A quick starting PC/Laptop is something much desired by all, be your device old or new. You wish to see your PC starts and ready to go in seconds. This target is achievable up to an extent through some simple DIY tips which anyone can perform. Here we are going to discuss how to speed up Windows startup in a few simple methods.
Compared to the older versions, the recent Windows 10 is always lagging in speed, especially in the startup. Though there are some OS-related causes to it, we have found some of the other reasons which we can arrest to speed up the system.
Here we consider Windows 10 for this task. Before we start, make sure, none of your applications or works are opened and unsaved, as you may have to restart the system during the task.
1. Check Startup Programs
We do download and install many useful programs on our PC/Laptop including Adobe Reader, Skype, Google Apps (incl. Chrome), etc. As a result, these applications will have some startup modules which will always trigger during your PC startup. When we look at it, it would not cause much trouble individually but together, yes they can. They consume a few precious seconds of your PC during startup. The result is a delayed start.
It is not mandatory to start most of these applications on the startup itself, as we do not use them much frequently. And therefore, it is advised to temporarily disable on startup in order to save a few seconds which will speed up your PC. We have illustrated below how to perform the task.
Steps to control startup programs:
a) Open Task Manager by right-clicking the bottom pane of your Windows screen:
b) Then right-click the desired application to disable:
c) The activity is completed once you disabled all unwanted applications.
Now let us see how to perform this in older versions of Windows (Windows 7):
a) Press Ctrl+R simultaneously on your keyboard to open the ‘Run’ window
b) Type ‘msconfig’ on the field given:
c) System Configuration Window opens
d) Click on the ‘Startup’ tab on the top:
Disable programs you don’t wish to start during the system startup. The PC/Laptop will request for a restart to apply changes, but you may even postpone it.
2. Regular Windows Update
It is essential to maintain your PC/Laptop regularly for better performance and life. And Windows update is one of the most important tasks to be performed as part of this. Windows send important updates on system security, performance improvement, new features, etc as part of the Update process. But when the updates are delayed or not performed, then it is sure that you are taking the system performance for a task, including booting.
Windows may notify you to download multiple update files on each update schedule. When you have not run the update on a regular interval, these updates are going to be accumulated and you will be forced to update at one point of time by the PC, which will end up in a longer session for running the process. The system will keep prompting you to wait for updating the settings after the update during your startup.
Many users prefer to postpone or disable Windows System Update, as they think that it is a nuisance. But on the other hand, it will be fatal for their PC when they do so. Hence, we urge all users to perform Windows update tasks at regular intervals.
3. Replace Hard Disk with SSD (Solid State Drive)
I bet, this would be a life-changing remedy for your PC. The entire world is moving towards SSD and if you are still with a mechanical Hard Disk, then it is time to save your PC and make your professional life easier.
Solid State Drives are up to 10 times faster in performance compared to normal HDD, and thus it will undoubtedly improve your PC’s overall performance.
Though Solid State Drives are lightning fast, it is not as affordable as HDD, and therefore it is yet to be popular in the market. SSD cost is almost 4 to 5 times higher than HDD at present. Hope the affordability will be a reality soon after a large-scale production.
Laptops/PCs using SSDs start faster than other systems since SSDs are loading files and programs much faster than HDDs. They are also using lesser energy which helps to keep the system cool. No worries about heating up PCs. SSDs promise a higher lifespan also since there are no moving parts used as in HDDs.
4. Defragment Disk
This is one of the most common tasks which most system users perform quite often, to improve the overall performance of a PC. On the other side, this activity is also helping to improve booting time. Defragmented drives enhance performance compared to non-defragmented ones.
Defragmentation process usually needed for mechanical HDDs, and not SSDs. SSDs generally do not get fragmented. A fragmented disk will take a lot of time to load files or programs, and hence it is always advised to perform optimization in regular intervals.
A detailed process of Disk Defragmentation is provided in our article, ‘Disk Defragmentation in Windows 10’
5. Having a good Antivirus installed
Don’t know how many of you have observed the presence of antivirus during the system booting. Almost all antivirus software are starting along with your Windows startup in order to ensure no malware is on the way. During this process, some antivirus applications are consuming more system resources which end up in slow system startup.
The only remedy to this problem is choosing the right antivirus software for your PC, which uses the lowest system resources during its operation and booting as well. You may easily find one from the market. The cheapest and free may not be always the best, and vice versa too. For a detailed analysis and review read the article, Best Paid and Free Antivirus Software for Windows 2021.
You have to use the antivirus to scan your system frequently for any vulnerabilities, which will ensure that malware and viruses are not slowing down your PC/Laptop. It is also important to renew your antivirus on time. Delaying the renewal for a day might even be fatal to your device. Moreover, keep the antivirus update as ‘auto’ to ensure that your database is getting updated without hassle.
How to speed up Windows Startup
At the end of this article, we can conclude that taking up the above steps seriously will definitely bring some improvements to your system startup. Everything from upgrading the existing HDD to SSD, till installing a good Antivirus software, matters when a PC feel sluggish on startup.
We have shared the best possible and easily implementable tasks for you to improve startup speed. We would wish to hear from you on how it worked for you. Please take utmost care and caution while performing the above tasks. Meanwhile please go through some of our other articles which may be useful for you.
- Best Paid and Free Antivirus Software for Windows 2021.
- Disk Defragmentation in Windows 10
- Media Player for Windows (2021)
- 10 Best Free and Paid Desktop Email Clients
- Best Photo Editor with Background Remover 2021
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We will be adding more in the list on the go. Meanwhile we welcome your comments and feedbacks on the topic. We will try to address your queries and clarifications as quick as possible.
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