How to fix slow startup on Windows

The short answer

Most slow startups are caused by too many programs launching at once — disabling unnecessary startup apps is the fastest fix.

How to fix it

1. Disable startup programs

This is the single biggest improvement you can make.

  • Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager
  • Click the Startup apps tab
  • Look at the Status column — anything marked “Enabled” runs every time you boot
  • Right-click programs you don’t need right away and select Disable

Good candidates to disable: Spotify, Discord, OneDrive, Steam, Skype, and any hardware companion apps. Don’t disable your antivirus or anything from Microsoft that you don’t recognize.

2. Turn on Fast Startup

Windows has a built-in feature that saves part of your system state to speed up booting.

  • Open Control Panel and go to Power Options
  • Click Choose what the power buttons do
  • Click Change settings that are currently unavailable
  • Check Turn on fast startup and save

3. Check for disk issues

A slow or failing hard drive makes everything sluggish.

  • Open Command Prompt as administrator
  • Type chkdsk /f and press Enter
  • Restart when prompted and let it scan

If you’re still using a traditional hard drive, upgrading to an SSD is the single best hardware upgrade for startup speed. It can cut boot times from minutes to seconds.

4. Free up disk space

Windows needs breathing room to operate. If your main drive is nearly full, startup will suffer.

  • Open Settings, go to System, then Storage
  • Turn on Storage Sense to automatically clean up temporary files
  • Aim to keep at least 15-20% of your drive free

5. Update Windows and drivers

Outdated software can cause slow boots due to compatibility issues.

  • Go to Settings, then Windows Update, and install any pending updates
  • Check your PC manufacturer’s website for driver updates

When should you worry?

If startup takes more than two minutes on an SSD or more than five minutes on a hard drive, something deeper may be wrong. Run a malware scan with Windows Defender and consider resetting Windows as a last resort if nothing else helps.