Effective measures to accelerate Windows 11 performance
The website HowToGeek published a technical report revealing six practical methods to accelerate the performance of the Windows 11 operating system without the need to upgrade computer hardware or resort to overclocking. The report noted that the system has suffered from noticeable bloat, which strains random-access memory (RAM) and slows down its internal search engine.
The author, Goran Damjanović, revealed that Microsoft has acknowledged this issue and is working throughout 2026 to improve Windows 11’s responsiveness, particularly on devices equipped with eight gigabytes of memory. However, the report clarified that users can speed up their devices immediately by adjusting certain settings and disabling unnecessary elements, without waiting for this update.
The report initially recommended disabling motion effects and transparency effects from the “Accessibility” menu in Settings. It explained that while these effects are visually appealing, they consume system resources and slow down every process the user executes daily, noting that an average user performs hundreds of operations each day. It added that disabling transparency is particularly beneficial for older computers with weak processors and integrated graphics.
• Disable unnecessary startup applications via Task Manager or the “Autoruns” tool from the Sysinternals suite, to reduce the number of programs running in the background.
• Utilize cleanup tools such as “WinUtil” or “Winhance” to remove bloatware, or delete the “Copilot” assistant, which consumes approximately 500 megabytes of memory while operating in the background.
• Disable unnecessary background services, especially on older, resource-constrained devices.
According to the report, disabling startup applications does not necessarily improve the device’s overall performance, but it reduces boot time and frees up a portion of the memory, potentially extending the battery life of laptops. The author stated that he kept only four applications active out of the twenty that were running automatically when his personal computer started.
The report emphasized that load-reduction tools like “WinUtil,” developed by Chris Titus, are among the most popular tools for removing unwanted software from Windows 11. It warned that the difference may not be noticeable on modern, powerful devices, whereas it will be evident on older, slower machines.
Regarding power settings, the report clarified that switching to “Best Performance” mode from the System and Battery settings in the Control Panel is particularly beneficial for laptop users. It prevents processor performance throttling during idle periods and reduces stuttering that occurs when suddenly switching to heavy tasks. Modern desktop computers, however, may not notice a significant difference.
Finally, the report indicated that disabling online search results in the Windows search engine via a PowerShell script accelerates local searches without improving overall system performance. For those seeking a more radical solution, the search service can be completely disabled and replaced with a program like “Everything.”
The report concluded that while these steps are simple, collectively they can give Windows 11 computers a tangible sense of speed and responsiveness, especially on older or resource-constrained devices, while awaiting Microsoft to complete its plan to improve memory consumption by the end of 2026.
