Computers have come a long way from being room-sized calculators, haven’t they? But even the latest state-of-the-art tech runs into trouble now and again — especially when it comes to speed.
We’re sure you’ve experienced it before. Your Windows computer or laptop was as speedy as ever just last night, but it’s taking light years to boot up today. Or maybe it’s been a slow process. Your startup speed gradually became slower over time, and it wasn’t a huge deal until you end up starting work 30 minutes late.
So why does this happen? And can you fix it, or do you have to shell out for a brand-new computer?
Good news; it’s probably not time to break the bank on a new device. Most likely, returning to normal speed is an easy fix. Below, we offer you a myriad of solutions on how to speed up computer startup!
1. Turn On Window’s Fast Startup Mode
First thing’s first: if you have Windows 10, you need to enable the Fast Startup feature. Yes, we can admit it’s a little on the nose, but it does exactly what it says it does. The program expedites your Windows 10 startup time, and this is how:
- When you shut down your device, Windows creates a temporary file.
- Upon powering up, your device will access the temporary file instead of booting up from a cold startup.
To turn this feature on, follow these steps:
- Open the Control Panel (if you don’t immediately see the icon, you can search the term on your Windows search bar)
- Select System and Security
- Select Power Options
- On the left sidebar, click “Choose what the power buttons do.”
- Under shutdown settings, select “Turn on fast startup” and save your changes.
You’ll now power your computer using Fast Startup, which should hopefully help your issue.
2. Configure Your Startup Programs
When you power up Windows, likely programs are running in the background. You may even find programs you’ve never touched before.
If you’re asking Google how to speed up computer startup, we’ll tell you editing startup programs is an easy, effective way. Here’s how:
- Open the Windows Task Manager by hitting Ctrl + Shift + Esc at the same time.
- Select the Startup Tab, which will greet you with a list of programs that begin running once you power on Windows. As a bonus, this feature will let you know which programs have the highest and lowest impact on start-up speeds.
- Select the programs you’d like to disable during your computer powering process. You can select multiple by holding down Ctrl and clicking the unnecessary programs.
Pro-tip: If the slow computer or laptop is your work device, contact your IT team to clarify which programs are safe to disable.
Honestly, if you see programs, you never use at all, uninstall them entirely. This could help your computer’s overall speed and performance.
3. Run A Malware Scan
Malware is any malicious software purposefully used to harm your PC or network. And sometimes, malware is unknowingly running in the background of your computer.
Performing regular virus and malware scans can tell you of any unwelcome programming installed on your device. Even after you fix the issue of speeding up computer startup, you should still incorporate malware scans into a PC maintenance routine. It can prevent performance issues and compromised personal information in the future.
4. Easy Hardware Updates
Sometimes you’ll need to get a little techier with your start-up speed solutions. The best way is by upgrading your computer’s current hardware. This is especially prudent for those running Windows 10 on devices that weren’t built for it.
Here are a few hardware upgrades to consider:
- Solid-State Drive (SSD): An SSD is much more reliable than any hard-disk drive, plus it has faster read times. Your computer programs will launch instantaneously compared to the ancient tech, and your new boot time will be unbelievable. You can even perform this upgrade yourself with a screwdriver if you’re feeling handy.
- Add Extra RAM: RAM helps background programs run and allows you to switch tasks easily. Essentially, it keeps your device’s performance speedy.
It’s not just start-up the above upgrades improve, either! Installing an SSD and increasing RAM will boost your computer performance overall, making it feel brand new.
5. Let Updates Happen When You’re Away From The Computer
Windows updates take time. Your device will usually need an adjustment period after software updates that occur when powering back on. If you’d rather not let Windows take its sweet time getting ready, then it’s best to let your device do its own thing on your downtime.
Of course, this will require allowing automatic updates. In the past, automatic updates have caused a few issues, making users hesitate to allow them. But the risk is fairly low, and developers quickly patch known bugs.
If you’d like to turn on automatic updates, then follow the following steps:
- Open up your device Settings.
- Select the Update & Security option
- Choose Windows Update and click on the Change Active Hours button
- Let Windows know the time you typically use your laptop or computer the most. The system will now try updating during your downtime.
6. Adjust UEFI/BIOS Settings
BIOS and UEFI are software that starts as you turn on your PC. They serve the same purpose, but the UEFI is newer while BIOS is older.
To keep it simple, we’ll refer to the software as BIOS for the remainder of this section.
Your BIOS settings may have their own version of Fast Boot, separate from the Windows Fast Start Up. It’s an additional way on how to speed up computer startup. A BIOS Fast Boot dodges tests your PC may run when starting up. Here’s how to access these settings:
- Start by rebooting your computer (sorry!)
- You can press the Delete key, which should bring you to your BIOS settings. On certain computers, you may have to hit another key.
You’ll find boot-up settings on the side, where you can select Fast Boot. Check out other settings to see if your device offers additional options to help boost the speed of your device.
If you need to access your BIOS often, we recommend not messing with these settings.
7. Try Sleep Mode Instead Of Powering Down
Listen, if you just put your computer to sleep, it’s going to function faster than a full shut down. If you’re concerned about wasting energy, the consumption required to leave a laptop or computer in sleep mode is negligible — just 1-6 Watts.
Of course, there are times when you’ll still need to power your device down, like for updates, a few days of non-use, etc. But otherwise, putting your computer in sleep mode is definitely an easy way of how to speed up computer startup.
Final Thoughts
At its best, a slow startup speed is an annoyance. At its worst, that snail’s pace power up totally hinders your productivity. Thankfully, it’s an issue you can typically fix on your own — most with zero cost to you.
The simplest fixes include putting your PC to Sleep (rather than shutting down) or ensuring you enable Windows Fast Start. However, you can also get a little more technical and research hardware upgrades that help start-up speeds and your PC’s overall performance.
