If you hate waiting for your computer to load every time you turn it on, chances are that your computer is starting up way too slowly. Although most people put up with slow Windows startup times because they think it’s normal, there are actually reasons why some computers take longer to start up than others. Contrary to popular belief, most people can have some control over how fast their Windows startup is. And usually, slow startup times aren’t the only problem. Many people find that over time, their system’s overall performance starts to lag while doing simple tasks. There are a number of reasons why Windows startup is slowing down your system to begin with.

Improve WindowsStartup Time

One of the most important things you can do to improve computer performance, including Windows startup time, is to be aware of your system’s autostart programs. As the name implies, autostart programs automatically start running when you turn on the computer. The purpose of these programs is to be already running so that you can access them quickly. Icons of autostart programs usually appear in the lower right system tray on your screen. You can see them appear one by one as your computer loads. But it can get tricky to know what all your computer’s autostart programs are because not all of them are displayed in the tray, even when they are running. Also, you may not realize that you’ve added more autostart programs to the list by installing new programs on your computer. This can happen because many programs set themselves up to run as autostart programs by default. Especially for autostart programs that are not displayed in the lower right tray of the screen, programs that are not being utilized can take up memory and therefore cause some slowing down of processing time. Over time as you install more and more programs, you may be unintentionally adding more autostart programs. These programs are running in the background and although one or two might not make too much of a difference, numerous autostart programs can slow things down unnecessarily, especially if you only use these programs once in a while instead of on a daily basis. It all depends on what kind of work you’re performing on your computer every day.

Items to Keep in Startup

But you don’t have to make it so that no programs whatsoever start up automatically. Crucial programs, like security programs, should be on every user’s startup list. Examples of security programs are antivirus programs and firewalls. The extra moments it takes for these to boot up and run are worth it for all the work they do and all the needed protection they provide against viruses, worms, Trojans, and other malicious software that causes harm to a computer. Although you may not think you need that antivirus protection, running a computer without it can be not only an annoyance later on, but it can also be disastrous to your personal data and system.

One of the simplest ways to stop programs from starting up automatically is just a couple clicks away from the main Start button. Go to the Windows Programs tab and then click to Startup. Once you’re there, it’s quick and easy to right click the items you want to stop from starting up along with your computer.