How to Speed up Windows 11 on Old Laptop

Windows 11 brings a modern interface and new features, but it can feel sluggish on older hardware. If you’ve installed Windows 11 on a laptop that’s a few years old, chances are you’ve noticed slower boot times, laggy apps, or general performance issues. The good news is that with the right settings and some practical adjustments, you can significantly speed up Windows 11 on an old laptop.

I’ve worked on optimizing dozens of older laptops running Windows 11—including models with only 4 GB RAM and slow mechanical hard drives. This guide shares what actually works, step by step.

Step 1: Disable Startup Programs

Old laptops often suffer from long boot times due to too many programs starting with Windows.

How to do it:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager
2. Go to the Startup tab
3. Right-click on unnecessary programs and choose Disable

Only keep essentials like antivirus or touchpad drivers. Disabling apps like Skype, Teams, or OneDrive on startup can drastically reduce boot time.

Step 2: Turn Off Visual Effects

Windows 11 uses animations and transparency effects that can slow down low-end systems.

Steps:

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings
2. Go to System > About > Advanced system settings
3. Under Performance, click Settings
4. Select Adjust for best performance, then check Smooth edges of screen fonts if needed
5. Click Apply and OK

This makes the interface look simpler but improves responsiveness.

Step 3: Uninstall Bloatware and Unused Apps

OEM-installed apps and rarely-used software take up space and background resources.

Steps:

1. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps
2. Go through the list and uninstall:
   • Pre-installed games
   • Manufacturer utilities
   • Third-party trial software (e.g., McAfee, Dropbox pre-installs)

I recommend keeping only essential tools. On most systems I’ve optimized, removing bloatware made an immediate difference.

Step 4: Use a Lightweight Antivirus

Windows Defender is built-in and well-optimized. Avoid installing heavy third-party antivirus tools that slow down performance.

If you’re already using a third-party antivirus:

• Consider switching back to Windows Security
• Go to Settings > Privacy & security > Windows Security

Keep malware protection active, but avoid tools that scan constantly in the background and eat up RAM.

Step 5: Clean Up Disk Space

Low storage space can slow Windows 11, especially on older laptops with 128 GB SSDs or HDDs.

Use Storage Sense:

1. Go to Settings > System > Storage
2. Enable Storage Sense
3. Click Temporary files and remove:
   • Recycle Bin
   • Downloaded Windows Update files
   • Thumbnails

You can also run Disk Cleanup manually:

• Press Windows + R, type cleanmgr, and select the system drive

Step 6: Switch to High Performance Power Plan

Power-saving features can throttle CPU performance.

Steps:

1. Open Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options
2. Select High performance (or Ultimate performance if available)

If not visible, run this in Command Prompt (Admin):

bash

CopyEdit

powercfg -duplicatescheme e9a42b02-d5df-448d-aa00-03f14749eb61

Then return to Power Options and select Ultimate performance.

Step 7: Disable Background Apps

Some apps keep running even when you’re not using them.

Steps:

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features
2. Click on an app > Advanced options
3. Under Background apps permissions, set it to Never

Repeat this for every non-essential app like Maps, Weather, or Xbox.

Step 8: Reduce Notifications and Suggestions

Background services powering notifications use resources continuously.

Disable tips and suggestions:

1. Go to Settings > System > Notifications
2. Turn off Offer suggestions on how I can set up my device
3. Turn off Get tips and suggestions when using Windows

These are helpful on new machines but slow down older systems unnecessarily.

Step 9: Run Windows Debloater Script (Optional for Advanced Users)

There are community-built scripts like Windows10Debloater that also work for Windows 11. They remove unnecessary background services, apps, and telemetry.

Only run such tools if you’re comfortable restoring your system. Always create a restore point first.

Step 10: Upgrade to SSD (Hardware Tip)

While this is not a software tweak, it’s the single most effective way to speed up an old laptop.

If your laptop still uses an HDD:

• Replace it with a SATA SSD (or NVMe if supported)
• Clone your current Windows installation using tools like Macrium Reflect or Acronis
• Or do a clean install of Windows 11

Most old laptops with SSD upgrades boot in under 20 seconds and run significantly faster.

Step 11: Add More RAM If Possible

Windows 11 runs best with 8 GB or more. If your laptop has 4 GB, upgrading to 8 GB can reduce swapping to disk and make multitasking smoother.

Check:

• Type of RAM supported (DDR3/DDR4, speed)
• Whether you have an available RAM slot

I’ve upgraded dozens of systems from 4 GB to 8 GB, and performance always improved—especially while browsing with many tabs or using Office apps.

Step 12: Disable Search Indexing (On HDD Systems)

Indexing improves file search but consumes disk resources constantly on slow drives.

Steps:

1. Press Windows + R, type services.msc
2. Scroll to Windows Search, right-click > Properties
3. Set Startup type to Disabled
4. Click Stop, then OK

On SSDs, this isn’t usually necessary. But on HDD-based systems, it noticeably improves responsiveness.

Step 13: Keep Drivers and Windows Updated

Performance patches are regularly released.

Check for updates:

• Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates
• Use your laptop manufacturer’s website to install:
  • Chipset drivers
  • Graphics drivers (especially if using Intel UHD or AMD Vega)

Never rely solely on generic Windows drivers for graphics—proper drivers boost performance and stability.

Step 14: Perform a Clean Boot

Clean Boot disables third-party services and startup items temporarily to isolate performance issues.

Steps:

1. Press Windows + R, type msconfig, press Enter
2. Under Services tab, check Hide all Microsoft services, then click Disable all
3. Go to Startup tab > Open Task Manager
4. Disable all startup items
5. Restart the system

This helps identify if a third-party app is causing lag or slow startup.

Conclusion

You don’t need to replace your old laptop just because it struggles with Windows 11. With the right performance tweaks, you can make it usable—and even fast—again. From disabling startup bloat and visual effects to upgrading hardware like RAM or SSD, every step adds up. I’ve helped optimize many low-end systems using these exact methods, and with consistency, they deliver real-world performance gains without compromising functionality.