In case your Windows PC experiences prolonged boot times, you may find yourself hesitant to power on or restart your computer. Fortunately, the issue of slow booting can be resolved. We will present to you the typical solutions for addressing slow startup complications in Windows 10 and 11.
1 Toggle Fast Startup
The fast startup option in Windows is one of the settings that can cause slow boot times. Despite its promising name, it often creates problems for many users. Therefore, it is recommended to check this setting first when experiencing slow boot issues.
To disable fast startup, you can follow these steps:
1. Press the Windows key on your keyboard to open Windows Search.
2. Type "control" and select the Control Panel from the search results.
3. In the Control Panel window, change the View by option at the top-right corner to Small icons.
4. Click on Power Options to open the power settings.
5. On the left sidebar, click on Choose what the power buttons do.
6. To make changes on this page, you will need to provide administrator permission. Click on the text at the top of the screen that says Change settings that are currently unavailable.
7. Now, uncheck the box next to Turn on fast startup (recommended).
8. Finally, click on Save Changes to disable the fast startup setting.
If you have already disabled fast startup, you can try enabling it to see if it improves your PC's boot time. Keep in mind that if you have an SSD, the impact of this feature will be less significant, but it is still worth experimenting with to determine which option works best for you.
If fast startup is not visible, it indicates that hibernation is not enabled on your system. To activate hibernation, launch an elevated Command Prompt window by right-clicking the Start button (or pressing Win + X) and selecting Command Prompt (Admin), Windows PowerShell (Admin), or Terminal (Admin).
Enter the specified command to enable hibernation, and then attempt to disable fast startup once more.
powercfg /hibernate on2 Adjust Paging File Settings
Virtual memory is a feature that allows Windows to allocate a portion of your storage drive as a substitute for RAM, known as the paging file. When your actual RAM is nearing its maximum capacity due to running multiple programs simultaneously, Windows utilizes virtual memory to store inactive processes.
It has been observed by some individuals that Windows may autonomously modify virtual memory settings, leading to boot-related complications. Therefore, it is advisable to examine your virtual memory settings and consider adjusting them to resolve any issues with slow booting.
To accomplish this, access the Start Menu and search for "Performance," then select "Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows." Within the Advanced tab, you will find the paging file size, and by clicking on "Change," you can make the necessary modifications.
The important values can be found at the bottom of the resulting window. You will find a Recommended amount of memory and a Currently Allocated value. Some individuals experiencing this problem may discover that their current allocation exceeds the recommended number.
If your allocation also appears to be incorrect, deselect the option to Automatically manage paging file size for all drives in order to make adjustments. Then select Custom Size and input the Initial Size and Maximum Size values that are recommended for your system (which may differ from those shown in my screenshot). Restart your computer, and you should notice an improvement in boot times.
Similarly to the previous advice, if the option to Automatically manage... is not enabled, try enabling it to see if that resolves the issue.
3 Turn Off Windows Subsystem for Linux
Windows 10 and 11 come equipped with Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), providing users with a complete Linux terminal for running Linux distributions and software. While this is a valuable tool for developers, it may not be essential for regular users. Given that WSL is not enabled by default, it is unlikely to be the cause of any issues if you are unfamiliar with Bash.
Nevertheless, it is advisable to verify this as part of the troubleshooting process. To disable WSL, simply search for Windows features in the Start Menu to access the Turn Windows features on or off menu. Locate Windows Subsystem for Linux, deselect it, and then proceed to restart your system.
4 Update Your Graphics Drivers
Regrettably, contemporary iterations of Windows have gained notoriety for interfering with drivers, which may result in the presence of an incorrect or outdated driver that disrupts the booting process. In order to address any boot-related problems, it is advisable to consider updating the drivers for your graphics card. To do so, access the Device Manager by either right-clicking the Start button or pressing Win + X, and subsequently select Device Manager. Proceed to locate the Display adapters section to identify the specific graphics card being utilized (Nvidia or AMD if a dedicated graphics card is present).
To check for graphics driver updates, you can typically access the vendor software on your computer. In case you don't have this software, you will have to visit the vendor's website (or your laptop manufacturer's website for integrated graphics) to check for any available driver updates.
Once you find any new versions, proceed to install them, restart your system, and observe if your boot times improve.
It may be beneficial to verify for additional driver updates during this process, as graphics drivers are typically the main culprits for slow boot times. Additionally, it is advisable to also check for Windows updates by navigating to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update (Windows 10) or Settings > Windows Update (Windows 11) and installing any pending updates.
5 Disable Unneeded Startup Programs
