Windows 11 is a good system — but its default settings are designed for Microsoft, not for you. These are the first 12 changes we make on every new PC. Each takes under a minute.
1. Turn off Start menu ads and suggestions
Settings → Personalization → Start — turn off "Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps and more". Your Start menu becomes yours again.
2. Move the taskbar icons to the left
Right-click the taskbar → Taskbar settings → Taskbar behaviors → Taskbar alignment → Left. Twenty years of muscle memory, restored.
3. Bring back the full right-click menu
Windows 11 hides most options behind "Show more options". Open Terminal as administrator and run: reg add "HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}\InprocServer32" /f /ve then restart Explorer. The classic full menu returns.
4. Stop apps from restarting automatically
Settings → Apps → Startup — disable everything you do not need the second the PC turns on (Spotify, Adobe updaters, game launchers). This is the single biggest boot-speed fix.
5. Turn on Storage Sense
Settings → System → Storage → Storage Sense — On. Windows will now clear temporary files and old Downloads automatically instead of filling your disk silently.
6. Disable Widgets and news if you never use them
Right-click taskbar → Taskbar settings → turn Widgets off. One less background process, zero accidental news panels.
7. Set your power mode correctly
Laptop on a desk? Settings → System → Power & battery → Power mode → Best performance. On battery, switch to Balanced for longer life.
8. Show file extensions
File Explorer → View → Show → File name extensions. Seeing that a file is invoice.pdf.exe — not a PDF — is real protection against malware.
9. Turn on Clipboard history
Press Win + V and turn it on. Now you can copy several things and paste any of them — the most underused productivity feature in Windows.
10. Fix Windows Update restarts
Settings → Windows Update → Advanced options — turn on "Notify me when a restart is required" and set Active hours to your working hours. No more surprise restarts mid-work.
11. Install updates for drivers from the manufacturer
For graphics especially, the driver from NVIDIA / AMD / Intel's own site is usually newer and faster than the one Windows installs. Games and video editing benefit the most.
12. Create a restore point now
Search "Create a restore point" → Configure → Turn on protection → Create. If anything ever breaks your system later, you can roll back to this clean state in minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Are these settings safe to change?
Yes — all of them are normal Windows settings or documented tweaks, and every one can be reversed by following the same steps backwards.
Why is my new laptop still slow?
Check Startup apps (setting 4) and make sure Windows Update has finished its first big round of updates. A new PC often finishes speeding up after the first two days.
Should I use a 'debloater' script from the internet?
We do not recommend it. Aggressive scripts can break Windows Update and the Store. The manual settings above give you most of the benefit with none of the risk.
