How to Speed Up Windows 11 in 2025

Windows 11 is Microsoft's most polished operating system yet — but even the best OS can slow down over time. As you install software, accumulate junk files, and let startup programs pile up, your once-snappy PC can start to feel sluggish. The good news? You don't need to buy expensive software or reinstall Windows. These proven steps will help you restore peak performance for free.

1. Clean Up Junk Files

Over time, Windows accumulates temporary files, browser caches, Windows Update leftovers, and other digital clutter that consumes disk space and can slow down your system. Cleaning these regularly is one of the single most effective things you can do.

Built-in method:

1. Press Win + R, type cleanmgr and press Enter
2. Select your drive (usually C:) and click OK
3. Check all boxes in the list and click "Clean up system files"
4. This can free up several gigabytes on most systems

Alternatively, RBS Optimizer Pro does this automatically with a single click, scanning deeper locations that the built-in tool misses.

2. Manage Your Startup Programs

This is one of the biggest culprits for slow Windows performance. Every program that launches at startup adds to your boot time and continues using memory in the background. Most people have far more startup programs than they realize.

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager
2. Click the Startup apps tab (Windows 11) or Startup tab
3. Right-click any program you don't need immediately at boot and select Disable
4. Common culprits: Spotify, Discord, Teams, OneDrive, Skype, gaming launchers

3. Enable Storage Sense

Windows 11 has a built-in feature called Storage Sense that automatically cleans up temporary files and manages storage. Here's how to enable it:

1. Open Settings (Win + I)
2. Go to System → Storage
3. Toggle Storage Sense to On
4. Click "Storage Sense" to configure when it runs automatically

4. Adjust Power Settings

If your PC is on "Power saver" or even "Balanced" mode, it may be throttling your CPU to save power — even when plugged in.

1. Open Settings → System → Power & sleep → Additional power settings
2. Select High performance (or "Ultimate performance" if available)
3. Note: This increases power consumption, so for laptops, only use when plugged in

5. Update Windows and Drivers

Outdated drivers and Windows builds can cause performance issues, crashes, and security vulnerabilities. Always keep your system updated:

1. Settings → Windows Update → Check for updates
2. For drivers, use Device Manager or download directly from your GPU manufacturer (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel)
3. GPU drivers in particular have significant performance impact — keep them current

6. Disable Visual Effects

Windows 11's animations and transparency effects look great but consume CPU and GPU resources. On older hardware, disabling them can make a noticeable difference:

1. Search for "Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows" in Start
2. Select "Adjust for best performance" or manually uncheck specific effects
3. A good middle ground: keep "Smooth edges of screen fonts" and uncheck everything else

7. Check for Malware

Malware, adware, and cryptominers can silently consume your CPU and RAM, causing dramatic slowdowns. Run a scan with Windows Defender (built-in and free):

1. Open Windows Security from the Start menu
2. Go to Virus & threat protection
3. Run a Full scan
4. For a second opinion, Malwarebytes free version is excellent

8. Upgrade to an SSD (Hardware Fix)

If you're still running Windows 11 on a traditional hard disk drive (HDD), upgrading to a solid-state drive (SSD) will be the single most impactful upgrade you can make. Boot times drop from minutes to seconds, and general system responsiveness improves dramatically. A 500GB SSD costs under $50 in 2025.

9. Increase Virtual Memory (RAM Workaround)

If you only have 4GB or 8GB of RAM, increasing virtual memory (the page file) can help when you're running many applications:

1. Search "Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows"
2. Go to Advanced → Virtual memory → Change
3. Uncheck "Automatically manage" and set custom size to 1.5× your RAM (e.g., 12,288 MB for 8GB RAM)

10. Use RBS Optimizer Pro

If you want to apply all of these optimizations with a single click instead of doing each step manually, RBS Optimizer Pro handles it all for you — junk cleaning, startup optimization, performance tuning, and more. It's completely free with no subscriptions or hidden costs.