How to fix Windows 11 running slow by disabling startup programs and background services

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to fix Windows 11 running slow by disabling startup programs and background services. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

If your Windows 11 computer is taking ages to boot, lagging when you open applications, or generally feeling sluggish, the culprit is often too many programs launching at startup or running silently in the background. This guide will walk you through identifying and disabling these unnecessary programs and services to restore your system's performance.

Quick Fix Steps

1. Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
2. Click the Startup apps tab.
3. Review the list and identify programs you don't need at startup.
4. Select the program and click Disable.
5. Restart your computer to apply the changes.

Detailed Instructions

Step 1: Review Startup Programs in Task Manager

Task Manager provides a straightforward view of everything that launches when Windows starts.

1. Right-click the Start button and select Task Manager, or press Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
2. If Task Manager opens in compact view, click More details at the bottom.
3. Click the Startup apps tab.
4. You'll see columns for the program name, publisher, status (Enabled or Disabled), and Startup impact (which estimates how much it slows your boot).
5. Sort by Startup impact by clicking the column header to see the biggest offenders first.

Step 2: Identify Safe Programs to Disable

Not every startup item should be disabled. Here's a general guide:

• Safe to disable: Spotify, Discord, Steam, Skype, Adobe creative cloud, OneDrive (if you don't use it), manufacturer bloatware, game launchers, and other applications you open manually when needed.
• Keep enabled: Your antivirus software (such as Windows Security), audio drivers (Realtek, etc.), graphics card software (NVIDIA, AMD), touchpad or input device software, and your VPN client if you use one.
• Investigate first: If you don't recognise a program, right-click it and select Properties or search the file name online before disabling.

Step 3: Disable Unnecessary Startup Programs

1. Select the program you want to disable.
2. Click the Disable button in the top-right corner.
3. Repeat for any other non-essential startup items.
4. Close Task Manager and restart your computer.

Step 4: Manage Background Apps

Some programs run in the background even after you close them. Windows 11 provides settings to control this behaviour.

1. Open Settings by pressing Win + I.
2. Navigate to Apps then Installed apps.
3. Find the application you want to manage, click the three dots (...) next to it, and select Advanced options.
4. Under Background app permissions, choose Let Windows decide, Always run in background, or Never run in background.
5. For apps you rarely use, select Never run in background to free up system resources.

Step 5: Disable Unnecessary Windows Services

Some built-in Windows services can be disabled if you don't use their features.

1. Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
2. Scroll through the list and look for services you don't need, such as:
   • Fax — disable if you don't send or receive faxes
   • Remote Registry — disable for security unless needed
3. Double-click the service you want to modify.
4. Change the Startup type to Disabled or Manual.
5. Click Stop to halt the service immediately, then click OK.

Step 6: Verify the Improvements

After making changes, confirm your system is performing better.

1. Restart your computer and time how long it takes to reach the desktop.
2. Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and check the Performance tab to monitor CPU, memory, and disk usage.
3. Open a few applications you regularly use to confirm everything still works correctly.

Troubleshooting

A program I disabled isn't behaving correctly

Return to Task Manager > Startup apps, select the program, and click Enable. Restart your computer to restore the original behaviour.

Task Manager shows high CPU or memory usage after changes

Some background processes may have been affected. Open the Processes tab in Task Manager and sort by CPU or Memory to identify the culprit. You may have inadvertently disabled a dependency.

I can't find a specific startup item

Some programs add themselves to startup via the Registry or the Startup folder. To check the Startup folder, press Win + R, type shell:startup, and press Enter. For Registry entries, type regedit and navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run. Only edit the registry if you're confident in what you're doing.

Performance is still poor after disabling startup items

Startup programs are only one factor. Consider reviewing our guide on Optimising Windows 11 Performance for additional steps, including disk cleanup, driver updates, and power settings. You may also want to check that your system is up to date by following How to update Windows.

Related Articles

• Optimising Windows 11 Performance
• How to update Windows
• Troubleshooting Windows 11 Update Issues
• How to Perform a Clean Installation of Windows 11

If you've followed these steps and your Windows 11 computer is still running slowly, our support team can help diagnose deeper issues such as failing hardware or driver conflicts. Open a Ticket with details about when the slowness occurs and what you've already tried.

Still Having Issues?