If you’ve just upgraded to Windows 11 24H2 or installed a fresh copy and your system feels laggy or unresponsive — don’t worry, you’re not alone. Many users have reported sluggish performance, especially on mid-range or older machines. But the good news is — you don’t need any third-party software or complicated scripts to fix it!
This blog post will walk you through a comprehensive manual optimization process for Windows 11 24H2. Every step is explained in detail with a human touch, just like a tech-savvy friend guiding you.
✅ Disclaimer: This guide is intended for intermediate users. Please create a system restore point before making changes. Some optimizations may slightly alter how your system behaves (e.g., animations, quick boot features). If unsure, proceed carefully or skip the step.
✅ Step 1: Create a Restore Point (Highly Recommended)
Before we dive into the real optimization steps, it’s important to have a safety net — just in case anything doesn’t go as expected. Think of this like a “Save Game” for your system.
Here’s how to do it:
- Click on Search, type
Create a Restore Point, and open it. - Under the System Protection tab, if the “Create” button is greyed out:
- Click Configure and turn ON protection for your system drive.
- Click Create, name it something like “Win11 Optimization”, then click Create again.
It only takes a few seconds but gives you peace of mind.
📊 Step 2: Check Current System Performance
Let’s get a benchmark so we can compare improvements later.
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Click the Performance tab.
- Take note of your current CPU usage, number of processes, threads, and handles.
Now that we know our baseline, let’s jump into optimizing!
🧠 Step 3: Disable Windows Search Indexing (If Unused)
If you rarely use Windows’ built-in file search, this feature only consumes CPU and I/O in the background.
- Press Win + R, type
services.mscand hit Enter. - Scroll down to Windows Search → Double-click it.
- Change Startup type to
Disabledand click Stop. - Click Apply and OK.
⚡ Step 4: Disable Fast Startup
Fast Startup often prevents proper shutdowns and can cause long-term lag.
- Press Win + R, type
powercfg.cpland hit Enter. - On the left, click Choose what the power button does.
- Click Change settings that are currently unavailable.
- Uncheck Turn on fast startup, then click Save changes.
✨ Step 5: Adjust Visual Effects for Performance
Windows loves to show off animations, but they come at a cost — especially on low-end PCs.
Let’s tweak them:
- Press Win + R, type
sysdm.cpl, go to the Advanced tab. - Under Performance, click Settings.
- Select Adjust for best performance, but check these boxes manually:
- ✅ Animate windows when minimizing/maximizing
- ✅ Show thumbnails instead of icons
- ✅ Smooth edges of screen fonts
Click Apply and OK.
🔁 Step 6: Increase Virtual Memory (Paging File)
If your system has 2GB, 4GB, or even 8GB RAM, boosting virtual memory helps multitasking.
- Again, go to
sysdm.cpl→ Advanced → Performance Settings → Advanced Tab - Under Virtual memory, click Change.
- Uncheck Automatically manage paging file.
- Select Custom Size and enter:
For example, if you have 4GB RAM:
- Initial Size:
6144 MB(4GB × 1024 × 1.5) - Maximum Size:
12288 MB(4GB × 1024 × 3)
Click Set, then OK.
🚫 Step 7: Disable Startup Programs
Startup apps can heavily slow down boot time.
- Open Task Manager → Startup Apps
- Disable unwanted apps like:
- OneDrive
- Cortana
- Microsoft Teams
- Feedback Hub
- Widgets
- Copilot
Just right-click and select Disable.
🔧 Step 8: Disable Unnecessary Background Services
This step requires a bit of care. Only disable services you’re sure you don’t need.
Steps:
- Open services.msc
- Look for and disable the following (set to “Disabled” and “Stop”):
- BitLocker Drive Encryption Service
- Connected User Experiences and Telemetry
- Cryptographic Services (if not using it)
- Geolocation Service
- Xbox Game Monitoring or GameDVR
- Hyper-V Services (if not using virtualization)
Optional: You can automate this via a BAT file with safe commands. Always review such files before running.
🔒 Step 9: Disable Background App Permissions
Privacy settings can also improve performance!
- Go to Settings > Privacy & Security
- Disable permissions like:
- General privacy settings
- Speech
- Inking & typing personalization
- Diagnostics & feedback
- Location
- Microphone, Camera, Phone Calls, Email, Radios (if not using)
This reduces CPU background usage and improves privacy too!
🎮 Step 10: Tweak Gaming and UI Settings
Even if you’re not a gamer, these changes improve overall responsiveness.
- Go to Settings > Gaming
- Disable Xbox Game Bar
- Enable Game Mode
- Go to Settings > Personalization > Colors
- Disable Transparency effects
- Go to Settings > System > Display > Advanced display
- Increase Refresh rate (e.g., from 60Hz to 75Hz) if supported.
🖥️ Step 11: Assign GPU Preference for Apps
For apps like video editors or games:
- Go to Settings > Display > Graphics
- Click Browse, select the EXE file of your app/game
- After adding it, click Options → Choose High Performance
🧹 Step 12: Disable Storage Sense (Do It Manually)
- Go to Settings > System > Storage
- Turn OFF Storage Sense
- Manually go into Temporary Files and delete unwanted items
This gives you more control and avoids accidental file deletions.
💤 Step 13: Disable Hibernation
If you don’t use hibernation, disable it to save space and speed things up.
- Open CMD as Administrator, then run:
powercfg.exe /hibernate off
🧽 Step 14: Remove Bloatware and Unused Apps
- Go to Settings > Apps > Installed Apps
- Uninstall apps you don’t use like:
- Copilot
- Feedback Hub
- Mail & Calendar
- Maps
- Microsoft Teams
- Microsoft To Do
- Xbox-related apps
Do the same for any 3rd-party apps you no longer use.
🛡️ Step 15: Optional Scan for Malware
If you suspect infections, use a reliable malware scanner.
We recommend:
👉 Emsisoft Emergency Kit – Free for personal use.
Or, use Windows Security > Full Scan.
🔁 Step 16: Reboot and Compare the Performance
Congratulations — if you’ve followed every step carefully, you’ve done a deep manual optimization without using any external tool!
Now restart your system and go back to Task Manager > Performance. You should notice:
- Lower process/thread count
- Lower background CPU/memory usage
- Snappier app launching
- Reduced startup time
❓FAQs
Q1: Is it safe to disable these services?
Yes, the services mentioned are not essential for most users. Still, if unsure, create a restore point or skip them.
Q2: How often should I redo these optimizations?
Only after a major update or if performance drops. This is not a daily task.
Q3: Will this affect Windows Update or Microsoft Store?
No, the optimizations don’t interfere with system updates or Store unless you manually remove those components.
🔚 Final Thoughts
Windows 11 24H2 brings many modern features, but it can be resource-heavy for older systems. Through these clean, manual tweaks, you’ve reclaimed your PC’s performance without relying on risky debloat tools or scripts.
Let your PC breathe freely again!
✅ Tags:
windows 11 optimization, manual windows tweaks, disable services, improve windows performance, win11 24h2 tweaks, speed up pc
🔖 Hashtags:
#Windows11 #PCOptimization #SpeedUpWindows #TechTips #Win11ManualTweak #NoToolsNeeded #PrivacyMatters #FreeUpRAM #BoostPerformance
