Are you suffering from degraded performance after upgrading to Windows 11, or have you a PC that is not performing up to your exception?
Windows 11 is notoriously bad for gaming because it suffers from a lack of optimization. However, once you dial in all the settings, you can turn this Windows into a great interface.
If you are like me and love the new look of Windows 11 but hate its subpar performance, then you are in luck because we will be going over a guide on how you can get the most gaming performance out of Windows.
Come, let’s get started and dive right into it.
How to Optimize Windows 11 for gaming Performance
You need to do a host of optimization tweaks to get Windows 11 up to snuff for gaming.
The optimization methods I am going to tell you are effective for any gaming PC, irrespective of the price bracket. It worked well for my $1000 gaming PC build that I put up recently and also showed great results on my main PC, which costs upwards of $3000. So, the following settings are universal and applicable to everyone.
The optimization methods I am going to tell you are effective for any gaming PC, irrespective of the price bracket. It worked well for my secondary PC, which at the time of buying was the best gaming PC under $1000 I can buy and also showed great results on my main PC, which costs upwards of $3000. So, the following settings are universal and applicable to everyone.
1) Enable Game Mode
The game mode is a dedicated feature in Windows 11 that optimizes all aspects of Windows for better gaming performance. Moreover, it can do that without putting any added strain on the computer, which is an added bonus. To enable game mode, do the following.
- Click on the Windows logo at the bottom left corner of your desktop screen.
- Select the Settings option from the menu
- There will be multiple options on the left side of the new window that opens. Navigate to the Gaming option and click on it.
- Select the Game Mode option.
- Set the toggle switch to on, which will enable game mode for Windows 11.
The performance difference you will observe by enabling game mode depends on your computer’s hardware and performance capability. However, when combined with the next optimizing settings, expect significant performance gains.
2) Turn on Xbox Game Bar and Game Capture
Gamers don’t need Xbox Game Bar and game capture running. You can always toggle the Xbox Game bar when you want to hook your PC up with an Xbox. As for game capture, the Nvidia or AMD graphic cards have embedded better game capture functionality. Here’s how to turn off the Xbox Game bar and the game capture features.
- Navigate to the Windows logo, located at the bottom left corner of your desktop screen, and click on it.
- Choose the Settings option.
- On the new window that opens, click on the Gaming option.
- Select the Xbox Game bar option and disable it.
- After disabling the Xbox Game bar option, click on the back arrow to return to the gaming settings screen.
- Select the Game Capture option and disable it.
3) Enable Storage Sense
The storage sense is one of those features that you think you don’t really need, but after seeing the results, you can’t live without it. This feature has been added with the newest Windows 11 update, so if you aren’t on the latest version yet, you might not have this feature in your Windows.
The storage sense feature deletes any temporary system and app files. Windows has many processes and apps running in the background, which can take up a lot of RAM. I don’t know why Microsoft didn’t think of this feature earlier because, after using it, I have to say it is essential for Windows optimization. Here’s how to enable storage sense.
- Navigate to the Windows logo, located at the bottom left corner of your desktop screen, and click on it.
- Click on the Settings option.
- From the different options, select the storage option if not already selected.
- Navigate to the storage option and click on it.
- Enable the storage sense toggle.
By enabling the storage sense option, your PC will immediately start to feel more snappy, indicating improved gaming performance.
4) Disable Unnecessary Apps from running at Startup
Some applications automatically start running in the background when you turn the PC on. This is a major hurdle in performance because these applications take up a lot of unnecessary resources of the computer, limiting the gaming performance.
The following is the method for disabling these apps and services from running automatically in the background.
- Press the CTRL + ALT + Del keys on your keyboard. Make sure to press them simultaneously, or it won’t work.
- The Windows will take you back to the startup screen. Here, select the task manager option.
- The new window for the task manager will open. Click on the drop-down arrow next to the more details option.
- Switch to the Startup tab.
- It will list all the applications that automatically run when the PC starts. Disable the ones that you don’t need.
- Once done, exit from the task manager.
5) Enable High-Performance mode in Windows power settings
The last thing we need to do is set the Windows power settings to high performance. This will allow Windows to always use the maximum potential of your computer’s hardware and extract the best performance possible. To enable high-performance mode in Windows power settings, do the following.
- Navigate to the Windows search bar, located next to the Windows logo, and type in control panel.
- Press the Enter key on the keyboard.
- On the control panel window, navigate to the search bar located at the top right of your desktop screen, and type in power settings.
- Change the power plan option to high performance.
Conclusion
This concludes the list of tips you can use to optimize your Windows 11 PC for gaming performance. Make sure to use all the 5 tips I have told you because they collectively provide better results.
I hope you find the guide easy to follow. If you have trouble, feel free to reach out to me, and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Happy Gaming!
