The launch of Windows 11 has brought a wealth of new features to learn, with a new design and loads of settings that enhance productivity and entertainment. However, for gamers, the quest for ultimate performance never ends. Is your Windows 11 computer a little sluggish and in need of a little tune-up?. You will be pleased to know there are plenty of things you can do to take your machine from running at 60 frames per second to over 360 frames per second, removing any laggy performance you may be experiencing during your daily usage.
This Windows 11 optimization guide provide more details on the areas you should focus on to get the most from your Windows 11 computer. Focusing on various strategies such as de-bloating the system, adjusting power plan settings, and optimizing NVIDIA 3D image settings.
Create a restore point before tweaking anything
Before making any significant changes to your system, it’s crucial to create a restore point and backup any of your critical data. This is a snapshot of your system’s current state, which you can revert to if anything goes wrong during the optimization process. Creating a restore point is a simple process that can be done through the System Protection tab in the System Properties window.
To learn hands-on how to optimize your Windows 11 operating system for the best speed and performance watch the video below kindly created by the team at Codelife.Taking you through all the adjustments you can make to improve your Windows 11 operating system. While these steps can significantly improve daily Windows 11 performance, it’s important to remember that each system is unique, and what works for one might not work for another.
Optimize Windows 11 for ultimate performance
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How to speed up Windows 11
Here’s a quick list of the areas that you should work onto help speed up your Windows 11 computer. If you need to need-to-know more about each area either watch the video or scroll down for more information.
- De-bloat Windows 11: During OS setup, select specific settings to remove built-in apps like Xbox, Netflix, and Pinterest.
- Create a Restore Point: Make a restore point for easy rollback in case of issues.
Windows Settings
- Disable Office Suggestions and Tips: Go to System > Notifications and uncheck these options to avoid stutter and pop-ups.
- Turn Off Storage Sense: Manually manage storage to prevent background operations during gaming.
- Sound Settings for Performance: In Sound settings, disable enhancements and select the highest quality possible. Also, set communications to “Do Nothing”.
Desktop Operations
- Clear Temp Files: Use
Win + R, typetemp, select all files and delete. - Clear %temp% Files: Same process but type
%temp%in the Run box. - Clear Prefetch Files: Type
prefetchin the Run box, select all files and delete.
Gaming Settings
- Disable Xbox Game Bar: Choose better alternatives like ShadowPlay or OBS.
- Game Mode: Test if enabling or disabling this improves performance.
App Management
- Remove Unnecessary Apps: Go to Apps > Apps & Features and uninstall unused apps.
- Manage Startup Apps: Turn off unnecessary startup apps, focusing on higher impact ones.
Privacy Settings
- Disable General Options: Turn off four specific options under the general tab.
- Disable Speech and Feedback: Turn off these if not required.
Additional Settings
- Mouse Acceleration: Go to Mouse settings and uncheck “Point to Precision”.
- Run Commands for System Integrity: Use
dism /online /cleanup-image /checkhealthandsfc /scannowin Command Prompt as administrator. - Disable Useless Services: Such as Fax, Wallet Service, and Windows Insider Service.
- Adjust Power Plan: Choose between Balanced and High Performance.
- Performance Options: Set to “Adjust for best performance” and select five specific settings for basic functionality.
Nvidia Settings
- Adjust 3D Image Settings: Specific settings for FPS boost.
Bloatware
One of the first steps in optimizing Windows 11 for gaming is de-bloating the system during setup. This involves removing unnecessary applications and features that come pre-installed with the operating system. These applications, often referred to as bloatware, can consume valuable system resources, slowing down your computer and negatively impacting gaming performance.
Disable suggestions and tips
Next, consider disabling office suggestions and tips in Notifications. While these features can be helpful for productivity tasks, they can be distracting and consume system resources when gaming. Similarly, turning off storage sense, a feature that automatically frees up space by deleting temporary files and content in your recycle bin, can also help improve gaming performance. While it’s useful for maintaining disk space, it can cause performance dips if it activates during a gaming session.
Sound settings
Sound enhancements can also impact gaming performance. These enhancements, designed to improve audio quality, can consume CPU resources. Disabling them can free up these resources for your games. You can do this through the Sound Control Panel, under the Playback tab.
Temporary files
Temporary files, while seemingly harmless, can accumulate over time and take up valuable disk space. Regularly deleting these files can help maintain optimal system performance. This can be done through the Storage settings or by using the Disk Cleanup tool.
Xbox game bar
Windows 11 comes with a built-in Xbox game bar, a feature that provides in-game overlays for screenshots, recording, and broadcasting. While useful, it can impact performance. Disabling it, along with adjusting the Game Mode to prioritize gaming performance, can help optimize your system for gaming.
Windows 11 Start-up apps
Another area to consider is your startup apps. These are applications that automatically start when you boot up your computer. Some of these apps may not be necessary and can slow down your system. Disabling unnecessary startup apps can help speed up your system and improve gaming performance.
Privacy and security settings
Certain privacy and security settings, such as location tracking and automatic sample submission to Microsoft for analysis, can also impact system performance. While these features are important for privacy and security, they can be disabled to improve gaming performance.
Mouse acceleration
Mouse acceleration is a feature that increases the speed of your mouse cursor based on the speed of your mouse movement. While this can be useful for productivity tasks, it can make precise aiming in games more difficult. Disabling mouse acceleration can improve your gaming performance, especially in first-person shooter games.
Running command prompt for data corruption and system file checks can also help optimize your system. The “sfc /scannow” command can scan your system for corrupted files and attempt to repair them, while the “chkdsk” command can check your disk for errors.
Windows 11 services
Unnecessary services, such as print spooler and fax, can consume system resources. Disabling these services can free up resources for your games. However, be careful when disabling services, as some are essential for the proper functioning of your system.
Power settings
Adjusting your power plan settings can also help optimize your system for gaming. The High Performance power plan, for example, maximizes performance at the expense of higher power consumption.
Windows 11 appearance
The appearance and performance settings in Windows 11 can also be adjusted for better gaming performance. Disabling visual effects, such as animations and shadows, can free up system resources.
Graphics driver optimization
Lastly, if you have an NVIDIA graphics card, optimizing the 3D image settings can significantly improve gaming performance. This involves adjusting settings such as texture filtering and vertical sync.
Optimizing Windows 11 for everyday use and gaming involves a combination of strategies, from de-bloating the system to adjusting power plan settings. Always make sure to create a restore point or backup all your critical data before making any significant changes to your system.
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