Reduce Windows 10/11 Boot Time: Disable Startup Apps, Enable Fast Startup & Optimize SSD

Reduce Windows 10/11 Boot Time: Disable Startup Apps, Enable Fast Startup & Optimize SSD​

Difficulty: Intermediate | Time Required: 20-30 minutes
A long boot time can be caused by too many startup apps, suboptimal power settings, or an SSD that isn’t configured for peak performance. In this guide you’ll learn three practical steps to shave seconds (or more) off your Windows 10/11 startup: disable unnecessary startup apps, enable Fast Startup, and ensure your SSD is optimized (TRIM, AHCI/NVMe, firmware). Follow the numbered steps below — it’s safe, reversible, and targeted at intermediate users.

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Prerequisites​

• You must have administrator rights on the PC.
• This guide applies to Windows 10 (1809+) and Windows 11. UI differences are minor (Settings layout).
• Estimated time: 20–30 minutes.
• Optional: Make a System Restore point before doing registry/BIOS changes.

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1) Disable Unnecessary Startup Apps​

Reducing the number of apps that start with Windows often gives the biggest immediate win.

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Click the Startup tab.
3. Click the “Startup impact” column to identify high-impact apps.
4. Right‑click any app you don’t need at boot and choose Disable.
   • Examples to consider disabling: OneDrive (if you don’t use it), Spotify, unnecessary vendor utilities, game launchers, chat apps.
5. Optionally: open Settings → Apps → Startup (Windows 11: Settings → Apps → Startup) to see a simple on/off list.

Notes:

• Disabling here does not uninstall the app — it only prevents auto-start. You can still run the app manually.
• Leave antivirus/security apps enabled.

Tip: If you’re not sure about an app, Google its name + “startup” to check what it does before disabling.

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2) Review Services and Scheduled Tasks (optional, intermediate)​

Some third-party services can delay boot. Only advanced users should disable services.

1. Press Win + R, type msconfig, and press Enter.
2. Go to the Services tab.
3. Check “Hide all Microsoft services” to avoid disabling critical Windows services.
4. Uncheck non-essential third-party services (printer updaters, vendor telemetry, etc.).
5. Click Apply → OK and reboot to test.

Warning: Disabling services can break apps. Disable one or two at a time and test.
For scheduled tasks:

1. Open Task Scheduler (search “Task Scheduler”).
2. Review tasks under Task Scheduler Library; right-click → Disable any third-party tasks you don’t want at boot.

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3) Enable Fast Startup​

Fast Startup (hybrid shutdown) reduces cold-boot time by using a hibernation file for the kernel session.

1. Press Win + R, type control powercfg.cpl, press Enter to open Power Options.
2. Click “Choose what the power buttons do” on the left.
3. Click “Change settings that are currently unavailable.”
4. Check “Turn on fast startup (recommended)”.
5. Save changes and restart.

If the Fast Startup option is missing:

1. Open an elevated Command Prompt (right-click Start → Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin)).
2. Enable hibernation (required for Fast Startup) with:
   • powercfg /hibernate on
3. Reopen Power Options and the option should appear.

Warnings & Notes:

• Fast Startup uses hibernate. It is not a full shutdown — some dual-boot setups and disk-encryption workflows (BitLocker) can be affected.
• If you use dual-boot with Linux, disable Fast Startup to avoid filesystem access issues.
• If you have BitLocker and encounter boot problems, temporarily suspend BitLocker before enabling Fast Startup.

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4) Optimize Your SSD​

An SSD configured correctly loads Windows much faster than an HDD. These checks help ensure peak SSD performance.
A. Verify TRIM is enabled (ensures deleted data is cleaned up; essential for SSD longevity & speed)

1. Open an elevated Command Prompt.
2. Run:
   • fsutil behavior query DisableDeleteNotify
   • If result = 0 → TRIM enabled. If result = 1 → TRIM is disabled.
3. To enable TRIM (if disabled), run:
   • fsutil behavior set DisableDeleteNotify 0

B. Use Optimize Drives (do not traditional defragment)

1. Search for “Defragment and Optimize Drives” and open it.
2. Select your SSD and click Optimize — Windows runs TRIM. Schedule weekly or monthly as desired.
3. Do NOT set a frequent defrag schedule for SSDs; Optimize Drives handles SSDs differently than HDDs.

C. Check SATA/NVMe mode (AHCI or NVMe recommended)

• Modern SSDs perform best using AHCI (SATA SSD) or native NVMe drivers (NVMe SSDs). If Windows was installed with IDE mode and you switch to AHCI without preparation, Windows may fail to boot.
• If you suspect IDE mode and want to switch to AHCI:
  1. Create a System Restore point and backup important data.
  2. In the registry (regedit), set storahci StartOverride to 0:
     • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\storahci\StartOverride
     • Set the value named “0” (DWORD) to 0
  3. Reboot to BIOS/UEFI, switch SATA mode to AHCI, then boot Windows.
     • If uncomfortable with registry/BIOS changes, seek step-by-step forum guidance for your model.

D. Update SSD firmware and drivers

1. Check your SSD manufacturer (Samsung, Western Digital, Crucial, Intel, etc.) and download the official firmware tool/driver.
2. Update firmware if an update is available — this often improves performance and reliability.

Tips:

• NVMe drivers: For Intel/AMD NVMe controllers, use vendor drivers if provided (Intel RST/NVMe driver) rather than only the MS generic driver.
• Leave write caching to defaults unless you know the implications.

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Troubleshooting & Notes​

• Boot got worse after changes? Re-enable one setting at a time to isolate the cause.
• If enabling Fast Startup causes peripheral/device initialization issues, disable it.
• If Windows won't boot after changing SATA mode, revert BIOS/UEFI to previous mode or use your saved restore point/repair media.
• For persistent slow boots: Run a clean boot (system configuration → disable third-party services/startup) to find the culprit. Also check Event Viewer → Windows Logs → System for boot-related errors.

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Conclusion​

By disabling unnecessary startup apps, enabling Fast Startup (when appropriate), and ensuring your SSD has TRIM, correct drivers, and up‑to‑date firmware, most Windows 10/11 machines will boot noticeably faster. These intermediate steps are safe when done carefully and can reduce daily wait times and improve responsiveness.
Key Takeaways:

• Disable non-essential startup apps via Task Manager or Settings to get immediate boot speed gains.
• Fast Startup can shorten cold boot times but may conflict with dual-boot or certain encryption setups.
• Ensure TRIM is enabled, SSD firmware/drivers are current, and the drive is using AHCI/NVMe for best performance.
• Make backups and create a restore point before registry or BIOS/UEFI changes.

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This tutorial was generated to help WindowsForum.com users get the most out of their Windows experience.