Speed up your Windows 11 PC: 12 must-do tweaks

Make your Windows 11 computer boot faster, get rid of unnecessary features, and maximize performance with these tips.

- BY ANDERS LUNDBERG

Are you getting used to Windows 11 but wish it was a bit faster? Do you feel like your computer has become slower or starts up unusually slowly? Follow along and I'll go through various tricks that can speed up your system.

1. UNINSTALL UNNECESSARY PROGRAMS

If you've bought a new computer with Windows pre-installed, chances are the manufacturer has included a bunch of programs, often completely unnecessary or pure junk. But even if you installed the system yourself, Windows 11 comes with a lot of programs you may never use.

Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, where you'll find a complete list of installed programs (Microsoft, like Apple, has started calling common computer programs “apps”). Click the “more” button to the right of a program you want to remove and select Uninstall.

The vast majority of programs shown here can be uninstalled, including the Edge browser.

Nowadays, the vast majority of programs shown here can be uninstalled, including the Edge browser.

Microsoft also insists on adding shortcuts to various games and programs in the Start menu, which aren't even installed but are installed via the Microsoft Store the first time you click on them. You can remove these too, and you don’t need to go through Settings. Right-click on an icon directly in Start and select Uninstall.

While you're cleaning up Windows’ bundled programs, you can also take the opportunity to uninstall programs you've installed but never use. Some installed programs are running in the background all the time, and even if they don't take up a lot of resources, it’s unnecessary work. You also reduce the risk that a program you haven't updated for a long time will turn out to have a security flaw that can be exploited by hackers.