Windows 10 is the fastest Microsoft operating system in boot history. But could it be faster? The answer is yes, it can. You have several options to help Windows 10 boot even faster. These speed boosts don’t require any dangerous tweaks and can shorten your download times by a few seconds.
So here are four ways to make Windows 10 boot faster.
1. Quick Start
Windows 10 includes a special option that allows your system to boot quickly, known as Fast Startup. Quick Start is an advanced power mode that acts as an intermediate between sleep and shutdown.
When you enable Fast Startup, Windows 10 creates a small hibernation file to reboot. The hibernation file is smaller than normal because it does not record your active session (whereas a normal hibernation file is larger and includes everything you were doing at the time), which makes it load faster.
As a result, when you press the power button, the reduced hibernation file loads much faster, which shortens the boot time of Windows 10.
How to enable fast startup of Windows 10
If you want to enable Fast Startup for Windows 10, press Windows Key + I, type power in the search box, and select Power & Sleep. Scroll down and select Advanced Power Options.
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When the Control Panel window opens, select Choose what the power buttons do, then Change settings that are currently unavailable. Select the Enable Fast Startup checkbox to make sure it’s enabled, then select Save Changes.
Problems with fast startup
If you’ve turned on Fast Startup and suddenly notice performance issues, or even Windows 10 loads slower than before (due to problems loading the hibernation file), turn off Fast Startup again.
2. Remove or reduce Windows 10 startup items
Then consider reducing the number of programs that start when Windows 10 boots. Launchers increase the time it takes to start Windows 10 because each program requires system resources to load.
Many programs are configured to start automatically at boot. Sometimes you will find the option to stop a program from loading at startup in the program options, while others do not. You can also use the Startup tab of Windows 10 Task Manager
Right-click the taskbar and select Task Manager, then select the Startup tab. Here you can see a list of installed programs that run every time you start your computer. Select the program you want to stop running when you turn on your computer, right-click and select Disable.
Reducing the number of programs that run will speed up the boot time of Windows 10. However, you will want to keep certain programs like Google Drive or Dropbox, antivirus programs, etc.
Remove startup items from Windows 10
If you open Task Manager and see a long list of programs, you should consider uninstalling any unnecessary or old apps that you no longer use.
Press Windows Key + S, enter Control Panel and select Best Match. Now choose Uninstall a program from the options, opening the Programs and Features list. Here you will see a list of all programs installed on your computer.
Review the list of programs and remove any unused programs. Removing unused and outdated programs can also help reduce the boot time of Windows 10 as well as free up extra hard drive space.
3. Check for Malware
Another consideration is malware, which can dramatically reduce your system boot time. Malware has the nasty habit of slowing things down, among other things. Moreover, some types of malware are extremely stubborn and refuse to leave your system
You can scan your system with the Windows Security package to find any malware and then remove it before restarting your system. Type Windows Security in the Start menu search bar to open Windows Security Center. From the menu, select Virus & threat protection, then run a quick scan.
After the scan is complete, quarantine and remove any malware or potentially unwanted software found.
You have another option too: check out our guide to removing malware with completely free tools
4. Install SSD
Installing a new solid state drive (SSD) is a surefire way to make Windows 10 boot faster. You can get a small SSD for a very low price. After installing Windows 10 to a solid state drive, you can expect Windows 10 boot times to be approximately 20 seconds faster than a regular hard drive.
Sure, your experience of installing an SSD on Windows 10 will be different, but the difference in boot times is huge. In addition, there are different types of SSDs. If you’re unsure of what to buy, check out our SSD technology review and comparison.
Windows 10 Uptime Acceleration
These four options are guaranteed to speed up the boot time of Windows 10. The reduction in time will vary from system to system. Start with the two easiest options – enable Fast Startup and reduce the number of programs you start – before moving on to the second two options.
While installing a new solid state drive seems like a daunting task, there are countless tutorials on the Internet that detail exactly what you need to do. SSD is one of the best options in terms of time and cost to install, as it accelerates the entire operating system, not just the boot time of Windows 10.
When you’re ready to upgrade to an SSD, be sure to read our solid state drive buying guide before making your purchase.
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