Introduction

After a Windows 11 update, your computer can suddenly feel much slower. This is a common problem. In this guide, we cover all the proven methods to improve Windows 11 performance.

Checking the system requirements

Minimum requirements for Windows 11

  • Processor: 1 GHz or faster with 2 or more cores
  • RAM: 4 GB (8 GB recommended)
  • Storage: 64 GB or more
  • TPM: Version 2.0

Turning off visual effects

Windows 11 has a lot of visual effects that use system resources.

Turning off transparency effects

  1. Open Settings > Personalization > Colors
  2. Set Transparency effects to Off

Advanced performance settings

  1. Press Windows + R and type sysdm.cpl
  2. Go to the Advanced tab
  3. Under Performance, click Settings
  4. Select Adjust for best performance

Turning off background apps

  1. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps
  2. Click the three dots next to an app
  3. Select Advanced options
  4. Under "Background apps permissions", choose Never

Limiting Windows Search indexing

  1. Open Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows
  2. Select Classic instead of Enhanced

Windows 11 specific settings

Turning off widgets

  1. Right-click the taskbar
  2. Select Taskbar settings
  3. Set Widgets to Off

Virtualization-based security (VBS)

VBS can reduce performance by 5-25%:

  1. Search for "Core isolation"
  2. Turn off Memory integrity

Freeing up disk space

  1. Search for "Disk Cleanup"
  2. Select your system drive
  3. Click Clean up system files
  4. Select all options and click OK

Optimizing the power plan

  1. Press Windows + R and type powercfg.cpl
  2. Select High performance

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Why has my Windows 11 PC become so slow after the latest update?

After a Windows update, several factors can affect performance: settings that were reset, new features that use resources, background indexing, and driver incompatibility.

How much RAM do I need for Windows 11?

Although Microsoft lists 4 GB as the minimum, we recommend at least 8 GB for standard use and 16 GB for heavier tasks.

Will turning off visual effects affect my Windows 11 experience?

Yes, you lose cosmetic elements, but functionality stays intact. For many users, the performance gain is worth the visual trade-offs.