Microsoft just released its latest big update Windows 11, 25H2focused mainly on security improvements and with which the company promises better performance. This is a fundamental topic for users looking for ways to speed up the operation of their equipment. To this end, Microsoft shares on its support page a series of recommendations to optimize the operating system, both Windows 11 as Windows 10, among which stands out the related with two functions that are active by default.
Most of the recommendations will be familiar to users: keep the operating system and drivers up to date, restart the computer regularly, ensure you have enough disk space, and check for malware or viruses, among others. The company also highlights how Optimizing system startup can make the device boot faster.
In addition to all this, Microsoft points out A couple of Windows 10 and 11 features that can make your system run slower. The company recognizes that although cloud synchronization of files using OneDrive is important – that is why it is activated by default – it can cause slowdowns. In Microsoft’s words:
‘OneDrive syncs files by default. This allows you to access them from any device with an internet connection and ensures that they are backed up in case your PC is damaged or lost. However, synchronization can slow down your computer. You can temporarily pause OneDrive to see if performance improves.’
How to stop OneDrive syncing
There are two ways to do it, temporary or synchronize only at the user’s discretion. In the first case, you must follow these steps:
- Click on the icon OneDrive (a cloud) on the taskbar, next to the clock.
- In the window that opens, click the gear icon (Configuration).
- Select Pause sync.
- Choose how long you want to stop syncing: 2 hours, 8 hours or 24 hours. Restart and see if performance improves.
To avoid having to perform the action every 24 hours, it is best to remove OneDrive from programs that start with the operating system. This way, synchronization will only occur when you manually start the program. Follow these steps:
- In the Windows search box, type Task Manager and select it from the results.
- Click on the tab Start.
- Right click on the entry Microsoft OneDrive and select disable.
How to disable visual effects in Windows 10 and 11
In addition to the synchronization of OneDriveMicrosoft has also noted that Windows 10 and 11 visual effects can slow down your PC. In fact, the system itself includes a specific option to disable these effects if they are too demanding for the hardware.
‘Windows 11 includes many visual effects, such as animations and shadows. They look good, but They consume system resources and can slow down your PC, especially if you are low on RAM.‘, explains Microsoft.
To access those settings, follow these steps:
- In the Windows search box, type performance.
- From the results, select Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows.
- In the dialog box that opens, check the option Adjust for best performance inside the tab Visual effects.
Other tips include using ReadyBoostwhich allows you to use a USB flash drive or SD card as a cache (a feature that Windows 11 no longer offered) or paging file management to improve performance. You can check all the details in the support article available on the official Microsoft site.