If you’ve just installed Windows 11 on your PC, there are critical steps you should take to ensure optimal performance, especially if you’re using an older or low-end system. Windows 11 comes with default settings that can slow your computer down and make it harder to use. This guide will walk you through the essential adjustments you need to make, helping your system run faster and more efficiently. Let’s get started!
Key Takeaways
- Install essential updates: Ensure Windows 11 is updated for optimal performance.
- Use tools like BloatyNosy and WinAero Tweaker: These tools help remove bloatware and tweak your system for better performance.
- Adjust system settings: Simple changes to taskbar and startup settings can enhance your user experience.
Step 1: Start With a Clean System Restore Point
Before making any changes to your system, it’s crucial to set up a system restore point. This gives you a safety net in case something goes wrong during the optimization process. Remember, you follow these steps at your own risk.
Step 2: Update Windows and Drivers
Updating Windows 11 and your device drivers is essential for performance. Make sure everything is up to date before diving into any deeper optimizations.
Step 3: Reduce Bloatware with BloatyNosy
Download and Install BloatyNosy
The first tool to use is BloatyNosy, which helps eliminate unnecessary software and services. Download it from GitHub and install it on your system. After installation, run an analysis to identify potential issues and follow the prompts to fix them.
BloatyNosy’s BloatPilot feature also allows you to remove additional bloatware pre-installed on Windows 11. You can even control specific apps, ensuring that only what you need stays on your system.
Step 4: Apply System Tweaks with WinModder and Chris Titus Tech’s WinUtil
Use WinModder for Quick Performance Enhancements
The next tool, WinModder, enables you to apply performance-enhancing mods. A key recommendation here is to install Chris Titus Tech’s Windows Utility, which simplifies the process of optimizing Windows 11.
Note: You can launch the Chris Titus Windows Utility by running the following command in Powershell as Admin:
irm "https://christitus.com/win" | iex
One notable mod is the Ultimate Performance Plan, which can be beneficial for desktop users. However, laptop users should be cautious as it can significantly drain battery life.
Tweak System Settings with Chris Titus Tech’s WinUtil
Using Chris Titus Tech’s WinUtil, you can apply various system tweaks. For example, disabling telemetry in Windows 11 helps protect your privacy while boosting performance. You can also toggle the dark theme, manage the Ultimate Performance Plan, and make other changes to improve your system’s responsiveness.
Step 5: Fine-Tune Settings with WinAero Tweaker
After applying the basic tweaks, WinAero Tweaker helps refine additional settings for better usability:
- Disable Background Apps: These can drain resources without you noticing.
- Adjust Taskbar Settings: Align the start button to the left and remove unnecessary items to keep your desktop clean and accessible.
- Tweak Microsoft Edge: Disable unwanted features like desktop shortcut creation after updates, the sidebar, and personalized web experiences. This ensures Edge runs lighter and faster.
WinAero Tweaker offers a wide range of options to disable ads, tweak startup settings, and even bring back classic Windows features like the old Photo Viewer.
Step 6: Optimize CPU Performance with QuickCPU
Disable Core Parking
QuickCPU allows you to manage how your CPU handles tasks. By disabling core parking, you prevent Windows from idling CPU cores to save power, which can make your system more responsive. While this may slightly increase power consumption, it can significantly boost performance, especially on multi-core CPUs.
Step 7: Customize Windows 11’s Built-in Settings
Finally, take a few minutes to customize the built-in Windows 11 settings:
- Taskbar and Start Menu: Right-click on the taskbar and adjust settings to your liking. You can display the search icon, align the start button, and remove unnecessary items from the start menu.
- Startup Apps: Head to settings and disable any apps you don’t need to launch automatically when your PC starts up. This can noticeably reduce startup time.
Final Performance Results
After applying all the optimizations, the results speak for themselves. Processes were reduced from 111 to about 80, which significantly lightened the load on the system. Although RAM usage remained similar (due to limited RAM capacity), the overall system responsiveness improved dramatically. Even on an unsupported laptop with only 2GB of RAM, Windows 11 ran smoothly after all the tweaks were applied.
Conclusion
By following the steps in this guide, you can significantly improve the performance of Windows 11 on your PC, even if it’s a low-end or unsupported device. From removing bloatware with BloatyNosy to fine-tuning system settings with WinAero Tweaker and QuickCPU, each step makes a noticeable difference in usability and speed. Give these optimizations a try and see how they improve your Windows 11 experience.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can Windows 11 run on low-end hardware?
Yes, with the right optimizations, as outlined in this guide, Windows 11 can run efficiently even on low-end hardware.
2. What is BloatyNosy, and how does it help?
BloatyNosy is a tool that helps remove unnecessary bloatware from Windows 11, making your system run faster and more efficiently.
3. Is it safe to disable core parking?
Disabling core parking can improve performance but may slightly increase power consumption. It’s safe to do but might not be ideal for laptops running on battery power.
4. Why should I create a system restore point?
Creating a restore point allows you to revert to a stable system state in case something goes wrong during the optimization process.
5. Will these optimizations void my warranty?
No, these software changes won’t void your warranty. However, follow these steps at your own risk, as improper changes could affect system stability.
