Winsage
February 11, 2026
To address slowdowns and glitches in Windows 11, users should verify several settings before considering a complete reinstallation. Key actions include:
1. Check for Windows Updates: Navigate to Settings > Windows Update to install patches and update device drivers. Uninstall problematic updates if necessary.
2. Manage Startup Applications: Use Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) or Settings > Apps > Startup to disable unnecessary auto-starting applications to improve boot speed.
3. Pause OneDrive Syncing: Temporarily pause OneDrive syncing during resource-intensive tasks to prevent performance degradation.
4. Adjust Visual Effects: Disable Transparency effects and Animation effects in Settings > Personalization > Colors and Settings > Accessibility > Visual effects, respectively, to reduce GPU strain.
5. Limit Notifications: Turn off notifications in Settings > System > Notifications to minimize interruptions.
6. Restrict Background Activity: Set background app permissions to "Never" for infrequently used applications to conserve memory and disk usage.
7. Run Security Scans: Use Windows Security to perform a Quick scan and ensure that real-time protection features are enabled to detect malware and adware.
8. Browser Maintenance: Reset browser settings, remove unknown extensions, and enable tracking protection to improve resource management.
If issues persist, further steps include running System File Checker, testing memory, checking storage health, or performing a repair install of Windows.
