This comprehensive guide will teach you how to fix slow boot times in Windows 11 (2025).

This comprehensive guide will teach you how to fix slow boot times in Windows 11 (2025).

Slow booting is a source of frustration, as previously mentioned.
It is difficult to find anything that is more frustrating than turning on your computer and then having to wait for several minutes before it becomes useable. Even though it has a more contemporary style and an enhanced architecture, Windows 11 is not immune to lengthy startup times. This is particularly true as computers age or as program clutter accumulates. In this tutorial, you will learn all of the efficient techniques to solve sluggish startup times without the need for third-party applications. This will ensure that your personal computer always gets off to a clean and responsive start.

Learn the Factors That Contribute to a Slow Boot
It is necessary to have a solid understanding of the underlying reasons before moving on to the remedies. Windows 11 may have a number of different causes for slow boot times. Some of these causes include an excessive number of starting applications, background processes, obsolete drivers, damaged system files, or even hardware bottlenecks such as an older hard disk drive (HDD) rather than a solid-state drive (SSD). The first step is to determine what is causing things to move at a slower pace.

Activate Startup Programs That Are Not Necessary
Launching an excessive number of apps at startup is one of the most typical factors that contribute to a delayed boot. Windows makes it possible for you to simply regulate this:

• Create a task manager by pressing Ctrl, Shift, and Esc.
• Tap the tab labeled “Startup.”
• At this time, you should disable any apps that you do not need immediately, such as Adobe services, Spotify, Skype, or OneDrive.
• The act of disabling them does not render them uninstalled; rather, it only prevents them from operating as soon as your computer starts up.

Stop the Fast Startup process. (There are situations when it may do more harm than good)
Ironically, the Fast Startup feature of Windows, which is designed to speed up the process of booting, may often have the opposite effect. This is particularly true when it conflicts with the settings of the hardware or drivers.

In order to deactivate it:

• Head to the Control Panel, then choose Power Options. Determine the functions of the power buttons.
• To access the options that are temporarily unavailable, click on Change now.
• Uncheck the box that says “Turn on fast startup.”
• Some users have reported that booting are quicker and smoother when this functionality is not present.

Update the BIOS and the drivers.
Drivers that are out of current, particularly those for the components of the motherboard, storage, and graphics, might cause delays during the starting process. Make sure that all of the drivers are up to date by using Windows Update or downloading them directly from the website of the device vendor. Additionally, if your motherboard is older, you should check for a BIOS or firmware upgrade; this might significantly enhance the way the computer starts up.

Examine Your Storage: Solid-State Drives vs Hard Disk Drives
If you are still using a conventional hard disk drive (HDD), you are putting yourself in a difficult position today. On solid-state drives (SSD), modern Windows installs will run noticeably better than on traditional hard drives. Moving your operating system from a hard disk drive (HDD) to a solid-state drive (SSD) may cut the amount of time it takes to boot from two to three minutes down to less than twenty seconds. Make sure that the TRIM feature is turned on and that your hard disk is not overloaded if you already have a solid-state drive (SSD) but it is slow.

The full system health scan should be run.
Malware or corrupted system files might bring to a delay in the boot process. To clear this up, use the tools that are integrated with Windows:

• In an elevated Command Prompt, use the sfc /scannow command.
• DISM, Online, Cleanup-Image, and RestoreHealth should be used to follow up on this.
• The execution of these instructions will result in the scanning and repair of faulty system components, which may be causing the boot process to be slower.

Turn off applications that run in the background.
In Windows 11, a number of applications continue to operate in the background even when they are not required. Despite the fact that this facilitates rapid access, it may slow down starting times. In order to disable:

• Step one is to go to Settings > Privacy & security > Background applications.
• Turn off applications that aren’t relevant, such as Xbox, Maps, Feedback Hub, and so on.
• This not only shortens the amount of time it takes to start up, but it also saves both battery and RAM.
• Modify Windows Services to Create a Lighter Boot Experience
  There are several Windows services that are enabled by default, but not all users need them to be active. Freeing up boot resources may be accomplished by disabling a couple of these:
• After pressing Win and R, enter services.msc and then press Enter.
• If you do not utilize printers, you should look for services like as Print Spooler, Remote Registry, and Windows Search. If you are comfortable without quick search indexing, you should also look for these services.
• Caution is advised: deactivate only those services that you fully understand, or check a comprehensive guide on service optimization before proceeding.

MSConfig should be used for advanced startup. Modifications
With MSConfig, you have more control over the starting process:

• After pressing Win and R, enter msconfig and then press Enter.
• To disable the graphical user interface boot, go to the Boot tab and adjust the timeout setting.
• You should check the startup applications once again under the Startup tab.
• Power users may reduce the amount of time it takes for their computer to start up by using these sophisticated changes.

Customize the settings for the virtual memory (page file).
It is possible for boot delays to occur due to improper or fixed page file sizes. Give Windows the ability to handle it automatically:

• Select the Advanced tab from the System Properties menu, then Advanced, then Performance, then Settings.
• Under Virtual Memory, choose the Change option.
• Examine Automatically control the size of the paging file for each and every disk
• This prevents your system from wasting time by managing memory in an inappropriate manner when it is first starting up.

Continuously update Windows.
On a regular basis, Microsoft releases performance updates that particularly target problems that influence the speed at which the system boots up. Do not disregard Windows Updates, even if they seem to be of little importance. You can guarantee that you get the most recent boot-time optimizations and hardware compatibility improvements by ensuring that your operating system is always up to date.

Using the Windows Event Viewer, keep track of the boot times.
In order to determine how long it truly takes your computer to start up and to identify the factors that are creating delays:

• Launch the Event Viewer.
• The Applications and Services Logs section should be navigated to, followed by Microsoft, Windows, Diagnostics-Performance, and finally Operational.
• Look for Event ID 100; this will provide a breakdown of the speed of the boot process in milliseconds.
• Using this information, it is possible to determine if the slowdown is caused by the disk, the CPU, or the services.

If you are looking for a faster boot, you are just a few steps away.
Windows 11 is a strong operating system; but, in order to maintain its optimal performance, it needs a little bit of care. Your slow boot process may be transformed into a lightning-fast experience by reducing the amount of startup bloat, controlling background activities, ensure that drivers are kept up to date, and, if you haven’t already done so, contemplating switching to solid-state drives (SSD). With these modifications, your personal computer will not only start up more quickly, but it will also seem more quick.