How can I make my scan speeds faster?
There are multiple applications and settings that are installed and enabled by default that can affect scan speeds. Many of these can be uninstalled/disabled to make your computer faster in general, and speed up your scans in particular.
We have found that various AI features as a whole, such as Copilot and Cortana, are having the biggest impact on scan speeds.
Important Reminder: You should consult your IT team or an IT professional before making any changes to your computer.
Applications
Settings
Additional Settings
Applications
Below is a list of applications that may have come pre-installed on your computer. Even though you may not be actively using these applications, they may still be running and using up system resources. This list is not all-inclusive and we do not recommend removing anything that you are actively using. There may be other applications that you can remove as well. You can find and remove installed applications from the following location on your computer.
Start Menu > Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
| Name | Description | Source |
| 3D Builder | Basic 3D modeling software | Microsoft |
| 3D Viewer | Viewer for 3D models | Microsoft |
| ACG Media Player | Media player app | Third Party |
| Actipro Software | Potentially UI controls or software components, often bundled by OEMs | Third Party |
| Adobe Photoshop Express | Basic photo editing app from Adobe | Third Party |
| Asphalt 8 | Racing game | Third Party |
| Autodesk SketchBook | Digital drawing and sketching app | Third Party |
| Bing Finance | Finance news and tracking via Bing (Discontinued) | Microsoft |
| Bing Food And Drink | Recipes and food news via Bing (Discontinued) | Microsoft |
| Bing Health And Fitness | Health and fitness tracking/news via Bing (Discontinued) | Microsoft |
| Bing News | News aggregator via Bing (Replaced by Microsoft News/Start) | Microsoft |
| Bing Sports | Sports news and scores via Bing (Discontinued) | Microsoft |
| Bing Travel | Travel planning and news via Bing (Discontinued) | Microsoft |
| Bing Weather | Weather forecast via Bing | Microsoft |
| Bubble Witch 3 | Puzzle game from King | Third Party |
| Caesars Slots | Casino slot machine game | Third Party |
| Candy Crush Saga | Puzzle game from King | Third Party |
| Candy Crush Soda | Puzzle game from King | Third Party |
| Clipchamp | Video editor from Microsoft | Microsoft |
| Cooking Fever | Restaurant simulation game | Third Party |
| Copilot | AI assistant integrated into Windows | Microsoft |
| Copilot+ AI Hub | Copilot+ AI Hub app (Windows 11 24H2+) | Microsoft |
| Cortana | Microsoft Cortana voice assistant (Discontinued) | Microsoft |
| Dev Home | Developer dashboard and tool configuration utility (Discontinued) | Microsoft |
| Disney | General Disney content app (may vary by region/OEM, often Disney+) | Third Party |
| Disney Magic Kingdoms | Disney theme park building game | Third Party |
| Drawboard PDF | PDF viewing and annotation app, often focused on pen input | Third Party |
| Duolingo | Language learning app | Third Party |
| Eclipse Manager | Often related to specific OEM software or utilities (e.g. for managing screen settings) | Third Party |
| FarmVille 2 | Farming simulation game | Third Party |
| Feedback Hub | App for providing feedback to Microsoft on Windows | Microsoft |
| Fitbit | Fitbit activity tracker companion app | Third Party |
| News and social network aggregator styled as a magazine | Third Party | |
| Get Started | Tips and introductory guide for Windows (Cannot be uninstalled in Windows 11) | Microsoft |
| Hidden City | Hidden object puzzle adventure game | Third Party |
| Hulu | Hulu streaming service app | Third Party |
| Live Wallpaper | Live wallpaper app | Third Party |
| March of Empires | Strategy game | Third Party |
| Messaging | Messaging app, often integrates with Skype (Largely discontinued) | Microsoft |
| Microsoft Journal | Digital note-taking app optimized for pen input | Microsoft |
| Microsoft News | News aggregator (Replaced Bing News, now part of Microsoft Start) | Microsoft |
| Microsoft PC Manager | Microsoft PC Manager system cleanup and optimization tool (often preinstalled) | Microsoft |
| Microsoft To Do | To-do list and task management app | Microsoft |
| Mixed Reality Portal | Portal for Windows Mixed Reality headsets | Microsoft |
| Movies & TV | Movies & TV app for renting/buying/playing video content (Rebranded as "Films & TV") | Microsoft |
| Netflix | Netflix streaming service app | Third Party |
| Network Speed Test | Internet connection speed test utility | Microsoft |
| NYT Crossword | New York Times crossword puzzle app | Third Party |
| One Calendar | Calendar aggregation app | Third Party |
| One Connect | Mobile Operator management app (Replaced by Mobile Plans) | Microsoft |
| Pandora | Pandora music streaming app | Third Party |
| Phototastic Collage | Photo collage creation app | Third Party |
| PicsArt | Photo editing and creative app | Third Party |
| Plex | Media server and player app | Third Party |
| Polarr Photo Editor | Photo editing app (Academic Edition) | Third Party |
| Power Automate | Desktop automation tool (RPA) | Microsoft |
| Power BI | Business analytics service client | Microsoft |
| Prime Video | Amazon Prime Video streaming service app | Third Party |
| Print 3D | 3D printing preparation software | Microsoft |
| Quick Assist | Remote assistance tool | Microsoft |
| Royal Revolt | Tower defense / strategy game | Third Party |
| Shazam | Music identification app | Third Party |
| Skype (UWP) | Skype communication app, Universal Windows Platform version (Discontinued) | Microsoft |
| Sling TV | Live TV streaming service app | Third Party |
| Solitaire Collection | Collection of solitaire card games | Microsoft |
| Sound Recorder | Basic audio recording app | Microsoft |
| Sway | Presentation and storytelling app | Microsoft |
| TuneIn Radio | Internet radio streaming app | Third Party |
| Viber | Messaging and calling app | Third Party |
| Windows Maps | Mapping and navigation app | Microsoft |
| Wunderlist | To-do list app (Acquired by Microsoft, functionality moved to Microsoft To Do) | Third Party |
| Xbox Console Companion | Old Xbox Console Companion App (Discontinued) | Microsoft |
| Professional networking platform popular in German-speaking countries | Third Party |
Settings
Below is a list of settings that are enabled by default within Windows that we recommend disabling. Some of these do have a higher impact on overall computer performance than others. Again, this list is not all-inclusive and you should consult your IT team or an IT professional before making any such changes.
| Suggestion: | Impact: | How: |
| Disable AI Features in Edge. (Similar features should be disabled in any and all browsers on your computer) |
High | In Microsoft Edge, navigate to Settings > AI innovations and toggle off Copilot mode. Remove the sidebar icon via Settings > Appearance > Show Copilot button, and disable writing assistant tools under Settings > Languages. |
| Disable ads, suggestions and the MSN news feed in Microsoft Edge. | Low | In Microsoft Edge, open a new tab, click the gear icon (page settings) in the top-right corner, select Custom, and set "Content" to Content off. Additionally, toggle off "Show sponsor sites" or "Show feed" options within this menu to remove promotional links. |
| Prevent AI service (WSAIFabricSvc) from starting automatically. | High | Open 'Services.msc' then locate WSAIFabricSvc and double click it. Change startup type to Manual and Stop it if it's currently running. |
| Remove or replace all pinned apps from the start menu. | Low | Open Start menu, right click pinned icons and select Unpin from Start to remove all but essential apps |
| Turn off Enhance Pointer Precision, also known as mouse acceleration. | Low | Settings > Accessibility > Mouse > Related Settings: Mouse, Here, disable the Enhanced Pointer Precision option |
| Disable animations and visual effects. | Medium | Settings > Accessibility > Visual effects, Disable Transparency effects and Animation effects options |
| Disable Microsoft Store app suggestions in Windows search. | High | Settings > Apps > Advanced app settings, change 'Choose where to get apps' to 'Anywhere' |
| Disable Xbox Game Bar integration & game/screen recording. This also disables ms-gamingoverlay/ms-gamebar popups if you uninstall the Xbox Game Bar. | High | Settings > Gaming > Game Bar, disable all options here |
| Disable transparency effects | Medium | Settings > Personalization > Colors, disable Transparency effects option |
| Disable 'Windows Spotlight' desktop background option. | Medium | Settings > Personalization > Lock Screen, Change Lock Screen Status to None |
| Disable 'Windows Spotlight' and tips & tricks on the lock screen. | Low | Settings > Personalization > Lock Screen, Set the Lock screen to an option other than Windows Spotlight |
| Hide the recommended section in the start menu. | Low | Settings > Personalization > Start, disable the recently added, recommended files in Start and tips/shortcuts options |
| Hide the 'All Apps' section in the start menu. | Low | Settings > Personalization > Start, disable the Show most used apps option |
| Hide the search icon/box on the taskbar. | Low | Settings > Personalization > Taskbar, set the 'Search' option to 'Hide' |
| Hide the taskview button from the taskbar. | Low | Settings > Personalization > Taskbar, set the 'Task View' option to disabled |
| Disable widgets on the taskbar & lock screen. | Medium | Settings > Personalization > Taskbar, set the 'Widgets' option to disabled |
| Disable telemetry, diagnostic data, activity history, app-launch tracking & targeted ads. | Medium | Settings > Privacy & security > Diagnostics & feedback > Disable "Send optional diagnostic data" |
| Disable Find My Device location tracking. | Medium | Settings > Privacy & Security > Find My Device |
| Disable Windows location services & app location access. | Medium | Settings > Privacy & Security > Location, turn off all options |
| Disable tips, tricks, suggestions & ads across Windows. | Medium | Settings > Privacy & Security > Recommendations & Offers, turn off everything they don't actively need |
| Disable local Windows search history. | High | Settings > Privacy & Security > Search, disable the 'Search History' option |
| Disable Search Highlights (dynamic/branded content) in the taskbar search box. | High | Settings > Privacy & Security > Search, disable the 'Show search highlights' option |
| Disable the Drag Tray for sharing & moving files. | Medium | Settings > System > Nearby Sharing, Here, disable the Drag Tray option |
| Disable sharing of downloaded updates with other PCs, also known as Delivery Optimization. | Medium | Settings > Windows Update > Advanced Options > Delivery Optimization, disable this feature or ensure it is only set for devices on the local network |
| Prevent Windows from getting updates as soon as they're available. | Medium | Settings > Windows Update > Advanced Options, disable the 'Get me up to date' option |
| Prevent automatic restarts after updates while signed in. | Medium | Settings > Windows Update > Advanced Options, enable the 'Notify me when a restart is required to finish updating' option |
Additional Settings
There are additional settings that are enabled by default that we recommend disabling as well. However, we recommend contacting your IT team or an IT professional to assist you with disabling these features.
| Suggestion: | Impact: |
| Change if tabs are shown when snapping or pressing Alt+Tab. | Medium |
| Disable AI Features in Notepad. | High |
| Disable AI Features in Paint. | High |
| Disable Bing web search & Copilot integration in Windows search. | High |
| Disable fast start-up to ensure a full shutdown. | High |
| Disable network connectivity during Modern Standby to reduce battery drain. | High |
| Disable Snap Assist suggestions when snapping a window. | Medium |
| Disable Snap Layout suggestions when dragging windows to the top of screen and when hovering on the maximize button. | Medium |
| Disable the Phone Link mobile devices integration in the start menu. | Medium |
| Disable window snapping. | Medium |
| Disable Windows Recall. | High |
| Hide duplicate removable drive entries from the File Explorer navigation pane, so only the entry under 'This PC' remains. | Low |
| Hide Microsoft 365 ads on the Settings 'Home' page, or hide the 'Home' page entirely. | Low |
| Hide the 'Include in library', 'Give access to' and 'Share' options from the context menu. | Medium |
| Hide the 3D objects, music or OneDrive folder from the File Explorer navigation pane. | Low |
| Hide the chat (meet now) icon from the taskbar. | Medium |
| Hide the Home or Gallery section from the File Explorer navigation pane. | Low |