Windows Slow Startup

Find out what's slowing your boot — and cut it out.

Why does this happen?

A slow Windows boot almost always comes down to three things: too many startup apps, a mechanical hard drive, or post-update housekeeping. The fixer below points you at the right one based on how old your PC is and when it slowed down.

Common causes

• Too many apps launch at login and compete for resources.
• The system drive is a slow HDD rather than an SSD.
• Windows updates are still processing in the background.
• Low disk space leaves no room for fast operation.

Symptoms

• Boot takes minutes rather than seconds.
• It got slow recently after adding software.
• The PC has always been slow since it was new.
• Performance improves a while after login.

Frequently asked questions

What makes Windows boot so slowly?

Startup apps and a mechanical hard drive are the top two causes. Disabling startup apps is free; moving to an SSD is the single biggest hardware upgrade.

Is Fast Startup safe to enable?

Yes. It makes shutdowns hibernate the kernel and speeds up boot. It's on by default on most installs.