How to fix Windows 10 running slow after update (1903)

Did you notice your machine running slow after upgrading to Windows 10 version 1903? In this article, we have collected several beneficial solutions to assist you in fixing Windows 10 running slow after the 1903 update. We have discussed effective solutions to optimize your latest Windows performance. Therefore, making your computer fast.

Issues on Windows 10 version 1903 

Here is a list of some known issues: 

• Display brightness may not respond to changes 
• Cannot launch the camera app 
• Unable to discover or connect to Bluetooth devices 
• Intermittent loss of Wi-Fi connectivity 
• Duplicate folders and documents showing in a user profile directory 
• Sound not working with Dolby Atmos headphones 
• Night Light settings not working 
• AMD RAID driver problems 

Method #1: Using Advanced System Repair Tool 

Advanced System Repair Tool is an application that assists you to clean, fix, optimize, protect, and increase the performance of your machine. ASR has a multi-scan feature which intelligently scans and analyzes your machine within a few minutes and gives you a well-organized detailed output or results.  

Begin with a FREE scan from Advanced System Repair, we highly recommend it. The steps below will show you how to download, install, and implement Advanced System Repair in your computer:  

Step 1 

Downloading and installing ASP. Download ASP now for FREE by clicking the download button below: 

Step 2 

After finishing downloading, accept the license terms by checking the ‘I Accept the EULA and Privacy Policy’ option as shown below. You now need to hit the ‘Install and Scan Now’ button to initiate the installation process.

Step 3 

After finishing installing, the app immediately starts gathering crucial data about your PC, such as memory and CPU performance. 

It also checks for junk files and proceeds scanning deeper into the system files for any issues.

Step 4 

After completing scanning, you are shown the critical issues to resolve, items to clean, and the amount of disk space to free up. 

Step 5 

Click the Complete Scan Details tab to see the details of the scan. You can choose what action to take by expanding the Recommendation tab then select either to fix, clean, optimize, or ignore. 

Step 6 

Click Fix, Clean & Optimize Now to start the cleaning process. All the issues found on your machine will be resolved. 

Method #2: Check for Windows Updates 

When many users face the same problem, Windows launch a new version to fix all the existing bugs. Updating Windows is a quick and easy way to fix Windows 10 running slow after update. Try updating to see if this resolves your issues. 

Follow the following steps to update your Windows manually: 

Step 1 

Go to the taskbar, click the Windows icon, then select settings. 

Step 2 

When Windows Settings tab appears, select ‘Update & Security’ as illustrated below.

Step 3 

Select ‘Windows Update’ from the left pane, then click ‘Install Now’ to check for updates and install them manually.

Step 4 

After Windows installation, restart your computer to enforce the updates. Go to the taskbar, click on the Windows icon, press the power icon, and then select the Restart option. 

If your Windows 10 computer is still slugging after restart, try the next method.

Method #3: Run System File Check 

Corrupt or broken system files can cause Windows 10 to run slow after the 1903 update. Luckily, Windows 10 has a built-in tool known as System File Checker that identifies and resolved all corrupt system files in your PC.

Step 1 

Go to the taskbar, click the search icon or search bar. In the search box, type ‘cmd’ or ‘command prompt’ then right-click on the first match and select Run as administrator as shown below.

When you open command prompt as admin, you will see a User Account Control window is seeking permission to proceed. Click Yes. 

Step 2 

In the command prompt window, copy and paste the command below:

sfc/scannow 

Press Enter. 

Step 3 

Your computer will be scanned for corrupted files and try to resolve them. After the scan is complete, you will see the results on the window.  

Step 4 

After finishing entering the commands, type exit and hit Enter to close the command prompt. 

Restart your computer then check to see if your Windows performance has improved. This should solve most of your lagging issues. However, if you want to further improve your Windows speed, proceed to the next method.

Method #4: Using Windows Update Troubleshooter 

Windows Update Troubleshooter is one of the most effective way to fix Windows 10 running slow after the 1903 update. It is a built-in application that scans your machine for issues related to Windows update and resolves them.

Follow the following steps to use Windows Update Troubleshooter: 

Step 1 

Go to the taskbar, click the Windows icon, and select settings icon. 

Step 2 

When Windows Settings tab appears, select ‘Update & Security’ as illustrated below. 

Step 3 

Choose ‘Troubleshoot’ from the left pane then select ‘Windows Update’ under ‘Get up and running’ as shown below.

Step 4 

Click ‘Run the troubleshooter’ as shown in the image below.  

Step 5 

Wait for the scanning to finish, then click Finish to complete.  

Step 6 

Restart your computer and try updating your PC again. Once the updates are installed, your Windows should now be running normally. Otherwise, continue to the next solution.

Method #5: Perform a Clean Boot 

A clean boot is done to launch Windows by using only the basic set of drivers and startup applications. By performing a clean boot, you will have to disable all third-party programs and services to determine if any of these programs is interfering with your update download, thus causing Windows 10 running slow after update. To do a clean boot: 

Step 1 

Press Windows Key + R on your keyboard to open Run. Type “msconfig” into the Run box and click OK to open System Configuration. 

Step 2 

In the System Configuration window, select selective startup and unmark the checkbox next to Load startup items.  

Step 3 

Click the Services tab and mark the checkbox next to Hide all Microsoft services. This will hide all Microsoft applications and services because we only need to disable third-party programs. 

Step 4 

Hit the ‘Disable all’ button.

Step 5 

Switch to the Startup tab then open the ‘Open Task Manager’.

Step 6 

In the Task Manager window, you will view a list of startup programs. Right-click each enabled program and disable it. Also, you can select each enabled application and click the Disable button. 

Step 7 

After finishing disabling startup applications, close the Task Manager and return to the System Configuration. Click Apply and OK. 

Step 8 

Finally, you need to restart your machine for the changes to take effect. Go to the taskbar, click the Windows icon, press the power icon, and select Restart. This should fix your Windows 10 running slow after update. If it doesn’t fix your issue, continue to the next method. 

Method #6: Update Drivers 

Drivers are very crucial for your Windows computer’s performance. Outdated drivers significantly contribute to your Windows lagging after the 1903 update. This method will show you how to easily update all your old drivers. We also recommend that you check out our guide on How to update, Roll-Back and uninstall drivers in Windows.

Step 1 

Go to the taskbar, click the search icon or search bar then type device manager. Enter the first match. 

Step 2 

In the device manager, you will view a list of devices that are connected to your PC. Locate the drivers that have a yellow warning sign next to them. The yellow warning sign indicates that the driver is outdated. Select the outdated driver then right-click on it and choose Update driver from the drop-down menu. 

Step 3 

A pop-up window appears asking how you would want to search for drivers. You will be given 2 options either search automatically for the updated driver software or browse my computer for driver software. The first option allows Windows to automatically search for the updates online while the second option needs the user to locate and install the driver manually. Using the last option requires having earlier downloaded the drivers. We advise you to choose the first option and continue following the instructions. 

Step 4 

Repeat step 2 and step 3 for other outdated drivers. 

Method #7: Run a virus scan for your machine 

As mentioned previously, a malware attack can cause your Windows to run slowly after an update. You need to ensure that your Windows computer is malware-free by doing a full scan of the system with the aid of an antivirus program. There are many free and paid antivirus programs available. You can use whichever you prefer.

Step 1 

Launch your antivirus program. Go to the taskbar, click the search icon or search bar, then type the name of your antivirus. Enter the first match. 

Step 2 

We highly recommend that you do a full scan. This may take some time (approximately 1-2 hrs depending on your system storage and performance). Avoid opting for a quick scan.

Step 3 

Resolve any malware found that you find. Restart your machine then check if your Windows computer performance has improved.

Method #8: Disable Startup Running Apps 

Startup programs might contribute to Windows 10 running slow after update. These apps slow down the bootup process and reduce the device’s performance. Therefore, you need to disable such applications. To do so: 

Step 1 

Go to the taskbar, right-click on it then select Task Manager. 

Step 2 

Select the Startup tab, and you will see a list of startup programs. 

Step 3 

Select any application that does not need to be there. Now click the Disable button at the bottom-right corner of the window. 

Step 4 

Repeat step 3 to other startup applications. Check to see if you have resolved your Windows 10 running slow after update. If not, continue reading the article. 

Method #9: Disable fast Boot 

Windows 10 fast startup feature reduces the startup time by using caching for some crucial information. Fast boot is helpful, but it also causes some issues such as Windows 10 running slow after update. 

Note: this method does not affect the restart process 

Step 1 

Go to the taskbar, click the search icon or search bar, then type control panel. 

Step 2 

Enter the first match. 

Step 3 

In the Control Panel, select the Hardware and Sound option. 

Step 4 

In the Hardware and Sound window, choose Power Options from the right pane. 

Step 5 

In the Power Options window, select Choose what the power buttons do from the left pane. 

Step 6 

In the System Settings, click Change settings that are currently unavailable. 

Step 7 

Now, uncheck the checkbox next to Turn on fast startup (recommended) then click Save Changes. 

This should resolve your Windows 10 running slow after update.  

Method #10: Adjust Virtual Memory 

Virtual memory assists in increasing the responsiveness of any machine. Windows 10 uses virtual memory whenever your system runs on low physical memory (Random Access Memory). Some memory is moved to pagefil.sys to run better. Though, Windows 10 handles this file automatically. However, configuring it manually provides better results such as improved machine performance. 

Step 1 

Press Windows key + R to open Run. 

Step 2 

Type sysdm.cpl into the Run dialog. 

Step 3 

In the System Properties, select the Advanced tab. Under Performance, click Settings. 

Step 4 

In the Performance Options window, select the Advanced tab then click Change under Virtual memory. 

Step 5 

Virtual memory window appears, uncheck the checkbox next to Automatically manage paging file for all drives. 

Step 6 

Choose drive C: 

Step 7 

Click the radio button next to Custom size. Now set the Initial size (MB) to the size of your RAM and Maximum size (MB) to the recommended size. 

Step 8 

Click the OK button. Then restart your computer to enforce changes. 

Method #11: Set High–Performance Power Plan 

The High-Performance mode in Power options helps fix your Windows 10 running slow after update. Here are the steps: 

Step 1 

Go to the taskbar, search for Control Panel in the search box then enter the first option. 

Step 2

In the Control Panel, select the Hardware and Sound option. 

Step 3

In the Hardware and Sound window, choose Power Options from the right pane. 

Step 4

In the Power Options window, click Change plan settings under Balanced.  

Step 5

Set both Turn off the display and Put the computer to sleep to Never. 

Conclusion 

These are the best solutions to fix your Windows 10 running slow after update (1903). If you have any query, suggestion, or you encounter any difficulty while using the above methods, feel free to leave a comment in the comment section below.