My system has slowed down, where should I start? What are the priorities? Are there any review methods or useful tools? How do I check applications running in the background continuously? What approaches do you apply in this regard?
How to improve Windows 10 performance?
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Disk space is the first place to check for speed issues. Windows really struggles if you let free space drop below 15%, so aim for at least 20 GB. Run Disk Cleanup, clear out temp files and old Windows updates—this alone can give you noticeable relief in seconds. Next, dive into Task Manager’s startup apps and disable unnecessary ones, from browsers to Steam. I’ve got 5-6 apps launching at boot, and they all add up to slower system startup.
Check your BIOS storage settings to ensure AHCI mode is enabled—some systems default to IDE. While you're in there, head to Performance Settings and set visual effects to "Adjust for best performance" so your GPU isn’t wasting cycles on unnecessary animations. I also disable automatic updates via Group Policy to prevent Windows Update from hogging resources overnight—those multi-hour downloads and installations can drain your system. Microsoft can be pretty aggressive with updates, so it’s worth managing manually.
Okay, let's start by focusing on *background running applications*. Programs that constantly run in the background consume system resources and can seriously slow down performance. In Windows 10, the most direct way to check this is via Task Manager (`Ctrl+Shift+Esc`)—you can look at the "Background Processes" tab. Here, you can close unnecessary ones, but be careful: some system processes (like *Runtime Broker*) are actually essential for Windows to function properly, so removing third-party apps is safer.
Alternatively, cleaning up the *Startup Programs* list is a good step. You can disable unnecessary ones via `Win + R` -> `msconfig` -> the "Startup" tab. A more modern method is using Windows 10’s built-in Settings app: go to `Settings > Apps > Startup` and disable unneeded startup services. So, do you have any apps running constantly in your system that you never actually use? How do you spot them?