Windows 10 has taken huge steps forward compared to the past. If we think of all the problems that previous versions have given to users, it seems almost to deal with another operating system. The strategy adopted by Microsoft to take care of this edition proposing many substantial updates is finally paying off.
Despite this, it still happens that Windows 10 slows down some devices, especially those with more years on their shoulders. In fact, a low-performance hardware does not help a lot the speed of the operating system and if you use this release of Windows it is a particularly present problem.
If you have a PC with Windows 10 slow at startup, however, you do not have to despair. There are some tricks and tips that we can give you to remedy this inconvenience. All you have to do is spend a few minutes of your time and follow the instructions we give you step by step.
Windows 10 slow on startup: how to fix
In this guide dedicated to devices that have a particularly slow startup of Windows 10, we will present some really simple ways to improve your performance. Of course, do not expect miracles, especially if you own a dated PC and with a little powerful hardware. However, the results will also be visible in this case.
Most of the choices that we will propose are to use settings integrated into the operating system. You will therefore not need to download dubious programs or buy licenses that are usually useless.
Deactivate the quick start
Unlike what you may believe, this function with such a promising name actually makes the performance of your computer slightly worse. Enabled by default, this is an option that should reduce boot times by preloading some information before the PC turns off.
Many users have complained about problems with this feature and it’s the first thing you need to disable on a slow Windows 10 computer at startup. Doing it is relatively simple.
- Go to settings and click on the control panel and then go to find the item “Power Options”.
- Here it is on the left “Specify what happens when you press the power button”. Click on it to open the dedicated menu.
- If as in this image, the option “Turn on fast Start” should be marked in gray, just click on the top of the page on “Change settings currently unavailable”.
- Now that you have access to all the settings, simply uncheck “Enable quick start”, press “Save changes” and restart the PC.
Turn off automatic startup for some programs
During startup of the operating system, Windows automatically loads some programs that are allowed to initialize each time the PC is turned on. Now, most of these are services necessary for the proper functioning of the computer, others instead serve only to pre-load an application. In fact, through the system management window you can change these choices quickly and easily.
- Open task management by pressing the CTRL + SHIFT + ESC keys. In the window that will be displayed on the screen go to the “Startup” tab.
- Here are all the services and programs that start as soon as you turn on the PC. The absolutely essential are security software, drivers for system devices and sync programs such as Google Drive. The rest of the choices can be safely disabled through the special “Disable” button on the bottom right.
Make the most of the virtual memory option
Inside Windows 10 there is a hidden setting that allows you to choose how to use virtual memory. This means that it is possible to dedicate part of the space present on the Hard Disk to the RAM memory when it reaches critical levels. Of course, the performances are not exactly identical but they still improve those standards that you would have without activating this option.
- Type performance in the search bar at the bottom left and click on the “Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows“.
- Here choose the item “Advanced” and select “Change”, present under virtual memory.
- Below you will find the recommended space to allocate. Remove the check from “Automatically manage paging file size for all units”, select “Custom size” and enter the recommended values.
- You just have to click on “Set” and restart the PC to apply the changes. In this way, if you have a computer with Windows 10 slow at startup the system should speed up.
Use an SSD memory
If you have a PC with a classic hard disk, this can greatly affect the system startup speed. In fact, technology has walked a lot in this direction and the SSD memories are the clearest proof of this. These have a significantly higher write and read speed, reducing the startup time of Windows 10 and speeding up the opening of applications.
Increase the amount of RAM
Likewise, RAM memory greatly influences the reaction speed of the system, since that part is dedicated to receiving data from open applications. Most computers, even older ones, allow you to increase your quantity in order to speed up Windows 10. Before buying RAM modules, however, make sure that your PC is not already at the maximum allowed and choose carefully the compatible type.
Reinstall Windows 10 from scratch
If all the options we have suggested so far to speed up Windows 10 startup have not worked properly, it is very likely that the operating system installation is corrupted. In this case, the only way you can try to take is to reinstall Windows from scratch. Doing it is not very complicated and requires at most an hour of time. It is essential to create a backup of all your personal data, possibly on an external hard disk.
Once you have secured all your data, we suggest you follow a perfectly tested guide that we created some time ago and that will allow you to complete the procedure quickly and easily.
Conclusions
Now that you understand how to solve problems related to a PC with Windows 10 slow at startup, you just have to personally test the solutions we have proposed.