Your Windows PC running slow? Here’s how to fix it. These solutions work in 2026.
Why Is Windows So Slow?
Windows slows down for predictable reasons: too many startup programs, full disk, outdated drivers, or background services eating resources. Here’s how to find and fix each one.
What Real Users Are Saying
1. Windows 11 on desktop suddenly became really slow - Reddit
You could try DISM in an Admin Terminal then re-run SFC but make sure your data is safe first. DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth. If
2. Windows 11 Running incredibly slow… suddenly. Please help - Reddit
Just reset Windows 11 with an online reinstall (DID keep my files but it reset everything else) and it’s faster than it was last night but still
3. My computer is running slow in windows 11. How to fix this?
Check if your main drive is almost full, restart the PC, and disable extra startup apps in Task Manager. That alone fixes slowness most of the
Fix 1: Check What’s Using Your CPU and RAM
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. Click the Processes tab.
Look for programs using high CPU or Memory. Right-click any suspicious process → End Task.
Common culprits:
- Chrome with many tabs open — close unused tabs
Runtime Broker— Windows Store apps using too much RAM- Spotify, Discord, Steam — running in background
Fix 2: Disable Startup Programs
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc → Startup tab.
Disable anything you don’t need at boot. Common ones to turn off:
- Spotify, Discord, Skype
- Adobe Update Manager
- NVIDIA GeForce Experience
Fix 3: Run Disk Cleanup
Press Win + R, type cleanmgr, press Enter.
Select the drive (usually C:) → check everything except Downloads → Delete Files.
Fix 4: Scan for Malware
Press Win + I → Privacy & Security → Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Full scan.
Also run Malwarebytes .
Fix 5: Update Your Drivers
Press Win + X → Device Manager. Look for yellow triangle ⚠️ devices.
Right-click → Update driver. For NVIDIA/AMD, download from nvidia.com or amd.com.
Fix 6: Check Disk Space
If your SSD is over 90% full, Windows gets very slow.
Press Win + E → right-click C: → Properties → Disk Cleanup.
Still slow? Check your PC’s health with CrystalDiskInfo .