Leave the PC on for a few hours after an update, then restart. Next: disable unneeded startup apps, free disk space, set Power mode to Balanced or Best performance, update graphics/chipset drivers, and if it began with one update, uninstall it.

What's going on

After updates Windows re-indexes files, optimises apps and runs maintenance, which uses CPU and disk for a while, especially on hard drives. If it's still slow days later, look for a specific cause in Task Manager.

Signs of the problem

  • Slow startup and app launches.
  • High disk or CPU in Task Manager.
  • Started right after an update.

Why it happens

  • Post-update background tasks.
  • Too many startup apps.
  • Low disk space or a hard drive.
  • Outdated drivers or a problematic update.

Fixes to try, in order

  1. Wait, then restartLeave it running a few hours after updates, then restart.
  2. Check Task ManagerSort by CPU, Memory and Disk to find heavy processes.
  3. Trim startup appsSettings → Apps → Startup: turn off what you don't need.
  4. Free spaceSettings → System → Storage → Cleanup recommendations; keep 15%+ free.
  5. Power modeSettings → System → Power & battery → Power mode.
  6. Update drivers or roll backUpdate graphics/chipset drivers, or uninstall the latest update from Update history if slowness began with it.
How to tell it worked: Boot and app launches return to normal speed.

Prevent it from coming back

Keep free space, limit startup apps, and use an SSD.