Windows 11 very slow and unresponsive after update (7 ways to Speed up)

Microsoft regularly updates Windows 11 OS with the latest bug fixes and security enhancements that help your computer run smoother and faster. But sometimes you may notice Windows 11 Slow and Lagging Problems or a decline in performance on your laptop after the windows 11 update. Users report, windows 11 is very slow and unresponsive after update, it takes longer than expected to start or shut down. This article look at some possible reasons why Windows 11 laptop is slow or unresponsive, and how to fix the Slow and Lagging Problem.

Why Windows 11 laptop is slow?

There are multiple reasons for Windows 11 keeps crashing, Slow and Lagging Problem. It could be hardware issues, low system storage to outdated drivers or too many running programs to disk drive errors that cause 100% disk usage and slow down windows 11 Performance.

Reboot windows 11 terminate background programs and clear minor glitches that could be using valuable resources and slow down windows 11 performance.
Disable heavy performance processes leave more resources to other apps, thus making the PC faster.
Run system file checker to repair windows 11 files that help fix the windows 11 freezes problem.
Installing the latest driver update is another effective way to fix windows 11 slow performance issue.

Clean boot windows 11

First, disconnect all external devices and reboot your PC to check if this help fix the problem. If still having issues, windows 11 is very slow or not responding attempt a clean boot that loads only minimal startup apps and drivers.

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Press the Windows key + R, type msconfig and click ok to open the system configuration app,
Move to the services tab, check the hide all Microsoft services option then click on disable all button,

Hide all Microsoft services

Now move to the startup tab and click on the open task Manager option
Here select right-click on each application and click the disable from the context menu,

Disable startup apps

Go back to the system configuration window, click apply and ok then restart your PC.
Now windows 11 start with a minimal set of drivers and apps at startup.

Note – if there is instability with windows and it crashes before getting to the sign-in screen, boot windows 11 into safe mode instead.

Update windows 11

Microsoft regularly patches bugs and security issues with windows updates. Let’s check and install the latest windows updates that may have bug fixes that will alleviate the problem.

Latest windows updates, let you avoid some bugs and glitches existing in the older version that might cause your computer slow.

Press the Windows key + X and select settings,
Click on windows updates then hit check for updates button,
If pending updates there, allow them to download and install on your computer,
In addition click on advanced options, then navigate to optional updates,
Here if optional updates or driver updates are available, allow them to download and install,
Finally, reboot your PC to apply the changes and check if this help fix Windows 11 Slow and Lagging Problem.

Download optional updates

In addition, If you notice Windows 11 crashes after running a particular app, update or uninstall it.

To update microsoft apps:

Microsoft Store and click the Library icon from the left panel.
Click the Get updates button to check for app updates and the Update all button to install them.

Reinstall apps:

Press Windows key + X and select installed apps, and search for the problematic app.
Select the three-dot button next to the app and select Uninstall from the menu.
Click Uninstall again to verify, After the app uninstalls, check to see if Windows still crashes.

Uninstall apps windows 11

Run DISM and SFC Scan

Another common reason why windows 11 is very slow and unresponsive after update is system file corruption. You can run DISM restore health and sfc commands to scan Windows 11 for corrupted system files and replace them with the correct ones.

Press Windows key + S and type cmd, right-click on the command prompt select run as administrator,
First, run the DISM restore health command DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
After the DISM scan completes, run the system file checker command sfc /scannow
The scan takes a while to complete, it depends on the file corruption level. Dont close the command prompt until the scanning is complete 100%
Once done reboot your PC and check if this help fix the windows 11 slow performance issue.

DISM and sfc utility

Scan for virus malware infection

Virus or malware infection can cause windows 11 very slow and unresponsive. Using windows security (formerly windows defender) built into windows 11 perform a full system scan and remove

Press Windows key + S, type windows security and select the first result,
Select Virus & threat protection from the left and click the Quick scan button.
If it doesn’t detect anything, you may want to do a deeper scan.
Click the Scan options link and select a Full scan or Microsoft Defender Offline scan and click the Scan now button.

Full scan with windows security

Note – that deeper scans (Full system scans take longer to complete but can be worth the wait if stubborn malware infects your system.

In addition to the windows security app, we recommend performing a full system scan with the latest updated third-party antivirus program that is very effective.

Update device Drivers

Older or outdated graphics driver is another reason why windows 11 very slow start or shut down or even crash with different blue screen errors. Therefore, it’s essential that you have the latest correct device drivers for your operating system at all times.

Press Windows key + X and select Device manager,
This will display a list of devices and peripherals connected to your computer,
Scroll down the list and look for any devices listed with a yellow warning notification.
If you find a device with an error, update the device driver by having Windows look for it automatically, or check the device manufacturer’s site and manually install it.

update graphics driver

Adjust windows 11 performance

Press Windows key + s type startup app and select it from the result appears,
Here toggles Off the Apps you want to keep from automatically opening (especially those with High impact).

Toggle off startup programs

In addition, open settings then navigate Accessibility then visual effects,
Here toggle off the Transparency effects and Animation effects option

Disable Transparency effects

Press Windows key + s, type storage settings and select it,
Click Temporary files in the right section, then Click Remove files.

Delete temporary files windows 11

In addition, run disk clean-up to remove useless files and free up disk space.

Check for Overheating

In addition, if Windows 11 PC overheats, it may slow down the performance or going to crash.

It’s actually a protective mechanism by Windows to shut itself down when overheating to avoid component damage.

Ensure it has enough ventilation and fans are working.
Clear dust by using canned air to clean it out.
If you built the PC, check that the heatsinks aren’t loose.
If you’re using a laptop, try to keep it off surfaces like blankets or leave the fan port covered by your lap too long.
Also, don’t leave the laptop running and put it in a backpack or other bag.

If all the above solutions didn’t help then Refresh windows 11, so it looks and feels like it did the first time it was installed