Why is Windows 11 so slow?

February 27, 2025

[minnesota_bound]

For future copying and moving files use: TeraCopy
You start the copy or move process and it does not stop like Windows explorer does constantly.
https://www.codesector.com/teracopy

To replace Windows File Explorer use XYplorer. I have used it since 2007.
You can have tabbed folders. You can change the look quite a bit. I added 5 extra buttons on the toolbar that I use to click to view thumbnails, list, details, preview pane, navigation panel. You can move the buttons around in the order you want and also change the size of the thumbnails displayed. Check a box Tools> Configuration to make it the default file manager.
https://www.xyplorer.com

[conserv8]

bkmk

[logi_cal869]

https://www.supportyourtech.com/articles/how-to-disable-edge-on-windows-10-a-step-by-step-guide/

Haven’t performed this yet...

[Vaduz]

Sounds like Spectrum cable company it’s the first words the say when cable is on the fritz.

[JamesGold]

Depends how you did the copy paste thing. Examples here would be, USB 3? or ? There can be many factors. True that in windows 7 or even lets say WIN NT 4.0, there can be many factors, like not copying your information 3-4 or more times. When you copy and paste, remember it is important on what you use. Just saying.

[daniel1212]

Two days ago I bought two external HDDs (Western Digital Passports), 6 TB each. I then copied (drag & drop method) a folder from an old WD passport to the new, larger one. Folder contained over 2,900 MP4 files, 29 subfolders, at about 1.97 TB total. It took over 8 hours to copy.

A Amazon review of the WD 6TB My Passport, Portable External Hard Drive says it has a a 107-115 MBs transfer speed (product specs say 120 megabytes per second). https://www.perplexity.ai says that at a constant transfer speed of 115 MB/s, it should take approximately 4 hours and 50 minutes to copy 2TB of data.

So you may be using a USB 2.0 port and or cable. You can check your speed using Crystal disk mark, and USBDeview is a free utility that lists all USB devices connected or previously used on your computer, with detailed information and options to uninstall, disconnect, or enable/disable them.

But slow Windows "calculating" and copying has been an issue for years, thus the recommendations of free alternatives. Presuming HDD means SSD, Also:

Microsoft admits Windows 11 File Explorer can be slow when using title bar buttons

But most important is that what is worth saving is good in the eyes of God (though much is a mixed bag today). Hopefully all I have will be.

[CodeToad]

It is trying to do everything for you instead of just being a freaking operating system.

Linux is winning in this area of productive users.

[Angelino97]

I tried that on Windows 11. Yet Edge still pops up to greet me when I boot up.

Firefox is my default browser, but Edge is lurking in the background, using RAM and CPU.

[Angelino97]

Whatever the specs, when I copied these files, Win 11 would say the speed was from 90 something MB per second to the 60s.

Every now and then, Win 11 would stop entirely to calculate, so the speed was 0.

It's a new Lenovo. The USB should be 3.0.

[logi_cal869]

Win 11 is my problem, too. Just haven’t had time to figure it out yet.

[TChad]

...sounds like the fast boot option is disabled. 50 minute boot time seems like something is really wrong.

Thanks for the suggestion. I investigated fast boot a while ago and decided against it, but maybe it's worth a second look.

[Bob434]

do you have an HDD or an SDD either SATA or NVME? HDD’s are really slow- but 50 minutes sounds way too long- might be something wrong with the drive perhaps-

[daniel1212]

Other suggestions: https://thegeekpage.com/fix-slow-file-copy-speed-in-windows-10/