Windows dragging its feet? Microsoft just dropped a performance bomb! Turns out, the secret to a faster PC might be hiding in plain sight: disabling a couple of built-in Windows features. Intrigued? We’re diving deep into these ninja-level tweaks, revealing exactly which features to target, why they’re slowing you down, and how to surgically disable them for a noticeable speed boost. Ready to unleash your PC’s hidden potential? Let’s get started.
The Two Features Microsoft Suggests to Disable
Is your Windows PC crawling like a snail? Microsoft’s latest support document unveils a treasure trove of tips to inject some much-needed speed into sluggish Windows 11/10 machines. But hold on, two recommendations involve sacrificing some built-in goodies. Microsoft suggests turning off visual effects and hitting pause on OneDrive syncing for older computers. Yes, those shiny, default-enabled features might be the culprits behind your PC’s performance woes.
Want a PC performance boost? Killing these resource hogs unleashes noticeable speed gains. Find out which culprits are slowing you down:
Disable Visual Effects
Is your gaming PC chugging like a rusty engine? The culprit might be Windows’ Desktop Window Manager (DWM). DWM is the visual maestro behind all those slick transparency effects, smooth animations, eye-catching shadows, and dreamy blurs. But these visual goodies come at a cost: precious GPU power. DWM constantly renders these effects, hogging resources that could be used to boost your frame rates. If you crave every last ounce of gaming performance, consider turning off these visual frills. Unleash your GPU, and let the games begin!
Want to see your GPU flex its muscles? Open Task Manager, head to the Performance tab, and watch the GPU usage. Now, for the fun part: rapidly minimize and maximize Task Manager. See that spike? We clocked a 25-30% jump with visuals on. Kill the visuals, and it drops to a chill 5-7%. Witness the power!
Pause OneDrive Syncing
OneDrive’s sync: it’s not the bandwidth hog you think it is. The real squeeze is on your disk I/O and CPU. Syncing is a relentless behind-the-scenes worker, constantly tracking file tweaks and battling to keep everything up-to-date. This creates a resource tug-of-war, pitting sync tasks against your active apps for precious disk access and processing power. The result? Performance slowdowns and frustrating freezes.
Disabling Visual Effects the Right Way
Sacrificing visual flair for speed? Disabling visual effects might seem like a quick fix for a sluggish PC, but beware the aesthetic cost. Prepare for a world devoid of smooth animations and plagued by jagged, eye-straining text. While some advocate for a complete visual shutdown, we suggest a more nuanced approach. Keep the essential effects – those subtle touches that maintain readability and user experience – without bogging down your system.
Type “performance” in Windows Search and openAdjust the appearance and performance of Windows.
- Show shadows under mouse pointer
- Show shadows under windows
- Smooth edges of screen fonts
- Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop
These visuals hardly take up many resources, so it is safe to enable them.
Pause, Quit, or Uninstall OneDrive
Tired of OneDrive hogging your resources? Windows automatically links to OneDrive, slurping up your data into the Microsoft cloud – unless you bravely opted for a local account. Need a performance boost while gaming or rendering? Hit pause on syncing for a temporary speed injection. If you’re a cloud-free purist, banish OneDrive completely – disable it or uninstall it for good.
Pause OneDrive Sync
Need a OneDrive breather? Give your system a temporary boost by pausing its sync. Just find the cloud icon nestled in your system tray, click the settings gear, and choose “Pause syncing.” Pick a duration – a quick 2-hour nap, an 8-hour siesta, or a full 24-hour hibernation. Re-awaken OneDrive with a click when you’re ready to roll again!
Quit OneDrive
Not ready to say goodbye to OneDrive completely? You can simply put it in hibernation. This will stop syncing your files but keeps everything safe and sound for when you’re ready to dive back in. Think of it as a pause button for your cloud storage. To make it happen, you’ll need to both shut down OneDrive and prevent it from automatically launching when you start your computer.
In OneDrive, move to thePause syncingsection again, click onQuit OneDrive, and confirm the prompt to quit it.
Tired of OneDrive popping up uninvited every time you boot up? Reclaim your startup and banish that blue cloud with a quick trip to Task Manager! Just summon the Task Manager with a swiftCtrl+Shift+Esckeystroke. Next, navigate to theStartup appstab, find the peskyOneDrive.exeentry, and disable it. Enjoy a cleaner, faster startup – OneDrive will only appear whenyouwant it to.
Uninstall OneDrive
Ditch OneDrive for good! Free up system resources by uninstalling it completely. Unlike other programs, a simple uninstall leaves behind clutter. Our guide walks you through a deep clean, banishing OneDrive folders and lingering data for a truly optimized PC.
Struggling with a sluggish PC? Don’t throw it out just yet! Disabling a few key features can breathe new life into older systems, especially those with limited RAM and less powerful graphics cards. Imagine a smoother, more responsive experience – that’s what awaits. Even on modern machines, you’ll notice a snappier interface as animations fade away. Ready for even MORE speed? Dive into your Windows services and disable the unnecessary background processes that are bogging you down. Your PC will thank you.
Thanks for reading Microsoft Suggests Disabling These 2 Windows Features For Better Performance – How to Do it Right
