How to speed up file copying in Windows 11: Complete Guide

Last update: 22/02/2025
Author Daniel Terrasa

  • Optimizing network and storage settings improves copy speed.
  • Using advanced tools like Robocopy or NTFS can speed up transfers.
  • Selecting the right hardware, such as SSD and USB 3.0, is key to improving performance.
How to speed up file copying in Windows 11-8

Many times, at copy files in windows 11, we realize that the process is incredibly slow. This can be frustrating, especially when working with large files or needing to move large amounts of data quickly. Is it possible to speed up file copying in Windows 11 in any way?

The answer is yes. There are several ways to optimize file transfer speed in the system. From changes in Windows settings to the use of specialized tools and hardware improvements. We explain it all here.

Why is file transfer slow in Windows 11?

Before we look at what to do to speed up file copying in Windows 11, it's important to understand The most common causes that result in slow file transfer. These are some of them:

  • Problems with the network: If you transfer files over a network connection, poor settings or limited bandwidth can affect speed.
  • Using old hard drives: HDDs are considerably slower than modern SSDs.
  • File system limitations: If you use a FAT32 format instead of NTFS, you may notice a reduction in speed.
  • Background apps: Having many applications open can consume resources and slow down file copying.
  • Old USB ports: Using a USB 2.0 port instead of USB 3.0 or higher limits the transfer speed.
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How to speed up file copying in Windows 11

Optimizing bandwidth to speed up transfers

Windows 11 reserves a part of the network bandwidth, which may affect the transfer speed. To reduce this impact, we can modify the reservable bandwidth settings as follows:

  1. First, we press Windows + R, in the box we write gpedit.msc and press Enter.
  2. Then we access «Team setup».
  3. Let "Administrative Templates".
  4. There we select "Net".
  5. Next, we go to the option "QoS Packet Scheduler".
  6. We double click on «Limit reservable bandwidth» and we activate the option.
  7. Finally, we reduce the bandwidth limit percentage or leave it at 0 to maximize speed.

Update drivers and improve hardware settings

Having outdated drivers can lead to performance issues. Making sure we're using the latest versions of storage and USB drivers is one of the best things we can do to speed up file copying in Windows 11. Here's what to do:

  1. First we open the Device administrator with the keyboard shortcut Windows + X.
  2. Then we expanded the section «Universal Serial Bus Controllers» and we update the USB drivers.
  3. If we have external storage, we verify that the drivers on your hard drive or SSD are updated.
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Also, if our team still uses a HDD, it is worth considering switching to an SSD or NVMe SSD, which are significantly faster.

Using Robocopy for faster transfers

robocopy

Windows 11 includes an advanced tool called Robocopy, which allows you to copy files more efficiently through the Command Prompt. It is used as follows:

  1. First we open the Symbol of the system as administrators.
  2. Then we execute the following command: robocopy «C:\Source» «D:\Destination» /E /ZB /J

This command allows Fast and secure transfers, especially on large files.

Configuring the storage unit for best performance

If you use a USB device for frequent transfers, you can optimize it by following these steps:

  1. Let's go to Device administrator.
  2. We locate the storage unit and enter Properties.
  3. We select the tab Policies and we change the option to Better performance.

Convert file system to NTFS

Another way to speed up file copying in Windows 11: The system NTFS files It is more efficient for large transfers compared to FAT32. If our drive is still in FAT32, we can convert it to NTFS without losing data. Here are the steps to follow:

  1. We open the Symbol of the system as administrator.
  2. We execute convert X: /fs:ntfs (replacing “X:” with the drive letter).
  3. We wait for the process to finish and check the improvement in the speed.
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Compress files before transferring

If we need to move large volumes of data, compress the files before transferring them can serve to speed up file copying in Windows 11. For this we have two options:

  • Use the built-in Windows tool to create ZIP files.
  • Use tools such as 7-Zip or WinRAR (recommended if you work with many files).

Speeding up file copying in Windows 11 isn't complicated if you implement the right methods. From improving network and storage settings to using advanced tools like Robocopy or changing the file system, there are many ways to make file copying faster and more efficient.