Over time, the files on your hard drive become fragmented and your computer slows down because it has to check multiple locations on the drive. To make your computer run more efficiently, you can use the built-in Windows tool to defragment those files. This article will show you how to use Disk Defragmenter in Windows operating system versions.
Note about solid-state drives (SSDs): SSDs work differently than traditional mechanical hard drives . SSDs do not need to be defragmented, and doing so wears out the drive. However, Windows defragments SSDs once a month if necessary and if the user has System Restore set up. You don't need to worry about this because automatic defragmentation is meant to extend the life and performance of the drive.
So with SSDs, let Windows do its thing and you don’t need to worry about defragmentation. You can use the Optimize Drive tool (aka Disk Defragmenter) to perform drive optimization, including sending TRIM commands to optimize performance. However, it doesn’t perform traditional defragmentation on SSDs. For mechanical drives, you can check and fix its fragmentation status.
Using Disk Defragmenter in Windows
Defragmenting is a way to improve performance and make your PC faster, so you should do it regularly. The defragmentation process hasn't changed much in Windows 11 and is almost the same as in Windows 10, so everything should feel very familiar.
Use the defragmentation tool from Windows
1. Click the search icon on the Taskbar.
2. Type defrag in the search box and select Defragment Optimize Drives from the list of results.
3. When the window opens, you will see a list of all your drives and their current defragmentation status.
4. Select the drive you want to analyze and click the Analyze button. If you have an SSD installed, defragmentation will have no effect. You should only perform this procedure on HDDs.
5. Wait for the process to finish.
6. If your drive is fragmented, select it and click Optimize.
7. Wait for the process to finish. Keep in mind that this process may take a while depending on the level of fragmentation.
Windows 11 PCs have a built-in application that you can use to defragment your hard drive. It's called Defragment Optimize Drives and can be used to easily optimize your PC.
As you can see, using the Windows 11 defragmentation tool is simple, but if you want a dedicated tool, the article recommends Smart Defrag for more advanced options.
Using command line tools
1. Press Windows + X and select Windows Terminal (Admin) .
2. To analyze the drive, enter the following command, but remember to replace X with your drive letter:
defrag X: /a
3. Once the scan is complete, you'll see information about your hard drive, including the fragmentation level and a note indicating whether you need to defragment your drive.
4. Now, enter the following command to defragment that drive:
defrag X:
5. Wait for the process to finish.
There are also some hidden commands that may be useful. To defragment all available drives on your PC, use the following command:
defrag /C
To defragment all drives except the specified ones, run this command:
defrag /E X:
Refer to the article When and how to defragment hard drives on Windows 10? to learn how to do it.
To defragment a drive on Windows 8, follow these steps.
Method 1.
Step 1 . Open File Explorer and select Computer .
Step 2. Right-click on the drive you want to optimize and then select Properties .
Step 3 . Click on the Tools tab and then under Optimize and defragment drive , click Optimize .
Step 4. Select the drive you want to defragment and click Optimize .
Method 2.
Step 1. Access the Start menu.
Step 2. Right-click on the Start menu wallpaper to display “ All apps ”.
Step 3. Select All apps , scroll down to find Control Panel and click on it.
Step 4. In the upper right of Control Panel, click the View by drop-down menu (default is Category ), select Large icon or Small icon .
Step 5. Click Administrative Tools. Double-click Defragment and Optimize Drives.
Step 6. Select the drive you want to optimize and click Optimize.
Refer to the article Quickly Defragment Drives in Windows 7 to learn how to do it.
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