Windows 10 very slow and unresponsive [Quick Solutions]

• Windows 10 can run really slow or turn unresponsive altogether after an update.
• There are a lot of possible fixes that anyone can try, so keep reading.
• If you’re looking for solutions to other OS issues, you’ll find the answers in the Windows 10 Troubleshooting page.
• For even more advice on improving your device performance, find excellent recommendations in the Tools section.

1. Download Restoro PC Repair Tool that comes with Patented Technologies (patent available here).
2. Click Start Scan to find Windows issues that could be causing PC problems.
3. Click Repair All to fix issues affecting your computer’s security and performance

• Restoro has been downloaded by 0 readers this month.

Microsoft has promised improved performance with Windows 10. Even though a lot of progress has been made, some users claim that Microsoft’s most recent OS has slowed down their system.

Adding to this, they mention that after upgrading, Windows 10 proved very slow and unresponsive not just on startup, but also when opening programs or folders.

On certain occasions, the operating system freezes altogether, sometimes after automatic updates.

What’s more, even File Explorer shows a delayed response.

So in today’s article, we’ll go through possible causes and solutions, hoping to give your OS a boost so that you get full control over your device.

What can I do if Windows 10 is too slow?

1. Update your drivers and software

Sometimes your Windows 10 can become slow if your essential components or applications are out of date.

While updating applications is easy, outdated drivers can be problematic if you don’t know what to download.

Installing the wrong driver version will cause permanent damage to your system, so we strongly recommend DriverFix to get just the necessary drivers for your device.

With just one click, the tool scans your PC, finds the problematic software, and recommends several replacements from a huge database it uses.

DriverFix

2. Check for viruses

Just like any other software, Windows 10 is vulnerable to viruses, so make sure that your system is clean. You can download any free antivirus software and do a full system scan just to be sure.

If you want to ensure that your PC is continuously safe and protected from malware, you might want to consider the best program right now, Bitdefender.

The tool uses next-gen technology to detect the most recent malware signatures known in the industry. The top scores in detection rates added to the ease of use and overall user-friendly design, make Bitdefender the best option to ensure your device’s protection.

Besides, this antivirus comes with an optimization feature that will scan your device for unnecessary files and registry items, unused programs or apps that can be removed, and so on, to declutter the system and boost its performance.

Bitdefender Antivirus Plus

3. Disable heavy performance processes

1. Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard.
2. Go to the Startup tab. Sort the processes by their Startup impact rating.
   
3. Disable processes in the High category, but don’t disable crucial programs such as your antivirus.

4. Enable a faster startup option

1. Press Windows Key + S and enter power settings. Select Power & sleep settings.
   
2. Click Additional power settings.
   
3. Click on Choose what the power button does from the menu on left.
   
4. Now select Change settings that are currently unavailable.
   
5. Make sure to check Turn on fast startup (recommended).
6. Save your changes and you’re good to go.

This feature is called Hybrid Startup and Shutdown and it puts your PC into a hibernation state. It improves the startup and shutdown process.

5. Check for slow services

1. Press Windows key + R and type services.msc and press Enter.
2. In the list of all services that start along with your Windows 10, look for any services that take too long to launch.
3. Right-click each service and change the settings from Default to Delayed Start.
   
4. Save your changes and restart.

6. Disable blur effects and transparency

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Then click on Personalization.
   
3. Next click on Colors. Set Transparency effects to Off.
   

7. Perform a clean Windows 10 install

Sometimes there are software issues when you upgrade from Windows 8 or Windows 7 to Windows 10, or even when installing the latest Windows 10 updates.

Run a System Scan to discover potential errors

So it’s advised that you perform a clean install of Windows 10. Just be sure that you backup your important files before doing this.

8. Use CCleaner

If your Windows 10 is slow, the problem might be your temporary files or your registry.

You can easily fix this problem simply by removing these files from your PC. Doing that manually can be a tedious process, but you can automatically delete these files as well.

One of the best applications that can remove temporary files and optimize your registry is CCleaner. It’s not only efficient and intuitive but also free to use with the basic features.

9. Stop Windows Module Installer service

1. Press Windows Key + R and enter services.msc. Now press Enter or click OK.
   
2. Locate Windows Module Installer on the list and double click it to open its properties.
   
3. Check the Service status, if it’s set to Running click the Stop button to stop the service.
4. In addition, you can also change the Startup Type to Disabled if you want to permanently disable this service.
5. Now click on Apply and OK to save changes.

After disabling this service, check if the problem is resolved.

Note: By disabling this service you might not be able to receive Windows updates, so be sure to enable it back, to avoid any other problems.

10. Disconnect all peripherals

Sometimes your hardware can cause Windows 10 to become slow. To fix that problem, you need to disconnect all peripherals from your PC.

This includes all USB devices, such as printers, hard drives, cameras, etc.

For instance, several users reported that the issue was caused by USB speakers. After disconnecting the device, the issue was completely resolved.

11. Defragment your drive

1. Press Windows Key + S and enter defrag. Now choose Defragment and Optimize Drives.
   
2. When Optimize Drives window opens, select the desired drive and click on Analyze.
   
3. After scanning the drives, select the fragmented drive and click on Optimize.
4. Wait while Windows defragments your drive.
5. Repeat this process for all your drives.

Once the defragmentation process is finished, check if the problem is resolved.

It’s worth mentioning that there are many other great third-party defragmentation tools that offer various advanced features. If you’re looking for more features, we recommend you try Smart Defrag.

12. Adjust the size of virtual memory

1. Press Windows Key + S and enter advanced. Select View advanced system settings.
   
2. Click the Settings button in the Performance section.
   
3. Go to Advanced tab and click on Change button.
   
4. In the Virtual Memory window, uncheck Automatically manage paging file size for all drives.
5. Then, select Custom size, and enter Initial Size and Maximum size. Now click on the Set button and OK to save changes.
   

After doing that, you’ll set the size of virtual memory for that drive. You might have to set the manual size for all your drives.

As for the size, the size of your virtual memory is related to the size of your RAM.

As a general rule, the Initial size should be at least 1.5 times larger than the amount of RAM memory on your PC. As for Maximum size, it should be up to 4 times larger than the amount of RAM on your PC.

We believe that after trying out these solutions, any slowdown problem should be completely resolved.

We’ve got a similar troubleshooting article, dedicated to slow desktops that you might want to check out.

On the other hand, if you have any other suggestions on this topic, feel free to reach us using the comments sections.

6 Reasons Why Your Computer May Run Slowly on Windows 10

Many of us welcomed Windows 10 when it first entered the scene. We anticipated a product superior to the universally hated Windows 8, and we got it. And while the new iteration of Microsoft’s famed Operating System is a big improvement, it’s not perfect.

From aggressive data collection to forced updates, Windows 10 has rightfully drawn a lot of criticism from both reviewers and ordinary users. Despite its sleek new layout and updated features, it can also suffer from slow performance. If you’ve turned on your PC only to wait an absurdly long time to load your desktop, or have discovered applications are running slowly, don’t fret. You’re not alone.

I’ve been frustrated on multiple occasions by slow performance, so I’ve compiled a list of several reasons you may be having a slow Windows 10 experience and what you can do about it.

Reason 1: You Have Too Many Startup Programs

Symptoms: Your PC takes a long time to start up and even freezes up during boot.

How to Fix It: To fix this issue, you’ll have to disable some applications that automatically run on startup.

Step 1: Hit Windows Key + X to bring up the Quick Link menu. Click on Task Manager.

Step 2: Once Task Manager opens, click on the Startup tab.

Step 3: Look through the list of programs which run on startup, and find the programs you don’t necessarily need or never actually use. Right-click on the unhelpful program, then click Disable. Repeat this for all programs that are using up extra resources on startup.

Reason 2: Corrupted Windows System Files

Symptoms: Your PC experiences driver errors, blue or black screens, and other problems that severely impact your daily use.

How to Fix It: The Windows 10 OS gives you two major tools to combat this issue. The first is the Deployment Image Service and Management Tool (DISM). The second is the System File Checker (SFC).

Step 1: Type powershell in the Windows search bar. Once the desktop application pops up, right-click and click Run as Administrator.

Step 2: Type in dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth in the Window which appears. Hit Enter and DISM will begin finding corrupt files and replace them.

Step 1: Open PowerShell from the Windows search bar. Make sure to run as administrator.

Step 2: Type sfc /scannow and hit enter.

This process will find and replace corrupt files. When it’s done, restart your PC. If corrupt files were the cause of your slow experience, your PC should run a lot more smoothly.

Reason 3: You’re Running Too Many Programs at Once

It may sound too simple to be true, especially if you’re running a powerful computer with a quad or octa-core i7 processor. There’s no way a few extra windows can be slowing down your PC, right? Check the Task Manager to make sure.

Symptoms: Slow browsing. Applications take a long time to start or load. Application screens freeze frequently.

How to Fix It: Use the Task Manager to find applications using too much memory and close them.

Step 1: Type Task Manager in the Windows Search bar and open it.

Step 2: Once you have opened Task Manager, find programs that are using the most memory. You can sort programs by memory use simply by clicking on the top of the Memory column. Right-click the offending programs, then choose End Task.

Also, close any extra tabs on your browser and quit any applications which are running in the background. This will free up RAM and CPU bandwidth so your PC will run faster.

Reason 4: Your Antivirus Software Is Extremely Active

Symptoms: You notice your PC slowing down at random times.

How to Fix It: Your antivirus may be taking up processing power while running a background scan. Change your antivirus settings.

Step 1: Open your antivirus software from Windows Search bar. For example, I’m using Malwarebytes.

Step 2: Click Settings. Then click Scan Schedule. Select the box of the Scan you wish to change, then click Edit.

Note: This setting may be different depending on the antivirus software you use.

Step 3: Change the time and date of the scan to your convenience, as well as its frequency, if you’re given the option.

These screenshots demonstrate the process for Malwarebytes, but there are many other antivirus programs out there. However, the procedure for changing scheduled scans is similar to most of them.

Reason 5: Your Hard Drive Is Low on Space

Symptoms: Your PC can run as much as half its normal speed if your hard drive reaches 95% capacity. The lack of storage for temporary files used by programs causes your OS to run improperly.

How to Fix It: Find out what’s taking up the most space on your C Drive and delete or transfer those unnecessary files. You may use a PC cleaner program to speed up the process.

Step 1: Open Storage in Windows Explorer.

Step 2: Click on This PC. Also, to get rid of temporary files automatically and ensure you save more space, turn on Storage Sense (highlighted in yellow below).

Step 3: Select a Folder from those that pop up. Temporary Files, Apps & Games, and Other are usually among the categories which take up the most space. Continue clicking until you reach a folder in Windows Explorer. Delete the appropriate files by selecting them and clicking delete.

Open the subfolder.

A Windows Explorer file will open. Delete the files you don’t need.

Reason 6: PC Power Plan

Symptoms: Your laptop has a decent, even great battery life, but does not perform well when you use a lot of applications or browsers.

How to Fix It: There is a possibility your laptop’s Power Plan is on Battery Saver or Recommended. To maximize performance, you’ll have to change this to High Performance mode.

Step 1: Type in Power Options in your Windows 10 Search bar. Open Edit Power Plan in the Control Panel.

Step 2: Click Change Advanced Power Settings in the lower left corner.

Step 3: Choose High Performance, then hit enter or click OK.

This will boost your PC performance. As it increases your CPU speed, though, it will drain your battery at a faster rate.

General Solutions

There are times when you have no idea what the cause of your slow computer is. You don’t have too many tabs open in your browser, you have enough space on your disk, your antivirus is working perfectly, and you seem to have done everything correctly — yet for some reason, your PC still runs slowly.

Luckily, Windows 10 has two tools that can help you figure out what’s going on. The first is the Windows Troubleshooter. The second is the Performance Monitor.

Windows TroubleShooter

Step 1: Open the Control Panel through the Windows Search field.

Step 2: Click on System and Security, then Security and Maintenance.

Step 3: Click Start Maintenance under Maintenance.

Performance Monitor

Type in perfmon /report in the Windows Search box and hit enter.

The Performance Manager will automatically run a report and diagnose issues that are impacting your PC.

Luckily for you, it will also recommend solutions for each problem found.

A Final Word

Using a slow computer is a frustrating experience. Hopefully, the tips provided here will make that an issue of the past. Some of these tips — such as deleting extra files, disabling Startup applications and running Windows Troubleshooter — can also expose other issues you may not have seen, such as malware. Hopefully, you’ll now have a great browsing experience. Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions or concerns.

This is clearly prescribed info. Thanks for the help.

Excellent article and straight forward on its implementation.

The tips that mentioned above are amazing. Thanks keep it up

All of these recommendations are very good. Sometimes things just slow a PC over time. Such as the patches and firmware that addressed the Spectre and Meltdown flaws. Sometimes I find Smartscreen slows files and downloads due to trouble verifying online. I’ve even seen times where Smartscreen was not available. Depending on what security suite you use, it can slow down a PC. Its the one nagging drawback to Windows is you need a lot of security to keep free from malware. These days RAM is critical and 8Gb is minimum for most users. At some point your hardware may be just old enough to need replacing.

It was a nice and helpful article. Thanks for including all scenarios and solutions.

thanks! really helpful and unique techniques.

my laptob is come with windows 8 so when I upgrade to windows 10 my laptob is run little slow and slow also on games and startup ihave core i5 processor and 8gb ram but the one problem is in my hard disk transfer red write this is never happened on windows 8 and sorry for my bad english

In window 10, my laptop
Speaker can’t work propley like to say speaker is off for some time after restart tjey also work right

Thanks a lot. Especially those powershell methods and perfmon/ report helped a lot. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. It helped a lot.

Thanks for the helpful information.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Excellent . and simple explained.

worked well, thank you

This was really full of more ideas. My PC Really stressed me up that I even regret moving from Windows 7 to Windows 10. Thanks for the post.

Thanks a lot and i found it very useful…various problems now has been fixed…Thanks again

thank u mehamed it help me

It’s helpful and easy

I keep getting this error during the recent updates. Windows could configure one or more system components. To install Windows restart the computer and restart the installation. Except when I do it reverts back to previous version. And then during shutdown it asks a question to update and restart again but the update always fails and takes approximately 3 to 4 hours during this time

I knew most of the information but it is a great web page to re-cap and remember how to do the things. Nobody can remember everything can they?

Thanks. Good intent. Today I replaced my wife’s 2gb RAM on her laptop to a 4gb. It is now behaving a little better. I tried dism and sfc, with nothing to show. But thanks anyway. May be one day this page will come in handy.

I even tried the freeware CPUZ.

Thank you very much.

Thanks , was in real need of these tips

You are life saviour. Thank you very much.

nice article thanks this is helped a lot

It was an instant solution with powershell fix. Thank you so much for your help!

I’ve got a relatively high performance laptop which should have been running fast like it used to. I haven’t been able to find a fix until this article. Step 2 did the trick! Thank you!

Thanks. Great help!

New Solution not mentioned above/here around:

I installed Windows 10-64 bit fresh. And started installing drivers and some basic programs after installing Rollback and Avast. Every thing was fine here around.

Suddenly after installing some 6-7 needed wares, I noticed the same bug that even when my PC/Windows resources (CPU, Ram, Harddisk activity) were more than 50% free, yet installation of even the smallest ware like Adobe Flash was taking like forever. I tried the following and then happen to solve with the last step:

1. Adjusted Windows settings for performance, rather than visuals.

2. Tried boosting performance from the Control Panel> Power Plan> Maximum Performance.

3. Searched ‘msexic process’ in the task manager to end, but it ended any ongoing installation, even abruptly ended Windows Features update changes, which was very painful, took a long time to undo everything and then redo.

4. Then I found that perhaps there was something which was almost stopping the installations from even starting. And found that my new/changed user Account Control settings prompt was appearing in the background but for some reason wasn’t showing to me. And installation dialogue/window kept waiting for the go ahead/my response.

5. But ultimately, what solved my problem was that under System Properties> System Protection> Protection Settings, I had manually chosen the protection for ‘C’ drive. And this resulted in MS Volume Shadow Copy service to run and work in the background. And this was happening even when ‘Rollback’ was already taking (or trying to take) snapshots. As soon as I disabled this protection (or temporarily ended the Volume Shadow Copy Service process), my installation went as smooth as possible/expected.

This is a great article and simplifies the PC performance optimisation.