Windows 11 can run surprisingly well on older hardware, but performance can deteriorate over time. Too many startup apps, unnecessary background processes, limited storage space, visual effects, and outdated drivers can make an older PC feel sluggish.

The good news is that you don’t need a registry cleaner or a questionable “PC booster” to make Windows 11 more responsive.

Several useful optimizations are already built into Windows 11 26H2. By adjusting visual effects, managing startup applications, freeing storage space, optimizing power settings, and keeping Windows properly maintained, you can make an older PC feel noticeably faster.

Here’s how to speed up Windows 11 on older hardware without relying on risky system tweaks.

1. Reduce Windows Visual Effects

Windows 11 uses animations, transparency, shadows, and other visual effects to make the interface look modern. These effects normally have a relatively small performance impact, but reducing them can make an older PC feel more responsive, especially when it has limited RAM or a slower processor.

How to adjust visual effects

1- Press Windows + R.

2- Type:

sysdm.cpl

3- Press Enter.

4- Open the Advanced tab.

5- Under Performance, click Settings.

6- Select Adjust for best performance.

8- Click Apply and then OK.

This disables most visual effects.

A better option for some PCs

You don’t necessarily have to disable everything.

You can select Custom and keep useful options such as:

• Smooth edges of screen fonts
• Show thumbnails instead of icons
• Show window contents while dragging

This gives you a simpler interface without making Windows look excessively stripped down.

Tip: On a modern PC with plenty of RAM and a reasonably fast CPU, visual effects usually aren’t a major performance problem. This tweak is more useful on genuinely low-end or aging hardware.

2. Set Windows 11 to Best Performance

Windows 11 includes a Power mode setting that lets you prioritize performance over energy efficiency.

On older laptops, this can make the system feel more responsive when the computer is plugged into AC power.

How to enable Best performance

1- Open Settings with Windows + I.

2- Go to System > Power & battery.

3- Find Power mode.

4- Select Best performance.

The exact options available can vary depending on the PC manufacturer and power configuration.

Keep in mind

Best performance can increase:

• Power consumption
• Fan noise
• Heat
• Battery drain

For a laptop, you may want to use it primarily while connected to a charger.

For a desktop PC, the difference may be relatively small if the processor is already allowed to operate at high performance.

3. Free Up Storage Space With Storage Sense

A nearly full system drive can make Windows maintenance more difficult and leave less space for temporary files and updates.

Windows 11 includes Storage Sense, which can automatically remove unnecessary temporary data.

Enable Storage Sense

1- Open Settings.

2- Select System.

3- Click Storage.

4- Select Storage Sense.

5- Turn it On.

You can configure Windows to automatically clean up:

• Temporary files
• Recycle Bin contents
• Local cloud files when appropriate
• Other unnecessary data

You can also manually inspect Temporary files from the Storage page.

Don’t expect a direct FPS boost

Freeing disk space doesn’t directly increase CPU or GPU performance.

The main benefit is maintaining a healthy amount of free space and reducing unnecessary storage clutter.

4. Disable Unnecessary Startup Apps

One of the easiest ways to make an older Windows 11 PC feel faster is to reduce the number of applications that launch automatically.

Every unnecessary startup application can consume RAM, CPU resources, and disk activity.

How to manage startup applications

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Select Startup apps.
3. Review the applications listed.
4. Right-click applications you don’t need.
5. Select Disable.

Pay attention to the Startup impact column.

Applications with high startup impact are worth reviewing first.

What can you usually disable?

Depending on your setup, examples may include:

• Chat applications
• Game launchers
• Adobe updaters
• Cloud applications you don’t use
• Manufacturer utilities
• Automatic launchers for software you rarely use

Don’t disable security software, hardware drivers, or unfamiliar system components without checking what they do.

5. Remove Unnecessary Apps

Unused applications can take up storage and may install background services, scheduled tasks, or startup components.

Removing software you no longer use is therefore a simple way to clean up an aging Windows installation.

Uninstall applications

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Apps > Installed apps.
3. Sort the list by Size or Install date.
4. Find applications you no longer need.
5. Click the three-dot menu.
6. Select Uninstall.

Be careful with applications provided by your PC manufacturer or hardware vendors. Some may provide drivers, firmware updates, hotkey support, or other functionality.

6. Check Windows Update

Keeping Windows 11 updated is important for security, compatibility, and bug fixes.

Check for updates

1. Open Settings.
2. Select Windows Update.
3. Click Check for updates.
4. Install available updates.
5. Restart your PC if Windows asks you to.

However, don’t expect every Windows update to make an older PC faster.

Windows updates primarily provide security fixes, compatibility improvements, and feature changes. Performance can improve or occasionally change depending on the update and hardware.

7. Keep Your Hardware Drivers Updated

Outdated drivers can cause compatibility problems, crashes, or performance issues.

For important hardware such as your GPU, chipset, Wi-Fi adapter, and storage controller, it is usually better to obtain drivers from the hardware manufacturer’s official website.

Check your hardware

Press:

Windows + R

Then enter:

devmgmt.msc

Press Enter to open Device Manager.

You can expand categories such as:

• Display adapters
• Network adapters
• Storage controllers
• Bluetooth
• Sound, video and game controllers

Important: Don’t rely exclusively on Device Manager

Device Manager’s Search automatically for drivers option is useful, but Windows may not always provide the newest driver available directly from the manufacturer.

For example, graphics drivers should generally be obtained from:

• NVIDIA
• AMD
• Intel

For laptops, also check your PC manufacturer’s support page for chipset, firmware, and platform-specific drivers.

8. Leave Virtual Memory Under Windows’ Control

Older Windows guides often recommend manually setting a custom paging-file size.

For most users, this is unnecessary.

Windows 11 can automatically manage the paging file according to system requirements.

Check your paging-file settings

1- Press Windows + R.

2- Enter:

sysdm.cpl

3- Press Enter.

4- Select the Advanced tab.

5- Under Performance, click Settings.

6- Open the Advanced tab.

7- Under Virtual memory, click Change.

8- Make sure Automatically manage paging file size for all drives is enabled.

Don’t disable the page file

If your PC has limited RAM, the paging file can be important.

Disabling it to “save SSD space” or supposedly increase performance can cause application crashes, memory errors, or other problems.

For most systems, system-managed virtual memory is the safest choice.

9. Don’t Use ReadyBoost on a Modern Windows 11 PC

ReadyBoost was designed for an era when many computers used slow mechanical hard drives and had very limited RAM.

It allowed Windows to use compatible USB flash storage as a cache.

You may still find old Windows optimization articles recommending it.

Should you use ReadyBoost in 2026?

Generally, no.

If your Windows 11 PC uses an SSD or NVMe drive, ReadyBoost is unlikely to provide a meaningful performance improvement.

Even on an old HDD-based computer, replacing the hard drive with an SSD is generally a much more meaningful upgrade than trying to use a USB flash drive as a performance cache.

If your PC supports an SSD upgrade, that should be the first hardware upgrade to investigate.

10. Upgrade From an HDD to an SSD

If your older Windows 11 PC still boots from a mechanical hard drive, replacing it with an SSD can transform the overall experience.

An SSD can dramatically improve:

• Windows startup
• Application launch times
• File operations
• Game loading
• System responsiveness
• Windows Update operations

It won’t necessarily increase your average gaming FPS, because FPS depends primarily on CPU and GPU performance.

But Windows itself can feel dramatically faster.

SATA SSD vs. NVMe SSD

If your motherboard supports NVMe, an NVMe SSD can provide significantly higher sequential throughput than a SATA SSD.

However, even a basic SATA SSD is a major improvement over a traditional HDD for everyday Windows use.

11. Reduce Background Activity

Open Task Manager with:

Ctrl + Shift + Esc

Then inspect the Processes tab.

Look for applications consuming unusually large amounts of:

• CPU
• Memory
• Disk
• Network

If an application is consuming resources unnecessarily, close it or investigate why it is running.

Be careful with Windows processes

Don’t terminate random processes simply because they use CPU or memory.

Windows has many legitimate background processes, and stopping the wrong one can cause instability.

If a process repeatedly consumes excessive resources, search for its exact name or check which application installed it before taking action.

12. Pause OneDrive When It Is Causing Heavy Disk Activity

OneDrive normally has a relatively small performance impact, but synchronization can become noticeable on older hardware, particularly when thousands of files are being uploaded or downloaded.

If Windows becomes sluggish during a large synchronization operation, temporarily pausing OneDrive can help.

Pause OneDrive syncing

1. Click the OneDrive icon in the notification area.
2. Open Help & Settings.
3. Select Pause syncing.
4. Choose a duration.

Once the heavy synchronization is complete, resume syncing.

Don’t disable OneDrive permanently just for performance

If you actually use OneDrive, pausing synchronization temporarily is preferable to disabling or uninstalling it solely because the PC is slow.

If OneDrive consistently causes high CPU or disk usage, investigate the synchronization workload instead.

13. Turn Off Unnecessary Notifications

Notifications usually aren’t a major performance problem, but reducing unnecessary interruptions can make an older PC feel less cluttered.

Go to:

Settings > System > Notifications

You can disable notifications from applications that you don’t need.

You can also use Do not disturb when you want fewer interruptions.

There’s generally no reason to completely disable Windows notifications just to improve performance.

14. Disable Unused Background Apps

Some applications can continue performing background activities even when you aren’t actively using them.

Depending on the application, Windows 11 may provide background-permission controls under:

Settings > Apps > Installed apps > [App] > Advanced options

If an application offers a Background apps permissions setting, you can choose the appropriate behavior.

However, not every traditional desktop application exposes this option.

15. Check What Is Actually Slowing Your PC

Before applying dozens of tweaks, find the bottleneck.

Open Task Manager with:

Ctrl + Shift + Esc

Then use your PC normally for a few minutes.

If you see:

CPU constantly near 100%

The processor may be overloaded by an application, Windows task, or hardware limitation.

Memory constantly near 90–100%

Your system may benefit from closing applications or upgrading RAM.

Disk constantly near 100%

Check whether Windows Update, OneDrive, antivirus scanning, or another application is responsible.

If you’re using an HDD, the storage device itself may be the bottleneck.

GPU constantly near 100%

That’s usually normal during gaming. It means the GPU is being fully utilized.

For general desktop use, however, persistent high GPU usage deserves investigation.

16. Check Your PC’s Thermals

Older computers can accumulate dust and develop cooling problems.

When a CPU or GPU becomes too hot, it can reduce its clock speeds to control temperatures.

This is known as thermal throttling.

You can monitor temperatures using tools such as:

• HWMonitor
• Core Temp

If temperatures are unusually high, inspect:

• Dust buildup
• Case airflow
• Laptop ventilation
• CPU cooler operation
• GPU fans
• Thermal paste condition

Cleaning the cooling system can sometimes provide a more noticeable improvement than software tweaks.

17. Restart Windows Regularly

Modern Windows can run for long periods without requiring a reboot, but restarting can still be useful when troubleshooting sluggish behavior.

A restart can clear:

• Temporary processes
• Memory usage
• Stuck applications
• Pending updates
• Some driver issues

If your PC becomes noticeably slower after several days of continuous use, restart it and see whether the problem disappears.

If the slowdown repeatedly returns, investigate the underlying application or service instead of relying on constant restarts.

18. Use Windows’ Built-In Troubleshooting Tools

If your older PC suddenly becomes slow, don’t immediately reinstall Windows.

First check:

• Task Manager
• Windows Update
• Storage
• Startup apps
• Installed apps
• Event Viewer
• Device Manager

You can also use Windows’ built-in system repair commands if you suspect corrupted system files.

Open Windows Terminal as Administrator and run:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

After it completes, run:

sfc /scannow

These commands are intended to repair Windows component and system-file problems. They aren’t general-purpose “speed boosters,” so don’t run them repeatedly if your system is working normally.

The Best Hardware Upgrades for an Old Windows 11 PC

If software optimization isn’t enough, hardware upgrades can provide much larger improvements.

1. Replace an HDD with an SSD

This is often the most noticeable upgrade for an old PC.

2. Add RAM

If your computer has only 4GB or 8GB and frequently runs out of memory, increasing RAM can significantly improve multitasking.

3. Upgrade the CPU

A CPU upgrade can help systems that struggle with demanding applications or games, assuming the motherboard supports it.

4. Upgrade the GPU

For gaming, a graphics-card upgrade can have a much larger effect on FPS than Windows tweaks.

5. Improve cooling

Cleaning dust and improving airflow can prevent thermal throttling and maintain performance.

Windows 11 Performance Tweaks to Avoid

Many old PC optimization guides recommend aggressive changes that aren’t necessary on modern Windows.

Avoid blindly following guides that tell you to:

• Disable dozens of Windows services
• Disable Microsoft Defender
• Permanently disable Windows Update
• Delete registry keys
• Use registry cleaners
• Disable the page file
• Manually optimize hundreds of registry values
• Set every process to High or Realtime priority
• Install unknown “RAM cleaners”
• Use random one-click PC booster applications
• Disable security features just to gain a few benchmark points

These changes can introduce instability or security problems without providing a meaningful real-world improvement.

Windows 11 26H2 Performance Checklist

If you’re trying to speed up an older PC, start with these steps:

• Visual effects: Reduce unnecessary effects
• Power mode: Use Best performance when appropriate
• Storage Sense: Enable it
• Startup apps: Disable unnecessary applications
• Unused software: Uninstall it
• Windows Update: Keep Windows current
• Drivers: Use manufacturer-provided drivers where appropriate
• Virtual memory: Let Windows manage it
• ReadyBoost: Skip it on SSD/NVMe systems
• Background processes: Investigate excessive resource usage
• OneDrive: Pause temporarily during heavy synchronization
• Thermals: Check for overheating
• Storage: Upgrade an HDD to an SSD if possible
• RAM: Upgrade if memory is consistently full

Final Thoughts

Speeding up an older Windows 11 PC doesn’t require dozens of registry hacks or questionable optimization programs.

Start with the basics: reduce unnecessary visual effects, disable unwanted startup applications, remove software you no longer use, keep enough free storage, update Windows and important drivers, and monitor CPU, RAM, disk, and temperature usage.

If the PC still feels slow, look at the hardware. An SSD upgrade or additional RAM can provide a much larger improvement than most software tweaks.

And if your PC still uses a mechanical hard drive, don’t spend hours configuring ReadyBoost or obscure Windows settings. Moving Windows to an SSD is usually the more meaningful upgrade.

The most important rule is simple: identify the bottleneck before changing the system. A targeted fix is almost always better than applying dozens of “Windows optimization” tweaks that may no longer be relevant to Windows 11 26H2.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I make Windows 11 faster on an old PC?

Start by disabling unnecessary startup applications, uninstalling software you don’t use, freeing storage space, reducing visual effects, checking background processes, and ensuring Windows and important drivers are up to date.

Does Windows 11 26H2 run well on older PCs?

Performance depends heavily on the processor, RAM, storage device, graphics hardware, and whether the system meets Windows 11’s requirements. An older PC with an SSD and sufficient RAM can feel considerably more responsive than one using an HDD.

Does ReadyBoost still work in Windows 11?

ReadyBoost is an old Windows feature and is generally not useful on systems with SSD or NVMe storage. An SSD upgrade is a much more practical improvement for an older HDD-based PC.

Should I disable the Windows page file?

No. For most users, Windows should automatically manage virtual memory. Disabling or manually restricting the paging file can cause memory-related problems.

Does Best Performance increase Windows 11 speed?

It can make Windows more responsive on some systems by prioritizing performance over power efficiency, but the improvement varies by hardware. It can also increase power consumption and heat.

How much RAM does Windows 11 need?

The practical amount depends on what you do with the PC. A system with very little RAM will struggle with multitasking, while 16GB is generally much more comfortable for modern everyday workloads.

Will deleting temporary files make my PC faster?

Not necessarily. Removing unnecessary files primarily frees storage space. It should not be considered a guaranteed performance boost.

What is the biggest upgrade for an old Windows PC?

If the PC still uses an HDD as its system drive, moving Windows to an SSD is often one of the most noticeable upgrades. If the system is constantly running out of RAM, adding memory can also make a significant difference.