Default settings on Windows are slowing down your computer

Windows computers often have default settings, which are sometimes good, but also have settings that can slow down your progressespecially if you want to use your computer for gaming, creative work, or multitasking. Here it is Default settings on Windows are silently slowing down your PC that you should know.

Delivery optimization

Delivery Optimization changes the way your computer downloads updates and apps from the Microsoft Store. Instead of relying solely on Microsoft’s servers, this feature allows computers to download updates from other computers on the local network or even from strangers on the internet. This is done to increase speed, but there is one thing to note.

In return, your computer also uploads them to other devices. That means Windows can use the internet to upload data in the background without your knowledge. This can affect web browsing, online gaming, or even video calls.

Some Reddit users also reported that the Delivery Optimization feature unexpectedly spiked RAM usage and slowed down their systems. For all those reasons, it’s best to turn this feature off by going into Settings > Windows Update > Delivery Optimization.

Default Power mode

The default power mode on Windows computers is set to Balanced mode, which tries to find a balance between battery life and performance. This is fine when you use your PC for normal work, but if you use your computer for gaming, creative work, or multiple tasks at the same time, this mode can reduce system performance.

If you’re doing something that requires maximum use of your computer’s resources, it’s best to switch to mode High performance. To change, go in Settings > System > Power & battery > Power mode. The nice thing is that you can set Windows to different power modes, depending on whether the computer is plugged in or on battery.

Screen refresh rate

This is easy to overlook, but most high-end Windows laptops and monitors support 90Hz, 120Hz, or even 144Hz refresh rates. However, by default, Windows usually sets the display to a standard refresh rate of 60Hz. That means your display is actually refreshing fewer times per second than it is capable of.

At 60Hz, scrolling is less smooth, animations look jerkier, and games look less responsive. If you’ve ever wondered why your expensive laptop screen isn’t as smooth as expected, this setting could be the cause.

Enter Settings > System > Display > Advanced display and select the highest possible refresh rate. You can always lower the refresh rate when you want to save more battery.

Visual effects and transparency are not required

Windows loves visual effects. Smooth motion effects, fading menus, and transparent backgrounds all make the interface look modern, but those visual effects are resource-intensive and not ideal for midrange computers.

By default, Windows enables animations when opening and closing applications, switching desktops, and navigating menus. It also uses transparency effects in places like the Start menu, taskbar, and system panel. All these effects continuously use your GPU and system resources in the background.

If you care more about speed and responsiveness than great visuals, it’s best to turn these effects off. Come in Settings > Accessibility > Visual effects and turn it off Transparency effects & Animation effects.

The application starts and runs on the system background

One of the most silent causes of reduced performance on Windows is applications that run in the background and start with the system. By default, Windows decides how often an app runs in the background so it doesn’t consume too many resources but still receives notifications and updates.

However, this is not always ideal. There are always programs that are not suitable for you that are still running just because Windows decides so. You’ll often see Microsoft apps, like Teams, OneDrive, Edge… using system resources, even if you rarely open them.

To avoid this, you can change background permissions for these apps. Enter Settings > Apps > Installed apps, click the 3-dot icon next to the app > select Advanced options. From there, use the drop-down menu Background app permissions > select Never. You need to repeat this for each application that you do not want running in the background.

Another thing you can do is review the startup applications on your computer. From there, you can prevent unnecessary programs from running when starting your PC. This not only helps your computer boot faster, but also frees up resources from the moment Windows is loaded.