How to Defrag Windows 11 PC

Installing Windows software generates data fragmentation, which is spread across the entire drive. When you run the program, Windows searches for fragmented files across different parts of the drive, which takes time and puts more load on the drive.

An HDD slows down because it has to read & write the fragmented data spread across the storage. Defragging is simply a process of reorganizing the fragmented data on a drive by filling the storage gaps. As a result, the hard disk drive gets better read & write speed.

How to Defrag a Hard Drive on Windows 11?

If you want to improve the performance of a drive, you need to defragment it. Here’s what you need to do.

1. Open Defragment and Optimize Drives from the Windows search.

2. Select the drive you want to optimize.

3. Click on the Analyze button.

4. The Optimise Drives tool will show you the fragmentation percentage. Click on Optimize.

How to Schedule Drive Optimization?

You can also set a schedule to optimize the drive.

1. Click on the Change Settings button on the Optimize Drives tool.

2. Check the Run on a schedule (recommended).

3. Set the schedule to run Optimize Drives.

4. Click on the Choose button beside Drives.

5. Select the drives that you’d like to optimize. You should check the Automatically optimize new drives as well.

6. Once done, click OK and then OK again to save the schedule.

How to Defrag a Drive Using Command Prompt?

If you’re unable to access the Optimize Drives tool, you can defrag a drive from the Command Prompt. Here’s what you need to do.

1. Type Command Prompt in the Windows 11 Search. Right-click on the Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.

2. Execute the given command:

Defrag [Drive letter]

Important: Make sure to replace [Drive Letter] with the letter assigned to the drive you want to defrag.

3. Wait until the process is complete. The process may take a while to complete.

4. If you would like to optimize an SSD, execute this command:

Defrag [Drive letter] /L

Important: Make sure to replace [Drive Letter] with the letter assigned to the drive you want to defrag.

After executing these commands, close the command prompt and restart your Windows 11 PC. This will defrag your Windows 11.

As you see, defragging a hard drive on Windows 11 is super easy. You can defrag a drive when there’s more than 10 percent defragmentation.