Q: I鈥檝e got a Windows computer that takes forever to start up; are there ways to make it faster?
A: A well-maintained computer should start up at about the same speed as when you first got it, so if you haven鈥檛 done much to clean it up, I鈥檇 start there.
Many apps will insert themselves into your computer鈥檚 startup menu, contributing to slow startup speeds.
First, do a review of the apps you have installed by going to Settings > Apps > Apps & Features and uninstalling those you don鈥檛 want or need.
The default view will list the apps in alphabetical order, but I鈥檇 recommend you review the list based on the install date, which you can change via the 鈥淪ort by:鈥� option. This will show you the most recently added items, along with the date they were installed, which can be very helpful if you noticed a slowdown in the recent past.
Each listed app will have three dots to the right of the entry, which will allow you to uninstall it when you click it.
If you don鈥檛 recognize something, be sure to do a little research on what it does before removing it 鈥� some items are vital to the proper operation of your computer.
What鈥檚 in Startup?
Once you鈥檝e gotten rid of unneeded apps, it鈥檚 time to see what your computer is being instructed to load every time it starts.
Go to Settings > Apps > Startup to show what is currently loading at startup, but change the 鈥楽ort by:鈥� option from 鈥楴ame鈥� to 鈥楽tartup impact鈥�.
The list will now show you the items that are in startup that will have a high impact on your computer, so if they鈥檙e not important, turn them off.
If you鈥檙e troubleshooting, only change one item at a time and restart your computer to see whether that app was causing your problems.
Full scan for malware
Malware and viruses that sneak into your computer can also affect your computer鈥檚 performance, so a complete scan of your system would be next.
Whatever you have installed to protect your computer from viruses and malware will have the option to do a full scan of your system, which you will have to manually select.
If you aren鈥檛 sure where the option is, do a Google search for 鈥�(name of your program) full scan setting鈥� for instructions.
Upgrade to SSD
If you have an older computer that uses magnetic platters that spin up to get your computer started, upgrading to a much faster Solid State Drive (SSD) is one of the best 鈥渂ang for the buck鈥� upgrades you can choose.
Unless you know how to transfer data and switch out the hardware, seek professional assistance to select the right drive and get it set up.
Sleep mode
Unless you aren鈥檛 going to use your computer for a long time, instead of shutting it completely down, use Sleep Mode to keep your computer ready to respond quickly when woken up.
Numerous options can be configured when you search for 鈥渟leep mode鈥� in the Control Panel, but if using it causes issues, it鈥檚 an indication of other underlying problems that need to be addressed.
Ken Colburn is the founder and CEO of聽. Ask any tech question on聽聽or on聽.
