Windows’ default settings prioritize appearance over speed, but this can slow down your old machine. The culprit? Animations, shadows, and transparency effects that are easy to miss. Disabling these visual flourishes in the Performance Options window can give you a second wind, especially on older laptops. By turning off unnecessary effects, you’ll notice menus snap open faster, apps launch quicker, and your system feels lighter.
When you first disable all visual effects, it may look plain, but you can tweak it to bring back polish without slowing things down. The Performance Options menu allows you to turn specific effects back on, like Smooth edges of screen fonts or Show thumbnails in File Explorer. These small adjustments can make a big difference in performance and user experience.
By making this simple switch, you’ll be able to enjoy a faster Windows laptop without needing expensive upgrades.
Source: https://www.makeuseof.com/set-old-windows-laptop-for-best-performance