What causes windows 11 PC/Laptop Slow after update

Windows 11 the latest Edition of the Microsoft operating system bring a number of new feature and improvements. Also, the company regularly releases Windows 11 updates with the latest bug fixes, security improvements and new features. But sometimes you may experience a decline in performance after windows 11 24H2 update. A few users report Laptop is slow after Windows 11 update, freezes or not responding mouse clicks. There are multiple reasons that may cause Windows 11 slow after Update, system file corruption, buggy update, virus malware infection, Too Many Running Programs, and more. Here this article explores the reasons, and How to Fix a Slow Windows 11 System and optimize performance.

Why Laptop is Slow After Windows 11 Update

There are several reasons your Laptop could slow down after installing the latest Windows 11 update. Malfunctioning hardware/software to a virus attack on your system.
If some important system files are corrupted, it may cause Windows 11 to freeze or not respond. Again it may be Unwanted startup services, or Buggy software installed on your PC that can trigger such problems. Whatever the reason, here are some fixes you can try to improve the speed, performance, and responsiveness of your PC

Let’s start with a system restart, Restarting windows 11 can sometimes help fix slow performance issues by closing unnecessary processes, clearing temporary files, refreshing system resources, and resolving software glitches.

Check for Windows 11 updates

Sometimes, updates can introduce bugs or compatibility issues that negatively impact system performance. But Microsoft is quicker to patch such issues, we recommend check for Windows updates again and install the latest updates if available. This can help resolve issues that may have been introduced by previous updates

• Press the Windows key + I to open the settings app,
• Go to Windows Update then hit the check for updates button,
• Windows will now check for available updates. If any updates are found, they will be listed.
• Click on the “Download and install” button to start the update installation process.
• Once done, reboot your computer to apply the changes.

Disable Startup Apps

Usually, When you start your computer, various applications and processes may automatically launch in the background, consuming system resources and potentially slowing down Windows 11 performance. Disabling such startup apps can free up resources and improve Windows 11 performance.

• Right-click on the taskbar and select “Task Manager” from the context menu.
• Move to click on the “Startup” tab, here You will see a list of applications and their startup impact.
• The “Startup impact” column indicates how much an app affects the system’s startup time and performance.
• Identify the apps that you don’t need to start automatically with your computer. These are typically non-essential applications or ones that you rarely use.
• Right-click on the app and select “Disable” to prevent it from starting up automatically.
• Repeat the process for other unnecessary startup apps.

Check for Corrupt System Files on your PC

If for some reason, system files are corrupted or missing, it may cause various performance issues, including system slowdowns and instability. Windows offers built-in sfc and DISM tools to repair and restore corrupted system files on your PC. Here’s how you can scan and repair corrupt system files in Windows 11.

Running both the SFC and DISM tools can help repair corrupt system files and improve the performance of your Windows 11 computer.

• Press Windows key + S and type cmd, right-click on the command prompt, select run as administrator,
• When the elevated Command Prompt opens, run the command sfc /scannow
• The System File Checker (SFC) utility scans your system for corrupt files and attempts to repair them.
• Wait for the scanning and repair process to complete. It may take some time depending on the size of your system files and the extent of corruption.

If the SFC scan doesn’t fully resolve the problem or encounters issues it cannot fix, then run Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) command DISM /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth.

It checks the integrity of the Windows image, verifies the component store, cleans up corrupted files, and integrates clean versions from Windows Update.

Check for Virus or malware infection

Sometimes virus or malware infection can consume system resources, run in the background, and perform unwanted activities that impact system performance. And performing a full system scan with Windows security (Windows Defender) can help fix slow performance issues that started after a Windows update. Also, you can use third-party antivirus programs to scan and remove virus malware infection.

• Press Windows key + S, type Windows security then hit enter key,
• Click on “Virus & threat protection” click on scan options, then select Full scan and click scan now.

Performing a full system scan helps ensure that your Windows 11 computer is thoroughly checked for any malicious software that might be causing performance issues.

Clear Windows update cache files

Windows Update cache stores temporary files related to Windows updates, and if these files become corrupted or overloaded, it can affect system performance. Let’s Clear it and check if this fixes the issue or not.

• Press Windows key + R, type services.msc and click ok
• Scroll down to locate Windows update service, right-click on it select stop,
• Now press the Windows key + E to open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download
• Here delete all the files inside the folder, locate the Windows services and restart the Windows update service.

This can potentially resolve performance issues caused by problematic cache files.

Check for Lack of system storage space

Again, if your system drive (usually the C: drive) is nearly full, it can impact the overall performance of your Windows 11 computer. For a few users freeing up storage space can help fix slow performance issues that started after a Windows update.

Start by removing any unnecessary files and folders from your system. This includes temporary files, old downloads, unused applications, and large files that you no longer need. You can use the Disk Cleanup tool in Windows 11 to help identify and remove unnecessary files.

Next, go to the Control Panel or Settings in Windows 11 and uninstall any programs that you no longer use or need. Removing unused applications can free up storage space and help improve system performance.

If you have large files or folders that you don’t frequently access, consider moving them to external storage devices like USB drives or external hard drives. This can free up space on your system drive.

Also, If you have large media libraries, such as photos, videos, or music, consider moving them to an external storage device or a different partition on your hard drive.

Turn off visual effects and transparency

Visual effects and transparency enhance the visual appeal of Windows 11 but they also consume system resources, including CPU and GPU power, and disabling them can alleviate the strain on your system.

• Press the Win + I keys to open Settings.
• Click on Personalization then Colors
• Here turn off the Transparency effect and restart your PC

Note – keep in mind that disabling visual effects may impact the aesthetic appearance of your operating system.

Sometimes Insufficient RAM (Random Access Memory) can significantly impact system performance. If your computer has low RAM, consider upgrading to a higher capacity. More RAM allows for smoother multitasking and better performance.

In addition, Outdated or incompatible drivers can cause conflicts and lead to system slowdowns. Visit the manufacturer’s website to download and install the latest drivers for your hardware components, such as graphics cards, network adapters, and chipsets.