after you turn it on - typically Teams, Spotify, OneDrive, printer drivers and updaters.
- Watch the „Impact on startup“ column and especially exclude items marked „High“.
- Restart the laptop and measure how much faster it has gone.
2. Free up disk space
When the system disk is full from more than 80-85 %, Windows 11 slows down noticeably. Open Settings → System → Storage and turn on Storage sensor - automatically deletes old downloads and trash.
We also recommend manual:
- Run Disk cleanup (look in the Start menu),
- uninstall unused apps in Settings → Applications,
- move large files (videos, backups) to an external drive or to the cloud.
3. Turn off visual effects
Type in the search „performance“ and open Customize Windows appearance and performance. Choose Optimise for performance. Animations will disappear, but the system will be more agile - especially useful on older laptops with integrated graphics.
4. Check the power mode
V Settings → System → Power and battery switch from „Balanced“ to „Highest performance“, when the laptop is in the socket. On battery, leave it on balanced mode to save battery life.
5. Update drivers and Windows
An outdated chipset or graphics driver can hold up the entire system. Download the latest drivers directly from the laptop manufacturer (Lenovo, HP, Dell, Asus, Acer) and in Settings → Windows Update run the optional updates as well.
6. Check for malware and duplicate antiviruses
Two running antiviruses arguing over the same files slows down the laptop more than it helps. Leave just one - maybe Microsoft Defender built into Windows 11 - and supplement it with an occasional scan with Malwarebytes Free.
7. Replace HDD with SSD and add RAM
If your laptop still uses a traditional HDD, exchange for SSD is the most efficient upgrade ever - booting from one minute to 10 seconds is no exception. You can get an SSD today for under a couple hundred.
- 8 GB RAM is the minimum today, 16 GB comfort even for Chrome with thirty tabs.
- For many laptops, even a handy amateur with a YouTube tutorial can handle both components - if not, bring your laptop to us for service.
Check the manufacturer's website for detailed parameters and compatibility - for example, in the documentation Microsoft Support to optimize Windows 11.
When will a reinstallation or a new laptop help?
If the laptop is still lagging after all the steps, is older than 7-8 years, has only 4 GB RAM and HDD, economically it is probably more worthwhile to get a new machine than further investment in repairs. But before you do that, try a clean install of Windows 11 - Sometimes nothing else can save a system that's been messed up by years of use.
Conclusion
Nine out of ten slow laptops can be fixed in an afternoon. Start by shutting down running applications, continue by cleaning up the disk, and then consider the hardware. Then your laptop will last for years to come.
