Secret Windows Commands to Make Your Computer Fast and Run Like New Again
If your laptop or desktop computer no longer runs as smoothly as it used to, or freezes or restarts for no apparent reason, don't worry. It's normal for computers, especially older ones, to start slowing down over time.
It's not always a matter of components like a failing processor or motherboard; performance issues are often caused by a buildup of temporary files and other items that affect the system's operation.
If your budget doesn't allow you to buy a new computer, there's good news, because with a few simple tweaks to the operating system, you can get your old computer back to performing almost like day one.
Windows 11 includes a series of secret commands that let you perform maintenance and optimization tasks that can make a difference in the speed of your computer. Here we tell you how they work and how you can use them to improve your computer’s performance.
- Delete temporary files with temp
In Windows, temporary files are small pieces of data that the operating system and programs create to perform specific tasks. While they are useful while in use, once their purpose is over, they can accumulate and take up unnecessary space on your hard drive.
To remove it, open Run by pressing Win + R, type temp, and then press Enter.
This will open a folder containing temporary files. Select all the files and delete them. This will free up space and can help improve your computer's performance.
- Clear cache of temporary files using %temp%
If you want to do a more thorough cleanup of temporary files, open Win + R again, type %temp%, and then Enter. This will open another folder containing more temporary files created by the system.
As with the previous command, select all of these files and delete them. This step is crucial to ensure that there are no unnecessary files that could slow down your computer.
- Use prefetch to improve performance.
Prefetch is a feature in Windows 10 and Windows 11 that helps apps start faster by saving information about them. However, over time, this folder can become filled with old data.
To clear it, like other commands, open Win + R again, type prefetch and press Enter.
The prefetch will open, where you can delete all the files. Cleaning this folder can improve the loading speed of programs.
- Clear Windows Update cache
Windows Update related files can also take up a lot of space on your hard drive. To remove them is very simple, just open the CMD prompt as administrator.
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Then run the command: d /q slfs c:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download
By doing this, the system will automatically delete temporary Windows Update files that are no longer needed, helping to free up space and possibly improve system performance.
After running these commands, it is essential that you restart your computer, as this will allow the changes to take effect and ensure that the system is working properly with the newly freed up space and deleted temporary files.