How to Clean Boot Windows 11/10 (Find Out What’s Slowing Down Your PC)

Is your Windows 11 computer running slow, apps crashing randomly, or Windows updates failing again and again? Sometimes these issues are caused by background programs or services creating conflicts. Usually, when your Windows PC starts, it loads multiple startup programs and services. If any of them have problems, they can interfere with normal system performance. It could be a third-party app, antivirus software, startup program, or even outdated drivers causing the issue behind the scenes. In such situations, performing a clean boot in Windows 11 can help you identify and fix the problem.

A clean boot starts Windows with only essential Microsoft services and drivers, while disabling all unnecessary background programs. This makes it easier to find which software is causing the issue. Unlike Safe Mode, which limits both drivers and features, a clean boot allows Windows to run normally but without third-party interference. This gives you a better environment to troubleshoot software-related problems on your PC. Let’s take a look at what a clean boot is, how it’s different from safe mode boot, and how to troubleshoot any unusual problem on a Windows PC using a clean boot.

What Is a Clean Boot in Windows?

Microsoft describes A clean boot as a simple way to start your Windows PC with only the essential services and drivers. It temporarily disables all third-party apps and startup programs so you can check whether something in the background is causing problems.

• Only essential Microsoft services run
• All non-Microsoft services are turned off
• Most startup apps are disabled

A clean boot means a clean startup without any third-party services.

It helps you start your computer in a clean environment, where no extra apps are interfering, so you can

• Find which app is causing the issue
• Test your system without third party app or service interference
• Fix problems without uninstalling everything

You can think of it like this:

• Normal start: All apps, services, and extras are loaded.
• Clean boot: Only what Windows really needs to run is loaded.

When to use clean boot?

• To find which app or service is slowing down your PC
• To fix apps that keep crashing
• To troubleshoot Windows updates that fail
• To solve game or software errors caused by other programs

Important to Know: A clean boot does not delete your files or remove apps. It only temporarily disables certain services so you can troubleshoot safely.

How to Perform Clean Boot in Windows 11/10

Before we start with the step and perform a clean boot in Windows 11, here’s what we are going to do and why:

• We will hide Microsoft services and disable the rest so only the important Windows services run.
• We will turn off startup apps so they don’t load in the background.

This helps because:

Many problems come from background apps or services you don’t see. Disabling them in a clean boot lets you see if the problem goes away. If it does, you know one of those apps/services is the cause.

The steps are almost the same for Windows 11 and Windows 10.

Step 1: Open System Configuration

• Press Windows key + R, type msconfig, and press Enter.
• The System Configuration window will open.

Step 2: Disable Non-Microsoft Services

We do this so only Windows’ own essential services run.

1. In System Configuration, click the Services tab.
2. At the bottom, check the box: Hide all Microsoft services.
   • This is very important. It prevents you from disabling important Windows services.
3. Click Disable all. This turns off all non-Microsoft services.
4. Click Apply (but don’t restart yet).

Hiding Microsoft services is important because those are required for Windows to run properly. We only want to turn off extra third‑party services, not core Windows ones.

Step 3: Disable Startup Apps

• In System Configuration, go to the Startup tab.
• Click Open Task Manager.
• In Task Manager, go to the Startup apps (or Startup) tab.
• For each app that is Enabled:
  • Select the app
  • Click Disable at the bottom-right.
• Repeat until all enabled startup apps are Disabled.
• Close Task Manager.

Tip: Make a quick list or take screenshots of apps you disabled. You’ll need this later to turn them back on after troubleshooting.

Step 4: Restart in Clean Boot Mode

1. Back in the System Configuration window, go to the Startup tab and click OK.
2. You’ll see a message asking to restart.
3. Click Restart.

Your PC will now start in a clean boot environment.

Step 5: What to Do After Clean Boot

• Check if the problem is fixed
• If yes → one of the disabled apps/services was causing the issue
• Re-enable services one by one to find the exact culprit

Quick Insight: A clean boot doesn’t fix the issue directly, it helps you identify what’s causing the problem, so you can take the right action.

How to Find the Problem After Clean Boot

Performing a clean boot is only the first step. The real goal is to find which app or service is causing the problem. If your issue disappears after a clean boot, it confirms that a background program is the culprit. Now you need to identify exactly which one.

What we do:

• Turn services back on in small groups
• Restart your PC after each change
• Watch when the problem returns
• Identify the exact app or service causing the issue

Step 1: Identify the Problem

• Press Windows key + R, type msconfig, and press Enter.
• Go to the Services tab.
• Make sure Hide all Microsoft services is checked.
• Now, from the list of remaining services:
  • Enable (check) about half of them.
• Click OK and Restart your PC.

After restart:

• If the problem comes back → the problematic service is in the half you enabled.
• If the problem does not come back → the problematic service is in the other half (still disabled).

Then:

• Go back to msconfig → Services tab → Hide all Microsoft services.
• Work only with the half that contains the problem.
• Enable half of that group again → restart → check the problem.

Repeat this half‑half process until:

• You narrow it down to just one service that, when enabled, causes the issue.

If no service seems to cause the problem:

• Then the cause may be in Startup apps instead.

Step 2: Check Startup Apps

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Go to the Startup apps (or Startup) tab.
3. From the list of disabled items, enable about half of them.
4. Restart Windows.

After restart:

• If the problem appears → the faulty app is in the half you enabled.
• If the problem does not appear → the faulty app is in the other half (still disabled).

Repeat the same half‑half method to narrow down to: The single startup app that causes the problem.

Step 3: What to Do After You Find the Problem App/Service

Once you know which app or service is causing the issue:

• Update it: Visit the official website and download the latest version.
• Change its settings: Sometimes disabling certain features of that app fixes the conflict.
• Uninstall it (if not needed): If you don’t truly need it, uninstalling is often the simplest solution.
• Contact the software support team: Tell them the app only causes problems when its service/startup is enabled.

How to Exit Clean Boot in Windows 11 (Return to Normal Mode)

Once you’ve finished troubleshooting and identified the problem, it’s important to exit clean boot and return Windows to normal mode. Otherwise, some apps and services will remain disabled.

• Step 01: Open the Run dialog (Windows + R), type msconfig, and launch the System Configuration utility
• Step 02: Go to the Services tab, Uncheck (turn off) the box that says Hide all Microsoft services. Click Enable all then apply
• Step 03: Go to the Startup tab in System Configuration, click Open Task Manager, and re-enable the apps you previously disabled and actually want to run at startup.
• Step 04: Close Task Manager, click OK in System Configuration, and restart your computer.

Your computer should now boot in normal mode with all regular services and startup apps.

Clean Boot vs Safe Mode (What’s the Difference?)

Both Clean Boot and Safe Mode are used to troubleshoot problems in Windows, but they work in different ways and are used for different situations.

Clean Boot

• Windows looks mostly normal.
• Only essential Microsoft services are running.
• Most third‑party services and startup apps are turned off.
• You use it mainly to find which app/service is causing a conflict.

Safe Mode

• Windows starts in a very limited state.
• Often the screen resolution is low and the desktop may look different.
• Only basic drivers and core Windows components are loaded.
• It’s used when Windows is very unstable or won’t start properly.

Comparison Table: Clean Boot vs Safe Mode

Use a clean boot when:

• Apps are crashing or not working properly
• Windows updates are failing
• Your PC is slow due to background programs

It helps you find which app or service is causing the problem

Use Safe Mode when:

• Windows is not starting properly
• You’re facing serious errors or system crashes
• You need to remove problematic drivers or malware

It runs Windows in a very limited state for deeper troubleshooting

Conclusion:

By performing a clean boot, you can start Windows in a controlled environment, identify the exact cause of the issue, and fix it step by step. The best part is that it doesn’t delete your files or uninstall programs—it simply helps you find what’s going wrong.

Frequently Asked Questions