Can Windows Updates Slow Down Your Computer?

Windows updates are generally intended to improve the security and stability of your computer by providing bug fixes, patches, and new features. However, in some cases, an update may cause performance problems, such as slowing down your PC.

This falls under two categories:

• Temporary performance issues due to the update process itself.
• Long-term performance issues due to increased system requirements.

Why is my computer so slow after an update?

The most common causes of system slowdowns from updates are as follows:

• Post-update tasks – After installing Windows updates, your computer may perform post-update tasks, such as indexing files, reorganizing data, or rebuilding caches. These tasks can temporarily impact system performance but won’t last forever. If you have only just completed the update, give it an hour or so before worrying about slowdowns.
• Compatibility issues – Windows updates may introduce changes that can potentially cause compatibility issues with certain hardware drivers or software programs. For example, if a driver is not fully compatible with a new Windows update, it may cause performance issues or conflicts, leading to a temporary slowdown. You may have to wait a while, but this should be fixed when a new driver is available from the manufacturer.
• Rare bugs – Sometimes Windows updates may have unforeseen bugs that can harm system performance. If the problem is widespread, it is typically identified and addressed by Microsoft through subsequent updates or patches.

Windows Updates and system requirements

Standard Windows updates rarely require a significant increase in system resources like processing power or memory, but it’s not unheard of.

For example, the update may introduce new graphics-intensive features that require a more powerful GPU, or a security update may require additional memory to handle new security protocols.

Similarly, an update may require additional disk space to accommodate larger system files or to store temporary files during the update process.

You will notice this more if your system is already struggling with the operating system.

The biggest increases are seen when Microsoft releases a whole new version of the operating system. For example, many users cannot upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 because their computer doesn’t meet the minimum requirements.

While there are some tricks to installing Windows 11 anyway, it’s advised not to do this because of potential slowdowns and instability.

Use a tune-up tool

Before you attempt to roll back to a previous update, it is always a good idea to run a Windows tune-up tool like Fortect. This will ensure there are no errors in the system and it’s free of junk files that could also be impacting performance.

1. Download and Install Fortect on your PC.
2. Run the program and accept a scan, which takes less than 5 minutes.
3. Click Start Repair (after product activation) to repair all Windows problems.
4. Wait for the process to complete and restart your PC.

If the system is still slow, you can undo the update and go back to when everything was running smoothly.

Rollback Windows Update

Windows has a built-in rollback feature, so you can easily reverse most updates by going to System and then clicking on Windows Update.

1. Click on the View update history
2. Click on the Uninstall updates link to open the Control Panel window, which shows a list of all the installed updates on the system.
3. Locate the update that you want to rollback, right-click and select Uninstall.
4. Follow the prompts and wait for the process to complete and restart your computer.

The rollback option is not available for every update and depends on the type of update and how long it was installed.

Use System Restore

If the option doesn’t work, you can try going back to a restore point before the update was applied.

1. Search Recovery in the Windows search bar and open the app.
2. Click the Create a restore point link and click through to view the list of restore points.
3. Choose a restore point from before the update was installed.
4. Follow the prompts to confirm the process and wait for your computer to restart.

In some rare cases, Windows updates can slow down your computer even after all background tasks have been completed. This might be due to compatibility issues, rare bugs, or increased system requirements. You should use a tune up tool like Fortect to make sure other issues aren’t slowing your system.

Fortunately, you can easily undo most updates or use a restore point to go back to a state prior to the update.