Getting more out of an old PC used to mean digging through menus and guessing which settings mattered. Windows now puts the useful ones in plain view, but none of them replace better hardware.

Where these tweaks help

Stop programs from launching at startup. Every app that starts with Windows can keep using memory and processor time while you play. Right-click the Start button, open Task Manager, and pick the Startup apps tab, which shows how much each app affects startup. Switching off a chat app or launcher you rarely use is an easy first cut.

Switch your power mode. Windows has a power mode setting that trades battery life and heat for speed. On Windows 11, go to Settings, System, Power & battery, and choose Best performance. On Windows 10, click the battery icon and drag the slider, though Microsoft says that option isn’t available on every Windows 10 PC. On a laptop, expect more fan noise and shorter battery life.

Try Game Mode. This Windows feature is meant to give your game more system resources. Microsoft says it can give steadier frame rates, especially when your PC is stretched thin. Player reports are mixed, though, and some people say it caused stutter on their setups. Find it under Settings, Gaming, Game Mode, then test a game you know well with it on and off.

Update your graphics driver, then lower the resolution. A driver is the software that lets Windows talk to your graphics hardware, and the maker’s own site is the place to get updates. Intel offers a free tool called Intel Driver & Support Assistant, and NVIDIA and AMD publish their own driver software. If a game still struggles, drop its resolution first, since fewer pixels means less work for your graphics chip.

Where it falls short

These tweaks free up resources, but they can’t add power that isn’t there. If a game’s minimum requirements are beyond your hardware, no setting will fix that. Change one thing at a time and test after each change, so you know what actually helped. Some tweaks can backfire, like Game Mode on certain setups, so note the original setting before you change it.

Stay safe

Be wary of “booster” or “optimizer” programs that promise free frames. The settings above are already built into Windows, so you don’t need them to get started, and a random download is a bigger risk than a slow game. Get drivers only from the hardware maker’s official site. Also keep in mind that Microsoft ended support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, meaning no more free security updates, so an older PC deserves extra care online.

A good starting point

Open Task Manager, go to Startup apps, and switch off one or two programs you don’t need at launch. Restart, play your usual game for a few minutes, and see if it feels smoother.