Why does the Start menu open faster than my actual programs?

The Start menu is part of the Windows interface and is usually already loaded. Opening a program requires Windows to read its files, load components, and sometimes check for updates or connect to a service. So a responsive Start menu doesn’t rule out a slowdown elsewhere.

Since even small apps have become slower, try this:

1. Restart the PC, then open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc. Under Processes, watch the CPU, Memory, and Disk columns while launching an affected app.
2. If Disk stays near 100%, check which process is using it. Windows Update, antivirus scanning, or cloud syncing could be competing with the app. High disk usage alone doesn’t mean the drive is failing.
3. If memory is nearly full, close unused apps and try again. Under Task Manager → Startup apps, disable only optional apps you recognise and don’t need running at sign-in.

Also compare the first launch after restarting with a second launch after closing the app. A much faster second launch suggests that caching helps and the initial loading is the slow part. If only one program is consistently slow, focus on that app’s add-ins or settings rather than changing Windows as a whole.