To clean up and speed up your Windows 10 system, follow these steps:

1. Delete Temporary Files and System Caches

• Disk Cleanup Tool:
  1. Press Windows + S and type Disk Cleanup.
  2. Select your primary drive (usually C:) and click OK.
  3. Choose the types of files to delete (e.g., system files, temporary files, browser cache) and click OK, then Delete Files.
• Storage Sense:
  1. Go to Settings > System > Storage.
  2. Enable Storage Sense to automatically clean up files when you’re low on space. You can also configure it to delete temporary files and files in the Recycle Bin.

2. Uninstall Unnecessary Programs

• Press Windows + X, select Apps and Features.
• Browse through the list of installed apps, and click Uninstall for programs you no longer need or use.

3. Disable Unnecessary Startup Programs

• Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
• Go to the Startup tab and disable programs that you don’t need to start automatically with Windows.

4. Run a Disk Defragmentation (HDD Only)

• Press Windows + S, type Defragment, and select Defragment and Optimize Drives.
• Choose your HDD (not SSD) and click Optimize to improve file access speeds.
• Note: SSDs don’t require defragmentation and should be optimized by Windows automatically.

5. Check for Malware and Viruses

• Run a full system scan with Windows Defender or any third-party antivirus software to ensure your system is not slowed down by malware.
• Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > Virus & Threat Protection > Quick Scan or Full Scan.

6. Disable Visual Effects

• Right-click on This PC, select Properties.
• Click on Advanced System Settings > Settings (under the Performance section).
• Select Adjust for best performance or manually disable unnecessary visual effects (e.g., animations, transparency).

7. Update Drivers and Windows

• Update Windows: Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update, and click Check for Updates.
• Update Drivers: Right-click on Start, select Device Manager, and update drivers for key hardware components like the display adapter, network adapter, etc. You can also check the manufacturer’s website for the latest drivers.

8. Use the Task Manager to Identify Resource Hogging Processes

• Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
• Go to the Processes tab and check for programs using excessive CPU, memory, or disk usage. End unnecessary tasks to free up system resources.

9. Turn Off Background Apps

• Go to Settings > Privacy > Background apps.
• Turn off apps that you don’t need running in the background.

10. Adjust Power Settings for Performance

• Go to Control Panel > Power Options.
• Select High Performance or customize a plan for better performance, especially on desktops.

11. Optimize and Reset Windows Search Indexing

• Press Windows + S, type Indexing Options, and press Enter.
• Click Modify and remove unnecessary locations from being indexed.
• Click Advanced > Rebuild to optimize the search index.

12. Clear Browser Cache and History

• Regularly clear your browser’s cache, cookies, and history to free up space and improve browsing performance.

13. Reinstall or Reset Windows (If Necessary)

• If your system is still slow, consider resetting Windows 10. This will give you the option to keep your files but remove apps and settings, or perform a clean reinstall (without keeping anything).

To reset Windows:

1. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery.
2. Click Get Started under Reset this PC.