Slow boot times on Windows 10 machines are not unusual. It’s a common characteristic with computers after using them for a while. If you’re frustrated by the slow startup times on your computer, third-party apps that you installed, a slow hard disk drive, or multiple startup programs could be to blame. Fortunately, this is a temporary problem that you can quickly resolve. In this post, we share simple ways to speed up Windows 10 startup.

Let’s begin. 

Why is Windows 10 So Slow to Start Up?

Is your computer slow on startup? There are numerous reasons why your Windows 10 is slow on startup. Even though the average boot time for Windows 10 takes a minute, the ideal boot time should take seconds. Therefore, if your startup takes over a minute, it can slow your computer.

So Why is Your Computer Slow to Boot?

One of the common causes of Windows 10 slow startup is corrupted Windows Update files, which can affect your computer’s performance. Also, when you have many startup programs and apps running, it can cause a PC slow startup.

Furthermore, if your PC runs an outdated operating system or an older HDD or is infected with malware, it can also cause a slow startup.

Slow startup times may also result from outdated device drivers, leading to incompatibilities and reducing overall system performance.

Also, your PC might boot slowly if too many programs open in the background. Or if the Windows updates are running during active hours.

Related: Proven Ways to Clean Windows 10

How to Speed Up Windows 10 Startup

If you want to know how to speed up computer startup, follow the tips discussed below. You can go through each point and implement the steps to make your PC boot faster:

1. Turn on Fast Startup Mode

The first obvious choice to make your Windows 10 boot faster is to activate Fast Startup. It’s a built-in feature on Windows 10 that puts your computer between hibernation and shutdown.

Once turned on, Windows 10 creates a temporary file to reboot from, much like in hibernation mode. However, the file is smaller than the one created when you set it to hibernate normally.

The next time you power up your PC, the system quickly accesses those temporary files instead of the large files created when you hibernate. Again, the result is a quicker load time.

This feature is usually enabled by default on most machines. But, if for some reason it isn’t enabled on yours, it’s pretty easy to do so:

How to Enable Windows Fast Startup

speed up windows 10 startup

  • Hit the “Win + I” hotkeys and select “System.”
  • Click “Power & Sleep” and select the “Additional power settings” link under “Related Settings.”
  • This action launches the “Power Options” page in Control Panel.
  • Click on “Choose what the power buttons do.” If the options are grayed out, click the “Change settings that are currently unavailable.”
  • Under “Shutdown settings,” check the “Turn on fast startup (recommended).”
  • Click “Save Changes.”

If you want a Windows 10 fast startup, this should help your boot your computer faster. However, if your run into issues after enabling Fast Startup, you can turn it off using the steps above.

2. Shut Down Startup Programs

Startup programs slow down startup time. So, the more programs you allow to run at startup, the longer it will take your PC to boot. That’s because most applications are programmed to launch automatically at boot.

If you’re observant, you might have noticed an option to enable or disable this feature when installing the application. But don’t worry if you didn’t see it.

You can check the number of startup programs on your machine via Windows Task Manager using these steps:

  • Launch “Task Manager” using the Ctrl + Shift + Esc
  • Switch to the “Startup” tab, where you’ll find a list of all the programs set to launch at startup.

speed up windows 10 startup

From there, you can choose which programs to disable, especially those with high startup impact. Select the program, and click the “Disable” button at the bottom right corner of the screen.

If you can’t find an option to disable a program from Task Manager, open Settings > Apps > Startup, look for the application and turn it off.

You may want to leave specific necessary programs like your antivirus software and OneDrive or Google Drive enabled. Optionally, you can uninstall programs that you no longer use or need.

It’s also a good idea to run a malware scan to check and remove any traces of viruses that could be slowing down the boot process.

3. Upgrade Your Hardware

If you want to know how to make your PC boot faster, one way is to upgrade your Windows 10 hardware. Changing your old HDD for a solid-state drive (SSD) can significantly impact you.

With SSDs, your computer will boot up much more quickly because of the increased read and write speeds. In addition, when using an SSD, programs launch and execute significantly more quickly, resulting in a smooth user experience.

That said, you may need to optimize SSD on your Windows to boost your PC performance.

Also, in addition to installing an SSD, increasing your RAM can decrease the time it takes to boot up. If your computer doesn’t have enough RAM, it could take longer to boot up and perform less well overall.

Increasing the RAM gives your computer extra memory, allowing it to run more programs at once. This may benefit your computer’s overall performance, including boot time.

Related: How To Check Your RAM Size, Speed, and Type On Windows 10 and Mac OS

4. Change Your Power Settings

Using the Power Saver mode in Windows 10 may reduce your computer performance to conserve power. So switching from the Power Saver plan to either High Performance or Balanced will result in an immediate performance improvement.

To change the power settings, follow the below steps:

  • Type “Control panel” into the search bar and open it.
  • Select “Hardware and Sound > Power Options.” In most cases, you’ll have to choose between “Balanced (recommended)” and “Power saver.”

speed up windows 10 startup

(Remember that other plans may also be displayed here, including manufacturer-branded ones; this will vary by model and make.) 

  • Click on the arrow beside “Show additional plans” to check the “High performance” settings.” 
  • Select the power plan you want, save the changes, and close the Control Panel. 

Although High Performance delivers top-tier efficiency, it consumes too much power. And while Power Saver tries everything possible to maximize battery life, Balanced strikes a good balance between power consumption and enhanced performance.

There is no reason to use a power saver, and even if you use a laptop, consider using Balanced when you’re not charging. You can use High Performance when plugged in. It’s one of the best ways to speed up Windows 10 startup.

5. Resort to Sleep Mode

Consider using sleep mode instead of shutting down your computer. It’s faster to resume from sleep mode than from a shutdown. The only issue with sleep mode is that it uses more power than when the computer is switched off.

speed up windows 10 startup

Sleep mode can be helpful when you’re stepping away from work for a few minutes and don’t want to wait long to resume work on your PC. 

6. Clear Windows Cache

speed up windows 10 startup

Memory caching stores data temporarily in a computer’s main memory (RAM) to speed up data retrieval by computer programs. The cache used for temporary storage is called memory cache.

Here’s how to delete temporary files and clear the cache in Windows 10:

  • First, click the Windows logo and select the “Settings” icon.
  • Click the “System” option from the settings menu.
  • Select “Storage” and click on Free up Space now.
  • Wait for the scanning to complete.

So if you want a Windows 10 fast startup, clear your Windows cache to speed up your computer.

7. Uninstall Unnecessary Programs

When you turn on your computer, Windows searches and opens different programs and files in a specific order, and that can cause your PC to slow down.

So if you want to know how to speed up computer startup, minimize the number of apps and files it has to load. You can do this by deleting unnecessary programs and files.

You can boost computer performance by freeing up storage and stopping unused apps from operating in the background.

If you want to learn how to uninstall unwanted programs, type “Add or remove programs” in the search program. Then, uninstall any programs you don’t use or are unnecessary.

speed up windows 10 startup

If you want a more detailed guide on deleting programs, check this out: How to Uninstall Programs and Delete Unnecessary Files

Use PC Optimizer: Speed Up Boot Time Automatically With Auslogics BoostSpeed.

If you find the methods above tiresome, we recommend using an automated process. Auslogics BoostSpeed offers the simplest, safest, and most reliable way to speed up Windows 10 startup.

The program is easy to install and use. Plus, useful tips guide you when using the various tools. Besides cleaning PC junk and deleting file duplicates, BoostSpeed disables startup programsand defragments your hard drives.

So if your Windows PC is slow, these features can improve the boot time and boost your Windows 10 PC’s overall performance and efficiency. In addition, with BoostSpeed, you get over a dozen tools to tweak and optimize your computer as you want.

Learn more on how to get your PC in Shape: Why is my computer so slow? – How to Improve Computer Performance

Conclusion

It can be frustrating when your Windows 10 boots slowly. But this is a regular problem that can be fixed. Disabling unused startup programs, updating hardware, and turning on Fast Startup mode are just a few options to reduce boot time.

If you want to automate the process and boost your computer’s performance and efficiency, we recommend using Auslogics BoostSpeed. You can quickly fix slow boot times and experience a faster and more efficient Windows 10 PC.

FAQs

Why is Windows 10 So Slow to Boot Up?

Windows 10 may take longer to boot up for several reasons, such as many startup programs, antivirus software, malware, old hardware, etc. If you fix these problems, your computer may start up more quickly.

How to Make Your PC Boot Faster?

There are several things you can do to speed up Windows 10 startup. Some include cleaning the cache, removing unused programs and files, and updating the hardware. In addition, the PC’s boot time can increase by deactivating unnecessary startup programs and decreasing the amount of running background processes.

Is Windows Fast Startup Good or Bad?

Using a hibernation and shutdown process hybrid, Windows Fast Startup reduces your PC’s startup time. However, while this feature can help speed up the startup time, it also has the potential to cause issues with dual-boot setups and system updates. So use this feature caution, and check for any system concerns frequently.

How Long Should a PC Take to Boot Up?

Windows 10 takes about a minute to boot on average. But your computer should boot in under a minute if you don’t have too many programs loading at once. To guarantee a quick and effective boot time, we recommend using Auslogics BoostSpeed to optimize your system regularly and maintain your overall PC health.