Windows 10 slow after update? Here are the 7 ways to fix it
Is your Windows 10 slow after update? Don’t worry, today we are going to talk about how you can fix your slow Windows 10 after the update.
The practical value of Windows Update cannot be overstated; They add a lot of cool features and security patches to your system. But as useful as these updates are, they can also slow down your computer after you install them.
Cause Of Windows 10 slow after update?
Windows 10 updates are good. In fact, even before installing some of the best antivirus programs on Windows, they are your first line of defense against harmful malware and viruses.
These updates also fix any bugs that cause apps to crash and add some good quality life features and settings. In short, the purpose of each update is to make your computer work better.
So if their purpose is to make your PC better, why does your computer sometimes run slow after Windows Update?
Throughout the research, we have found that these are the main causes of the slow computers after Windows Update:
- While Windows Updates are necessary, they are not perfect. Sometimes, bugs in updates may cause some new performance issues.
- If some of Windows’ system files have corrupted, they can slow down your computer.
- Lastly, background apps can sometimes mess with your PC’s resources and cause trouble to run other apps.
Now that we know the main reasons, it’s time to fix slow Windows 10 for good.
How to Fix a Slower Windows 10 After an Update
Whatever the reason for your Windows 10 computer slowing down, if you follow the methods listed in this guide to the end, your PC should be back to normal in no time.
1. Roll Back to the Most Recent Windows Update
If the new update has caused a slowdown in your Windows 10, rolling back to the recent last update should undo the problem. Fortunately, Microsoft has developed a built-in Windows tool, especially for this occasion.
To uninstall your most recent updates, go to the Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > View update history.
Then click on Uninstall Updates. There, you will see a list of all installed updates. You can then uninstall the updates that you think caused the problem.
2. Repair Corrupted or Damaged Files
Sometimes system-critical Windows files can get corrupted or damaged. In return, this can cause slowdown issues in Windows 10.
Fortunately, you can repair the damage through System File Checker, a free tool developed by Microsoft that comes in handy for corruption issues such as this. The tool works by scanning your entire PC and then fixing whatever the problem may be.
- Press the Window button + S on your keyboard, it will open the Windows search option
- Now type “command prompt“
- Run the Command prompt as an administrator by right-clicking the search result and clicking Run as administrator.
- In the Command prompt, type sfc /scannow and hit Enter.
sfc /scannow
After the scanning, reboot your system. If a recent update has caused any corruption, that should fix it.
If the SFC command fails to recover your files, use the Deployment Image Service and Management (DISM) command instead. This is another Windows diagnostic tool that is made by Microsoft, but this is more powerful than SFC.
The DSIM command works by repairing your Windows system image files. To run this command, open Command Prompt with administrator privileges as we did above.
Run the below command to check if the image is corrupted.
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
Note that this process may take a while. If you find corruption issues through the above step then run the below command to download and replace the damaged files.
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Restart your computer after the command is executed, then run the SFC command again to repair any errors.
3. Disable Background Apps
Sometimes, unnecessary background apps can slow down Windows 10. As such, we can try disabling them to see if that fixes the problem.
Windows 10 comes with a number of pre-installed apps from day one. These apps will keep running in the background—even when you’re not using them. However, these apps don’t really need to work Windows 10, you can force stop them.
Unfortunately, these apps eat up your computer’s resources, which would otherwise be free. This leaves your computer slower than usual.
Therefore, it is useful to eliminate unnecessary apps and see if doing so leads to an increase in performance. Here’s how you can do it:
- Open the Windows Settings.
- Then click on Privacy > Background Apps.
- Toggle off unimportant apps.
Reboot your computer and see if that helps free up some resources.
4. Disable Startup Apps
Some apps start in the background after booting Windows and eating up resources. So, we can try disabling the unnecessary apps to see if that fixes the problem.
Here’s how you can disable Windows 10 startup apps:
- Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc button on your keyboard
- Got to the Startup tab
- Right-click on the unnecessary app then click on Disable.
Reboot your computer and see if that helps to free up some resources.
5. Perform a Clean Boot
A clean boot is performed by starting the computer with a minimum number of drivers and applications. This allows the PC to operate without the intervention of unnecessary applications, which can help in detecting whether an app is slowing down your PC.
Follow these steps to perform a clean boot:
- Open the System Configuration app by typing ‘msconfig’ in the start menu search bar.
- In the Services tab, select Hide all Microsoft Services in the bottom left corner, and then click on Disable All.
After completing all the above steps, you can get started with Clean Boot. Simply reboot your PC and Clean Boot will start.
If your PC feels faster than before after a clean boot, it means that one of the apps you disabled earlier was the culprit. Now you can continue to repeat the above steps, but gradually add your apps back one by one. The moment your PC starts crashing again, whatever app you just enabled is behind the problem.
6. Run Windows System Restore
System Restore is a free tool that works by taking your Windows to a point in time wherever worked fine. This is often said when your Windows has a bug or malfunction and requires you to go back to the state where everything was working. Here, System Restore can be used to restore your Windows settings to a pre-update state.
Follow the steps below to get started:
- Search “system restore” in the Start menu search bar, and select Create a restore point.
- A System Properties dialog box will appear.
- In the System Protection tab click on the System Restore button.
- (Note: If you are not able to click on this button, that means your system doesn’t have a restore point yet, and thus, you cannot restore it.)
- Click on the Next button.
- Choose a restore point and click Scan for affected programs to confirm the apps to be removed.
- Click on Next to get started with the restore.
- Finally, click on Finish.
After the restore is complete, your system will be restored to its initial state at the time of the last backup.
7. Factory Reset
Windows factory reset tool helps to restore the Windows PC and start from scratch. Be careful though, as this is a nuclear option that will carry your computer in original, fresh condition when you purchase it. Here’s how you can get started:
- Open Settings>Update & Security>Recovery.
- Click the Get started button under the “Reset this PC” section.
- Click on the Keep my files option.
- Click the Next bottom button.
- (Optional) Click the List of apps to be removed option.
- Check the apps that you’ll need to reinstall after the reset to factory settings.
- Click the Back button.
- Click the Reset button.
Once you complete the steps, the device will reset to factory settings, preserving your files during the process. For more information click here.
Whether your Windows 10 got slow after an update or maybe for a completely different reason, a complete factory reset will solve your problem for good.
Windows 10 Slow After an Update, Fixed!
Computer slowing down after Windows 10 update is a big nuisance; which you might face one day as well. Hopefully, one of the methods listed above brought your PC back to its original performance. The solutions don’t stop here, however, there are other ways to speed up your PC and improve its performance. You can read a guide about how to speed up your computer in just 2 minutes.
So, that’s how you can fix Windows 10 slow after the update. Share with your friends and family. Also, share your thoughts and tell us which method worked for you in the comment box.