We’re all pretty familiar with the experience of seeing our amazing laptops and computers get slower and slower as time goes on, and there are a few reasons for it. Simply having more programs installed and more files stored can impact performance, but startup tasks are actually a major factor which can make your PC feel slower. Thankfully, you can turn off startup tasks in Windows 11 to regain some of that performance you long for.
Related
How to disable fast startup in Windows 11
Fast Startup combines hibernation with shutdown and is designed to allow your computer to boost faster, but if you don’t like it, you can disable it.
What are startup tasks and why turn them off?
Many programs that are included out of the box with Windows 11 are set to run every time the computer starts, and as you install more programs, many of them also try to run when the computer starts. There are various reasons for this. Some programs may start just to be able to check for updates, while others can provide important functionality, such as enabling audio or keyboard hotkeys. Some apps, like browsers, can also have startup tasks so that they can launch faster when you actually click to open them.
However, there’s a good chance you won’t need them all running on your PC at once every time. You might install some apps to use with a specific device at specific times, while others just might not have any big benefits by starting up along with the system.
It’s important to be able to tell which apps aren’t essential to you, so you can turn them off without breaking any functionality that you rely on. Thankfully, disabling startup tasks is an easily reversible process, so even if you do run into any problems, you can always reset them to start with the PC.
How to turn off startup tasks with Task Manager
There are two primary ways to turn off startup tasks in Windows 11, but the most easily accessible one is arguably via Task Manager. This is already where you go to manage running tasks and processes, so it’s the most logical place to find this kind of option.
1. Right-click the taskbar on your PC and choose Task Manager.
2. Choose Startup apps from the menu on the left side. It’s an icon that looks like a meter.
3. The list shows all of your startup tasks, whether they’re enabled or disabledand how much startup impact they have on when your PC boots. Some apps may not be measured.
4. Look for startup tasks that may not be useful to you here, and click to select the app.
5. Right-click to Disable the app startup or disable it in the menu bar at the top of the window.
6. Repeat the process for any other apps you may want to disable at startup.
To make sure that everything is working correctly, restart the computer to see if it boots faster, and also observe to see if any functionality is broken. If there are any problems, then head back to the Task Manager to re-enable certain startup tasks if it seems that something isn’t working the way it used to.
How to disable startup tasks in the Settings app
The other option if you want to disable startup tasks is to use the Settings app. The practical effects are the same with either method, but if you prefer the Settings UI, here’s how you can do it:
1. Open the Settings app (in the Start menu).
2. Click Apps on the left-side menu.
3. Choose Startup near the end of the page.
4. Each app will have a toggle next to it indicating whether the startup task is enabled, and a line of text that tells you how much impact that app has on the startup time. Find an app you want to disable the startup task for and click the toggle to switch it to Off.
Same as before, you should repeat this for any apps you want to disable. Once you’re done, you can restart the computer to test how fast it boots and if all the important features are still working.
Your computer should boot much faster now
That’s all there is to it. Disabling a few startup tasks can greatly improve the performance of your laptop, and it can also prevent you from dealing with a ton of app windows showing up immediately once you turn on the PC.
If you’re looking for other ways to improve performance on your PC, check out how to uninstall apps on Windows, or how to free up space on your computer. These are other steps that can help your PC perform more efficiently and make a big difference in your experience.