Computer starts up slowly — what to check
Your computer used to boot in seconds, now it takes minutes? The usual cause isn't worn-out hardware — it's a list of auto-starting programs that grows over time.
What to check, step by step
Check your startup programs list
Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and go to the "Startup apps" tab. You'll see a list of programs launching with Windows, along with their impact on startup time — disable anything you don't need right away after boot.
Check whether an update is running in the background
Windows updates often install right at startup — a one-time slower boot after a long stretch without restarting is often just that, not a lasting problem.
Check how much free disk space you have
A nearly full system drive slows down the whole computer, not just startup — see the separate article on freeing up disk space.
Restart the computer instead of only putting it to sleep
Sleep mode and Windows' "fast startup" build up cached data over time that can slow down boot. A full restart once in a while, instead of constant sleep, helps keep the system running smoothly.
When it's a job for IT
- Disabling startup programs and restarting don't improve things.
- Boot time keeps getting worse week over week — a possible sign of a drive problem worth checking.
- The computer is on a company domain, and startup involves additional group policies you can't control locally.
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