As you enter the realm of Windows 11, you might find a few sites and apps slow and laggy. One of the common culprits may be your hardware specification. If you are running windows 11 in low specs, it might slow down the app’s performance.
Experiment with various web browsers and applications. If the issue persists, you may have to roll back to Windows 10. However, I recommend that you save this fix for last because there are a few less drastic fixes you could try first.
Table of Contents
Troubleshooting Browser Slow in Windows 11
Wipe Browser Cache
Site cache accumulated in your browser slows down the performance of your browser. It is recommended to clean your browser cache every once in a while. Here’s how you can clear cache in Google Chrome.
- Open the web browser.
- Open the Menu and go to the Settings.
- Select Privacy and Security on the left hand side.
- Under Privacy and Security, select Clear Browsing Data.
- Select a time range. Make sure all other boxes are ticked as well.
- Click on Clear Now.
Configure Cookies
Cookies from trusted websites help improve your site experience. If you block all cookies by default, consider enabling cookies for websites you use.
- In Chrome, open the Menu and go to the Settings.
- Under Privacy and Security, Select Cookies and other site data.
- Scroll Down and under Customized behaviors menu, click on Add tab next to “Sites that can always use cookies“.
- Enter the website address that is giving you trouble, e.g. https://facebook.com and https://youtube.com. Click on Add.
Turn Sync Off
Sync activities in the background can take up network usage. This results in slower internet access for the user. Every pro user should be able to pause syncs during internet browsing and enable them when not using a PC.
- Go to the Start Menu and type sync settings.
- Select Sync your Settings.
- Under the Sync settings option, click on the toggle button to turn it off.
Change Performance Options
Windows 11 has powerful options to limit the performance of your system. Your network too may be affected by this. If that is the case, you should consider switching to better performance options
- Go to the Start Menu and type Performance of Windows.
- Select Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows option.
- Under the Visual Effects tab, select Adjust for Best performance.
- Click on Apply then OK.
Turn Off or Kill Background Apps and Services
Same as Sync settings, other applications also may be running in the background. This could be the voice assistant, notification services, file indexers, and so on. It is better to turn them off and only enable them when needed.
- Go to the Start Menu and type Background apps.
- Select Background apps.
- Under the Let apps run in the background, click on the toggle button to turn off.
- Next, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc together to open the Task Manager.
- Click on More details.
- Under Processes, click on the Network column to sort by usage.
- Select the unwanted app that you want to kill.
- Click on End task.
- Repeat for each app that’s taking up network usage.
Change Power Options
Power options apply to Windows 11 installed on laptops. To increase battery life, Windows 11 tries to run the system on minimal power consumption. As a result, network performance may suffer even when plugged in.
- Click on the Start Menu and type power plan.
- Select Choose a power plan.
- On the list of power plans, choose the High-performance option.
Restart Network Adapter
Restarting network adapter reloads network configuration in Windows 11. If there’s an issue then a restart normally should solve it.
- Go to the Start Menu and type network connections.
- Select View network connections.
- Do a right-click on the network adapter icon.
- Select Disable.
- Give it a couple of seconds and do a right-click again.
- Select Enable.
- Wait until the adapter is re-enabled.
Confirm DNS Settings
Sometimes your PC may have invalid DNS and IP configurations. This results in slower internet connection or complete internet failure. Changing settings to get configuration from the router is the best approach for resolution.
- Click on the Start Menu and search for the Control Panel.
- Select Network and Internet.
- Select Network and Sharing Center.
- Click on the current connection next to Connections.
- Click on Properties.
- Select Internet Protocol Version 4(TCP/IPv4).
- Select Properties.
- Make sure the following options are selected.
- Obtain an IP address automatically.
- Obtain DNS server address automatically.
- Select OK.
- Click on Close.
Update Network Drivers
With an upgrade to Windows 11, your network adapter may also need a driver update. If the system hasn’t applied the update yet, install the driver update with these steps.
- Do a right-click on the Start Menu and select Device Manager.
- Click on Network adapters to expand the list.
- Do a right-click on your PC’s network adapter name.
- Select Update Driver.
- Select Search automatically for drivers.
- Repeat for other wired or wireless connections as needed.
Disable IPv6
IPv6 is version 6 of the internet connection. It is supposed to be the future standard of the internet as more and more network devices are used in the world. For now, all devices support and use IPv4 which is the current standard. IPv6 can be safely turned off in Windows 11 to prevent any potential network issues.
- Click on the Start Menu and search for the Control Panel.
- Select Network and Internet.
- Select Network and Sharing Center.
- Click on the current connection next to Connections.
- Click on Properties.
- Uncheck Internet Protocol Version 6(TCP/IPv6).
- Click on OK.
FAQs
Will Connecting to a VPN Make My Internet Faster?
Connecting to a VPN server routes your internet traffic through the VPN server. Depending on the location, you may experience slower internet when connected to VPNs.
Without VPNs, your traffic goes from your ISP to services such as Facebook and youtube directly. If your internet is slower when connected to VPN, disconnect from the VPN first before trying.
All the Devices Including My Windows 11 Pc Have Slow Connections. What Should I Do?
If multiple home devices are experiencing slow internet, check your router. See for any warning signs if the internet doesn’t work at all. You may also need to contact their technical support and inform them of the situation.
Only Youtube and Facebook Are Slow on My Internet. What Should I Do?
If you have issues in certain sites only, it shows a problem with the server that’s hosting the site. You can verify if Facebook or any other site is working by going to this website. You only need to enter the website address to check if it is working properly.
If you are experiencing slow services regularly, it indicates a problem with your ISP. Talk to them to see if they are throttling your bandwidth during peak hours.
