Windows has a reputation for slowing downwards your computer over time. Admittedly, Windows ten is much better than its predecessors, simply the problem however occurs.

Thankfully, you can speed up a hard disk using HDD optimization apps; a few different tools are available.

In this commodity, we're going to look at which utilities can improve the speed and efficiency of a hard disk. Go along reading to learn more.

1. Windows Optimize Drives

windows 10 optimize drives

Let's brainstorm with a mention of a native Windows tool—Optimize Drives. It tin can analyze your system for defragmentation problems, then fix any problems it finds.

Unless you'd fiddled with the settings, it should already be running on an automatic schedule. To check, head to Start > Windows Authoritative Tools > Defragment and Optimize drives.

Highlight the drive you want to gear up, and then click either Clarify or Optimize, depending on the office y'all desire to carry out. To brand certain the scheduling is ready correctly, click on Change settings and tick the box adjacent to Run on schedule.

Performing disk defragmentation is less disquisitional on SSDs than HDDs, but Microsoft still recommends running the tool once per month. In fact, you shouldn't defrag your SSD, as information technology only increases wear and tear, and the SSD has congenital-in tools for file management.

2. Disk SpeedUp

disk speedup hard drive speed

Disk SpeedUp is a third-party tool that can boost an HDD's speed. It volition clarify, defragment, and optimize any drives that are connected to your auto.

It has a few more than features than the native Windows tool. For example, Disk SpeedUp tin can automatically shut downward your reckoner afterward the defrag procedure is complete. You could fire it upwardly before yous get to bed and come up back to a fresh computer in the morning.

Deejay SpeedUp as well has better visuals than the Windows tool. The defrag map is more than intuitive, and in that location are more graphs and data for you to dig into.

Anecdotally, many users accept claimed that Disk SpeedUp is faster than the Windows tool. Naturally, your mileage may vary.

Download: Disk SpeedUp (Free)

3. Windows Device Manager

windows write cache

If yous want to increase a deejay'south read/write speed, another Windows tool worth using is Device Manager. You lot can use it to brand certain Write Caching is turned on.

Write caching lets your estimator shop data in a cache before information technology is written to the hard drive. Because a computer tin write data to a cache much more quickly than to a difficult bulldoze, the hard bulldoze'southward overall read/write performance is improved.

Remember, notwithstanding, that information in a cache is only temporary. If your figurer suffers from a sudden power loss and the data in the cache has not been transferred to your hard drive, you will lose it.

To turn on write caching on Windows, follow these steps:

  1. Right-click the Start menu and select Device Director.
  2. Aggrandize theDeejay drivesmenu.
  3. Right-click on the bulldoze you want to change.
  4. Click on Properties.
  5. Select the Policies tab at the height of the new window.
  6. Mark the checkbox next to Enable write caching on the device.

iv. IOBit Advanced SystemCare

iobit advanced care

An important aspect of giving your HDD a boost is to make sure your organization stays "make clean." That means yous need to stay on top of temporary and duplicate files, make sure your RAM and CPU usage is optimized, and keep your registry every bit tidy as possible.

One tool that can perform all those HDD optimization tasks is IOBit Advanced SystemCare. A complimentary version and a paid version both exist. The free version includes all the features nosotros only mentioned. The $xx paid version adds deeper registry cleaning, real-time monitoring, browser optimization, and organisation boot optimization.

Download: IOBit Advanced SystemCare (Free, paid version available)

5. Razer Cortex

razer cortex speed up hard drive

If you're wondering how to speed upwards a difficult deejay fifty-fifty further, check out Razer Cortex. The tool is specifically designed for PC gamers who want to clasp every drop of juice out of their systems. It tin can help you attain higher frames per second and reduce game loading times.

The HDD optimizer is carve up into ii parts—System Booster and Game Booster. They combine to requite an HDD boost to all users.

The system part of the tool will clean junk files, your browser history, and your system cache. The gaming part volition defragment game files (as long as they on an HDD rather than an SSD), optimize your organisation's configuration for gaming, and disable groundwork processes that tin touch on a game's performance.

Download: Razer Cortex (Free)

6. Windows Disk Direction

disk management partition manager windows

The final native Windows utility that tin can amend the speed and efficiency of a hd is Disk Management. You can use information technology to repartition your drives.

Using a greater number of partitions is one of the most oftentimes disregarded means to speed up a hard drive. Broadly speaking, the more partitions you use, the more organized your data is. Equally a result, an HDD's caput does non need to move as far to access the data, and thus, read times are reduced.

To repartition a hard drive using Disk Management, follow the steps below:

  1. Right-click the Offset menu.
  2. Select Deejay Management to open up the tool.
  3. Right-click on a drive and select Shrink Volume.
  4. Right-click on the freed-up space and choose New Unproblematic Volume.
  5. Choose how big you want to make the new volume.
  6. Select the drive letter for the new volume.
  7. Cull a file system for the new volume.
  8. Click on Cease.

The new volume volition appear in File Explorer > This PC.

seven. Ashampoo WinOptimizer

The final tool that tin requite your hd a health increase is Ashampoo WinOptimizer. The tool brands itself equally a "Swiss army for your PC." Information technology's a fair description.

In terms of improving hard drive health, information technology tin can schedule maintenance and optimization tasks, scan for junk files, fix cleaved registry entries, and make clean your browser cookies. The tool offers both a one-click gear up and user-controlled corrections.

Separately, you can add together boosted modules to the app. There are 38 to choose from, covering tasks such as service management, start-up tuning, process management, privacy tuning, and much more.

Download: Ashampoo WinOptimizer (Free)

More Tips on How to Speed Upward a Difficult Drive

The seven tools we've explained in this article volition go a long way towards speeding up your difficult drive. They can give both SSDs and HDDs a boost.

Permit us know on Twitter which tool works all-time for you.