Optimize Windows for better performance

Here are some tips to help you optimize Windows 7 for faster performance.

Try the Performance troubleshooter

The first thing that you can try is the Performance troubleshooter, which can automatically find and fix problems. The Performance troubleshooter checks issues that might slow down your computer’s performance, such as how many users are currently logged on to the computer and whether multiple programs are running at the same time.

Open the Performance troubleshooter by clicking the Start button, and then clicking Control Panel. In the search box, type troubleshooter, and then click Troubleshooting. Under System and Security, click Check for performance issues.

Delete programs you never use

Many PC manufacturers pack new computers with programs you didn’t order and might not want. These often include trial editions and limited-edition versions of programs that software companies hope you’ll try, find useful, and then pay to upgrade to full versions or newer versions. If you decide you don’t want them, keeping the software on your computer might slow it down by using precious memory, disk space, and processing power.

It’s a good idea to uninstall all the programs you don’t plan to use. This should include both manufacturer-installed software and software you installed yourself but don’t want any more—especially utility programs designed to help manage and tune your computer’s hardware and software. Utility programs such as virus scanners, disk cleaners, and backup tools often run automatically at startup, quietly chugging along in the background where you can’t see them. Many people have no idea they’re even running.

Even if your PC is older, it might contain manufacturer-installed programs that you never noticed or have since forgotten about. It’s never too late to remove these and get rid of the clutter and wasted system resources. Maybe you thought you might use the software someday, but never did. Uninstall it and see if your PC runs faster.

Limit how many programs run at startup

Many programs are designed to start automatically when Windows starts. Software manufacturers often set their programs to open in the background, where you can’t see them running, so they’ll open right away when you click their icons. That’s helpful for programs you use a lot, but for programs you rarely or never use, this wastes precious memory and slows down the time it takes Windows to finish starting up.

Decide for yourself if you want a program to run at startup.

But how can you tell what programs run automatically at startup? Sometimes this is obvious, because the program adds an icon to the notification area on the taskbar, where you can see it running. Look there to see if there are any programs running that you don’t want to start automatically. Point to each icon to see the program name. Be sure to click the Show hidden icons button so you don’t miss any icons.

Even after you check the notification area, you might still miss some programs that run automatically at startup. AutoRuns for Windows, a free tool that you can download from the Microsoft website, shows you all of the programs and processes that run when you start Windows. You can stop a program from running automatically when Windows starts by opening the AutoRuns for Windows program, and then by clearing the check box next to the name of the program you want to stop. AutoRuns for Windows is designed for advanced users.

Defragment your hard disk

Fragmentation makes your hard disk do extra work that can slow down your computer. Disk Defragmenter rearranges fragmented data so your hard disk can work more efficiently. Disk Defragmenter runs on a schedule, but you can also defragment your hard disk manually.

Clean up your hard disk

Unnecessary files on your hard disk take up disk space and can slow down your computer. Disk Cleanup removes temporary files, empties the Recycle Bin, and removes a variety of system files and other items that you no longer need.

Run fewer programs at the same time

Sometimes changing your computing behavior can have a big impact on your PC’s performance. If you’re the type of computer user who likes to keep eight programs and a dozen browser windows open at once—all while sending instant messages to your friends—don’t be surprised if your PC bogs down. Keeping a lot of e‑mail messages open can also use up memory.

If you find your PC slowing down, ask yourself if you really need to keep all your programs and windows open at once. Find a better way to remind yourself to reply to e‑mail messages rather than keeping all of them open.

Make sure you’re only running one antivirus program. Running more than one antivirus program can also slow down your computer. Fortunately, if you’re running more than one antivirus program, Action Center notifies you and can help you fix the problem.

Turn off visual effects

If Windows is running slowly, you can speed it up by disabling some of its visual effects. It comes down to appearance versus performance. Would you rather have Windows run faster or look prettier? If your PC is fast enough, you don’t have to make this tradeoff, but if your computer is just barely powerful enough for Windows 7, it can be useful to scale back on the visual bells and whistles.

You can choose which visual effects to turn off, one by one, or you can let Windows choose for you. There are 20 visual effects you can control, such as the transparent glass look, the way menus open or close, and whether shadows are displayed.

To adjust all visual effects for best performance:

Open Performance Information and Tools by clicking the Start button, and then clicking Control Panel. In the search box, type Performance Information and Tools, and then, in the list of results, click Performance Information and Tools.

Click Adjust visual effects. If you’re prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

Click the Visual Effects tab, click Adjust for best performance, and then click OK. (For a less drastic option, select Let Windows choose what’s best for my computer.)

Restart regularly

This tip is simple. Restart your PC at least once a week, especially if you use it a lot. Restarting a PC is a good way to clear out its memory and ensure that any errant processes and services that started running get shut down.

Restarting closes all the software running on your PC—not only the programs you see running on the taskbar, but also dozens of services that might have been started by various programs and never stopped. Restarting can fix mysterious performance problems when the exact cause is hard to pinpoint.

If you keep so many programs, e‑mail messages, and websites open that you think restarting is a hassle, that’s probably a sign you should restart your PC. The more things you have open and the longer you keep them running, the greater the chances your PC will bog down and eventually run low on memory.

Add more memory

This isn’t a guide to buying hardware that will speed up your computer. But no discussion of how to make Windows run faster would be complete without mentioning that you should consider adding more random access memory (RAM) to your PC.

If a computer running Windows 7 seems too slow, it’s usually because the PC doesn’t have enough RAM. The best way to speed it up is to add more.

Windows 7 can run on a PC with 1 gigabyte (GB) of RAM, but it runs better with 2 GB. For optimal performance, boost that to 3 GB or more.

Another option is to boost the amount of memory by using Windows‌ ReadyBoost. This feature allows you to use the storage space on some removable media devices, such as USB flash drives, to speed up your computer. It’s easier to plug a flash drive into a USB port than to open your PC case and plug memory modules into its motherboard.

Check for viruses and spyware

If your PC is running slowly, it’s possible that it’s infected with a virus or spyware. This is not as common as the other problems, but it’s something to consider. Before you worry too much, check your PC using antispyware and antivirus programs.

A common symptom of a virus is a much slower-than-normal computer performance. Other signs include unexpected messages that pop up on your PC, programs that start automatically, or the sound of your hard disk constantly working.

Spyware is a type of program that’s installed, usually without your knowledge, to watch your activity on the Internet. You can check for spyware with Windows Defender or other antispyware programs.

The best way to deal with viruses is to prevent them in the first place. Always run antivirus software and keep it up to date. Even if you take such precautions, however, it’s possible for your PC to become infected.

Check your computer’s speed

If you try these tips and your computer is still too slow, you might need a new PC or some hardware upgrades, such as a new hard disk or faster video card. There’s no need to guess the speed of your computer, however. Windows provides a way to check and rate your PC’s speed with a tool called the Windows Experience Index.

The Windows Experience Index rates your computer on five key components and gives you a number for each, as well as an overall base score. This base score is only as good as your worst-performing component subscore. Base scores currently range from 1 to 7.9. If your PC is rated lower than 2 or 3, it might be time to consider a new PC, depending on what tasks you want to do with your computer.

Change the size of virtual memory

If you receive warnings that your virtual memory is low, you’ll need to increase the minimum size of your paging file. Windows sets the initial minimum size of the paging file equal to the amount of random access memory (RAM) installed on your computer, and the maximum size equal to three times the amount of RAM installed on your computer. If you see warnings at these recommended levels, then increase the minimum and maximum sizes.

Open System by clicking the Start button , right-clicking Computer, and then clicking Properties.

In the left pane, click Advanced system settings . If you’re prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

On the Advanced tab, under Performance, click Settings.

Click the Advanced tab, and then, under Virtual memory, click Change.

Clear the Automatically manage paging file size for all drives check box.

Under Drive [Volume Label], click the drive that contains the paging file you want to change.

Click Custom size, type a new size in megabytes in the Initial size (MB) or Maximum size (MB) box, click Set, and then click OK.

Note: Increases in size usually don’t require a restart for the changes to take effect, but if you decrease the size, you’ll need to restart your computer. We recommend that you don’t disable or delete the paging file.

How to start and stop services manually on Windows 10

Source: Windows Central

On Windows 10, services are programs that run in the background without a user interface and enable system features (such as printing, networking, remote access, File Explorer, Windows Search, updates, etc.) and apps to operate as intended.

Although the system does a pretty good job managing background services, sometimes, you may need to control them manually when a feature or app isn’t working correctly, or an app requires you to manage its services manually.

Whatever the case it might be, Windows 10 includes at least four methods to stop, start, disable, or enable services using the Services console, Task Manager, Command Prompt, and PowerShell.

In this Windows 10 guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to manage system and apps services on your computer.

How to manage services using Services console

Using the Services consoles is perhaps the simplest method to stop, start, disable, or enable one or multiple services on Windows 10.

Stop service

To stop a running service using Services, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Services and click the top result to open the console.
3. Double-click the service that you intend to stop.

Click the Stop button.

Source: Windows Central

Quick tip: You can also manage the state by right-clicking the service and selecting the option. Or you can select the service and then use the controls at the top to start, stop, pause, or restart.

Click the Apply button.

Click the OK button.

Once you complete the steps, the service will stop running on the device.

If you’re unable to stop a system service, consider that some services are required for the operation of Windows 10, and they can’t be stopped.

Start service

To start a service on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Services and click the top result to open the console.
3. Double-click the service that you intend to stop.

Click the Start button.

Source: Windows Central

Click the Apply button.

Click the OK button.

After you complete the steps, the service you specified will start for the current session.

Disable service

To set a service a disabled, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Services and click the top result to open the console.
3. Double-click the service that you intend to stop.
4. Click the Stop button.

Use the «Start type» drop-down menu and select the Disabled option.

Source: Windows Central

Click the Apply button.

Click the OK button.

Once you complete the steps, the service will no longer start automatically after restarting your device.

Enable service

To enable a specific service, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Services and click the top result to open the console.
3. Double-click the service that you intend to stop.
4. Click the Start button.

Use the «Start type» drop-down menu and select the Automatic option.

These are the Startup types on Windows 10:

• Automatic – service starts at boot.
• Automatic (Delayed Start) – service start after boot.
• Manual – starts service manually as needed.
• Disabled – stops service from running.

Source: Windows Central

Click the Apply button.

Click the OK button.

After you complete the steps, the Windows 10 or app service will enable, but if it was in a stopped state, you’d need to start it manually or restart the device for the service to run.

How to manage services using Task Manager

Task Manager also includes a section to quickly manage services for Windows 10 and apps.

To stop, start, or restart a service using Task Manager, use these steps:

Open Start.

Search for Task Manager and click the top result to open the app.

Quick tip: Windows 10 includes many other ways to open the experience, including right-clicking the taskbar and selecting the Task Manager option and using the Ctrl + Shift + ESC keyboard shortcut.

Right-click the service name, and select one of the options:

• Stop.
• Start.
• Restart.

Source: Windows Central

Quick note: Task Manager only displays the service name, not the display name. For example, if you’re using this method, you’ll the «Print Spooler» defined as «Spooler.»

Once you complete the steps, the service will respond to the option you selected.

How to manage services using PowerShell

You can also use PowerShell commands to manage background services for Windows 10 and apps.

Stop service

To stop a specific service with PowerShell, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for PowerShell, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

(Optional) Type the following command to view a list of all the services and press Enter:

Source: Windows Central

Type the following command to stop a service and press Enter:

Stop-Service -Name «SERVICE-NAME»

For example, this command stops the printer spooler service on Windows 10:

Stop-Service -Name «spooler»

Source: Windows Central

In the command, replace «SERVICE-NAME» for the name of the service that you intend to stop. If you want to use the display name, replace -Name for -DisplayName and then specify the display name of the service.

Alternatively, you can also use this variant of the command to stop the service:

Set-Service -Name «SERVICE-NAME» -Status stopped

Source: Windows Central

In the command, replace «SERVICE-NAME» for the name of the service that you intend to stop. If you want to use the display name, replace -Name for -DisplayName and then specify the display name of the service. You only need the quotation marks if there’s a space within the name.

Quick tip: If you’re getting a dependency error, you can append the -force option in either of the commands to stop the service. For example, Stop-Service -Name «SERVICE-NAME» -Force .

After you complete the steps, the PowerShell command will stop the service on your device.

Start service

To start a Windows 10 or app service with PowerShell, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for PowerShell, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

Type the following command to start a service and press Enter:

Start-Service -Name «SERVICE-NAME»

For example, this command starts the printer spooler service on Windows 10:

Start-Service -Name «spooler»

Source: Windows Central

In the command, replace «SERVICE-NAME» for the name of the service. Using the display name is supported, replacing -Name for -DisplayName and then specify the display name of the service.

Alternatively, you can also use this variant of the command to start a service:

Set-Service -Name «SERVICE-NAME» -Status running

Source: Windows Central

In the command, replace «SERVICE-NAME» for the name of the service. If you want to use the display name, replace -Name for -DisplayName and then specify the display name of the service.

Once you complete the steps, the service will start on your computer.

Disable service

To disable a service using a PowerShell command, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for PowerShell, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

Type the following command to disable a service and press Enter:

Set-Service -Name «SERVICE-NAME» -Status stopped -StartupType disabled

In the command, update «SERVICE-NAME» for the name of the service. If you want to use the display name of the service, then replace -Name for -DisplayName and specify the service name. If you want to disable the service without stopping it immediately, you can remove the -Status stopped portion of the command.

For example, this command disables the printer spooler service on Windows 10:

Set-Service -Name «spooler» -Status stopped -StartupType disabled

Source: Windows Central

After you complete the steps, the PowerShell command will disable the specified service.

Enable service

To enable a specific background service with PowerShell, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for PowerShell, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

Type the following command to enable a service and press Enter:

Set-Service -Name «SERVICE-NAME» -Status running -StartupType automatic

For example, this command enables the printer spooler service using PowerShell:

Set-Service -Name «spooler» -Status running -StartupType automatic

Source: Windows Central

Quick note: You may able to use the display -DisplayName option, but the command may also prompt you to supply the name of the service, adding an extra step to the process. If you want to enable the service without starting it immediately, you can remove the -Status running portion of the command.

Once you complete the steps, PowerShell will enable the service specified with the command.

How to manage services using Command Prompt

If you’re comfortable using the command line, Command Prompt offers the «net» command (older) to stop or start, or the «sc» command (newer) to stop, start, disable, or enable services on Windows 10.

Stop service

To stop a Windows 10 or app service with Command Prompt, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

(Optional) Type the following command to view a list of all the services and press Enter:

sc queryex state=all type=service

Source: Windows Central

Type the following command to stop a service and press Enter:

net stop «SERVICE-NAME»

In the command, replace «SERVICE-NAME» for the name or display name of the service. You only need the quotation marks if there’s a space within the name.

For example, this command stops the printer spooler using the service name:

net stop «spooler»

Source: Windows Central

Alternatively, you can also use the more advanced «sc» command:

sc stop «SERVICE-NAME»

For example, this command stops the printer spooler using the service name:

sc stop «spooler»

Source: Windows Central

After you complete the steps, the command will stop the specified service on Windows 10.

Start service

To start a service with the command line, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

Type the following command to start a service and press Enter:

net start «SERVICE-NAME»

In the command, replace «SERVICE-NAME» for the name or display name of the service. You only need the quotation marks if there’s a space within the name.

For example, this command starts the printer spooler using the service name:

net start «spooler»

Source: Windows Central

Alternatively, you can also use the «sc» command:

sc start «SERVICE-NAME»

For example, this command starts the printer spooler using the service name:

sc start «spooler»

Source: Windows Central

Once you complete the steps, the command will execute and start the service you specified.

Disable service

To disable a service with Command Prompt, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

Type the following command to disable a service and press Enter:

sc config «SERVICE-NAME» start=disabled

In the command, replace «SERVICE-NAME» for the name of the service that you want to disable.

For example, this command disables printer spooler using the service name:

sc config «spooler» start=disabled

Source: Windows Central

(Optional) Type the following command to stop the service and press Enter:

sc stop «SERVICE-NAME»

Quick note: When you disable a service, it doesn’t stop the current state of the service. You can either restart your computer or stop the service using the above command.

After you complete the steps, the sc command will run disabling the Windows 10 or app service you specified.

Enable service

To enable a service with a command, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

Type the following command to enable a service and press Enter:

sc config «SERVICE-NAME» start=auto

In the command, replace «SERVICE-NAME» for the name of the service that you want to enable.

For example, this command enables the printer spooler automatically using the service name:

sc config «spooler» start=auto

Source: Windows Central

These are alternative commands to enable a particular service:

• Manual: sc config «SERVICE-NAME» start=demand
• Automatic Delayed: sc config «SERVICE-NAME» start=delayed-auto

(Optional) Type the following command to start the service and press Enter:

sc start «SERVICE-NAME»

Once you complete the steps, the service will enable and start automatically on reboot according to the command you used.

You can only use the «net» command to start or stop services. The «sc» command allows you to perform more tasks, including start, stop, enable, or disable services, among other options. If you’re choosing to manage services with command lines, then, in either case, it’s best to use the service name instead of the display name.

Also, when using any of the methods outlined above, consider that making modifications to the default settings can alter the operation of one or more features that depend on that service negatively affecting the experience. Furthermore, if you restart a service, you might be required to start its dependencies manually as well to make the app or feature operational again.

We’re focusing this guide on Windows 10, but the ability to manage services has been available for several years, which means that you can refer to this guide if you’re still running Windows 8.1, Windows 7, and older versions.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

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