Dealing with a slow Surface laptop is so exasperating. Why is your Surface laptop running slow for no reason? Take it easy! In this comprehensive guide from MiniTool Solution, we will explore 10 ways to make your Microsoft Surface laptop run faster.

Why Is My Surface Laptop Running so Slow?

Microsoft Surface is one of the best representations of modern Copilot+ PCs, laptops, 2-in1s, and computers of high quality and versatility. Like computers of other brands, the system performance of your Surface Go, Surface Pro, Surface Book, Surface Studio and more might also be downgraded over time, which can significantly impact your enjoyment.

For example, it might take much longer than ever to load a webpage, download a file, or launch a program. Why is your Surface laptop running slow? Here’s a list of possible causes:

  • Overheating.
  • Accumulated junk files.
  • Insufficient disk space or memory.
  • Outdated operating system, drivers, and software.
  • Running too many processes simultaneously.
  • Opening numerous browser tabs.
  • Using a traditional hard drive.

In most cases, your Surface laptop is overburdened with too many resource-demanding tasks, so it’s time for it to have a rest. Try to move your Surface laptop to a cooler location for a few moments to ventilate the hot air and then restart it. If it is still sluggish, the following workarounds are well worth a go.

Also see: Microsoft Surface Go vs Pro: Which One Should I Buy

How to Speed up Surface Laptop?

Fix 1: Upgrade HDD or SSD with MiniTool ShadowMaker

Nowadays, most Surface laptops come with a solid-state drive (SSD). However, if the storage capacity is becoming a recurring issue, you can choose to upgrade to a larger SSD. Although it might be a little expensive, the boost in speed and responsiveness it brings is worth the investment.

When it comes to SSD upgrade, MiniTool ShadowMaker is most Windows users’ go-to choice. It is a piece of free PC backup software for Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7. This program provides both basic and advanced features to ensure the safety of your system and data.

The Clone Disk feature enables you to migrate a data drive, system drive, upgrade a hard disk, or replace the old disk with a larger one. No matter if you are running the system on a traditional HDD or an SSD, MiniTool ShadowMaker can meet your needs. Cloning HDD to SSD is a top choice for the former, while the latter might need to clone SSD to larger SSD for more storage space. In this way, you can migrate your system and data to the new disk without reinstalling the OS from scratch.

Now, let me show you how to clone a disk with this program:

Step 1. Launch MiniTool ShadowMaker and hit Keep Trial to enter its main interface.

MiniTool ShadowMaker TrialClick to Download100%Clean & Safe

Step 2. Head to the Tools page and click on Clone Disk.

hit Clone Disk in the Tools page
Tips:
Most of the time, it’s advised to keep the default settings in Options. If you need to make some changes, go to Options to configure clone disk mode and disk ID.

Step 3. Then, you need to specify the old HDD/SSD as the source disk and the new SSD as the target disk.

choose the old disk as the source disk in MiniTool ShadowMaker

Step 4. After making your decision, click on Start to begin this process. Since the source disk is a system disk, you need to register the software and upgrade to a more advanced plan.

Tips:
How to deal with the old disk after cloning? If you intend to sell it or give it to others, don’t forget to wipe it to avoid privacy leaks. Also, you can choose to continue using it as a secondary data drive, it requires a format and repartition.
What If Cloned Drive/SSD Won’t Boot Windows 11/10/8/7? Fix It!
What If Cloned Drive/SSD Won’t Boot Windows 11/10/8/7? Fix It!

If you run into the case – cloned drive won’t boot Windows 11/10/8/7, how to fix it? This post shows you multiple fixes to help you out.

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Fix 2: Modify Power Mode

Usually, Windows sets all the computers to a balanced power plan to balance power consumption and system performance. To make Surface laptop run faster, the power mode slider should be set to Better performance or Best performance. Here’s how to optimize the power usage on your PC:  

Step 1. Open Windows Settings and go to System.

Step 2. In the Power & sleep tab, drag the slider to Better performance or Best performance.

drag the slider to Better performance or Best performance under Performance and Energy
Tips:
Resetting your power plan to the factory default might also do the trick. Get 3 methods from this guide – How to Restore Power Plans Settings to Default on Windows 10/11.

Fix 3: Run Surface Diagnostic Toolkit

Surface Diagnostic Toolkit is tailored to uncover and solve problems related to hardware, software, and firmware on your device. If you suspect a software glitch or hardware malfunction is the culprit of Surface laptop running slow, consider running this tool to identify and repair the issues on your PC. To do so:

Step 1. Launch Surface Diagnostic Toolkit. If you don’t download it, you can get it from Microsoft Store.

Step 2. Then, you can either choose Run all tests or Select actions as per your needs.

run tests withSurface Diagnostic Toolkit to scan for hardware malfunction and software glitch

Step 3. Follow the guidelines on the screen to complete the rest process. Once done, restart your computer to inspect if Surface laptop running slow is gone.

Fix 4: Close Unnecessary Resource- Hogging Processes

To run your Surface laptop smoothly, make sure you’re not running too many programs simultaneously. Meanwhile, some processes might be running in the background without your knowledge, they might also consume a significant amount of system resources. In this case, terminating them can reduce the load of your computer. To do so:

Step 1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc altogether to open Task Manager.

Step 2. In the Processes tab, you can see a list of running programs on your computer and the CPU, disk, or memory they use. Locate these resource-intensive processes and then right-click on them one by one to choose End task.

hit End task in Task Manager to close unnecessary programs

Fix 5: Perform Disk Cleanup

Over time, your computer might accumulate redundant files like temporary files, old downloaded files and so forth. Therefore, it’s a good option to run Disk Cleanup to delete them so as to free up more disk space. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1. Press Win + R to open the Run box.

Step 2. Type cleanmgr and then hit Enter.

Step 3. Select the drive you want to clean up and tap on OK.

Step 4. Tick the files you want to remove and hit OK to start the process.

tick the files you want to clean up in Disk Cleanup

Also see: Is Windows 11/10 Disk Cleanup Not Working? See How to Do

Fix 6: Increase Virtual Memory Manually

With virtual memory, your system can load larger or more processes running at the same time. When your Surface laptop is reaching its maximum RAM usage, the virtual memory can simulate more RAM for you. If your computer is low on memory, follow these guidelines:

Step 1. Open the Run box.

Step 2. Type sysdm.cpl and hit Enter to launch System Properties.

Step 3. Then, navigate to the Advanced tab and press Settings under Performance.

Step 4. In the Advance section of Performance Options, hit Change under Virtual memory.

Step 5. Uncheck Automatically manage paging file size for all drives > tick Custom size > enter the initial size and maximum size > hit Set.

customize initial size and maximum size for virtual memory
Tips:
According to Microsoft, the virtual memory should be set at no less than 1.5 times and no more than 3 times the amount of physical RAM on your Windows device.

Step 6. Save all the changes you’ve made.  

Fix 7: Disable Visual Effects

Although the visual effects in Windows look great, they can take up additional system resources, leading to Surface laptop running slow. This is especially true if you have a computer with a small amount of memory. Consequently, it’s better to sacrifice aesthetics to speed up your Microsoft Surface. Here’s how to disable visual effects:

Step 1. Press Win + S to evoke the search bar.

Step 2. Type adjust the appearance and performance of Windows and select the best match.

Step 3. In the Visual Effects section, tick Adjust for best performance.

tick Adjust for best performance under Visual Effects

Step 4. Click on Apply & OK.

Fix 8: Defragment Hard Drives

The defragmented data on hard drives can also downgrade the system performance. To re-group the files and data on your computer, defragmenting your hard drive can satisfy your needs. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1. Type defragment in the search bar and select Defragment and Optimize Drives.

Step 2. Choose a fragmented drive and click on Optimize to start the process.

select a hard drive you need to defrag and hit Optimize
Tips:
For SSD users, make sure to enable Trim for the SSD. See this guide - How to TRIM Your SSD Manually to get more detailed instructions.

Fix 9: Limit Startup Programs

Each program that launches at startup consumes system resources including CPU, disk, and memory, so having too many startup programs can result in longer boot time and decreased system performance while using other programs. You can go to Task Manager to manage your startup programs and disable unnecessary ones from starting up with your Surface laptop. To do so:

Step 1. Right-click on the taskbar and select Task Manager from the context menu.

Step 2. Navigate to the Startup tab to view a list of programs that launch during startup. Find the programs that you don’t use regularly or that aren’t essential for your system’s operation and right-click on them to choose Disable.

disable unnecessary startup programs in Task Manager

Fix 10: Update the OS, Drivers, and Software

Keeping your system up-to-date can also contribute to a faster and more efficient Surface laptop. Microsoft periodically rolls out some updates to optimize performance, function, and security for your computer. Meanwhile, some optional updates like device driver updates are included in Windows Update. Follow these instructions below to check if there is an available update:

Step 1. Press Win + I to open Windows Settings.

Step 2. Head to Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for updates. Then, it will start to search for, download, and install any pending updates for you.

hit Check for updates to find an available Windows update

In terms of an app update, you can open the software and go to its settings or help to check for any available updates.

What Will Happen If You Shut Down Your Computer While Updating?
What Will Happen If You Shut Down Your Computer While Updating?

Is it safe to turn off PC during a Windows update? What happens if you turn off your computer during an update? Let’s find out!

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Tips:
Some of you might get fed up with finding out the root cause for Surface laptop running slow. To help you free from PC performance loss, MiniTool System Booster can save your day. Get the free trial to optimize your computer to its full potential now!

MiniTool System Booster TrialClick to Download100%Clean & Safe

We Need Your Voice

It’s important to note that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to speed up your Surface laptop. The best bet depends on the specific issues affecting your computer’s system performance. At the same time, we introduce 2 tools – MiniTool ShadowMaker and MiniTool System Booster to inject some life into a slow Surface laptop.

For any suggestions or problems with our product, you can contact our support team via [email protected]. Any feedback will be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

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