How to Make Your Computer Start Up Faster
A slow startup is one of the most common computer complaints. The good news is that it is almost always caused by the same handful of issues — all of which are fixable.
Why startup gets slower over time
When you install applications, many of them add themselves to the startup list so they are ready immediately when you log in. Over months and years, this list grows. Some of these programmes are useful to have running from the start. Many are not. Each one adds time to your boot and consumes memory before you have even opened anything.
How to disable startup programmes on Windows
Open Task Manager with Ctrl+Shift+Esc and click the Startup tab. You will see every programme that runs at boot with an impact rating. High-impact items are the biggest culprits. Right-click anything you do not need running immediately and select Disable. Good candidates: Teams, Spotify, Steam, Discord, Zoom, and manufacturer utilities you never use.
How to disable startup programmes on Mac
Go to System Settings > General > Login Items. Under Open at Login, remove anything you do not need. Also check the Background Items section — many applications add hidden background processes here. Remove anything unfamiliar or unnecessary.
Other causes of slow startup
A nearly full storage drive slows startup significantly — keep at least 15% free. Pending Windows updates that install during shutdown can cause the next startup to be slow. An ageing hard drive (HDD rather than SSD) causes dramatically slow boot times. If your computer still has a spinning hard drive, upgrading to an SSD is the single biggest improvement you can make.
How fast should startup be?
A modern computer with an SSD should boot to the desktop in 15 to 30 seconds. A computer with an HDD typically takes 60 to 90 seconds. If your SSD computer is taking longer than 45 seconds, too many startup programmes or a system issue is the likely cause. If your HDD computer is taking more than 2 minutes, a drive health check is worth running.
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