SSD slowing may be because the TRIM command is not enabled, so you can check and enable it through the command prompt; 2. The disk is close to full load, which will affect performance, and it is recommended to retain 10%-15% of the space; 3. If the firmware or driver is too old and needs to be updated, you can use the manufacturer's tools to upgrade; 4. The resource occupied by background processes can be checked and optimized with the help of the task manager. The above methods usually solve the problem of SSD slowing down on Windows without changing it immediately.

If your SSD is slowing down on Windows, it's probably not failing right away — more often than not, there are specific reasons behind the drop in performance. While SSDs don't degrade as quickly as traditional hard drives, certain system behaviors and maintenance oversights can make them feel sluggish over time.

1. TRIM Command Isn't Working Properly

The TRIM command helps your SSD maintain speed by letting it know which blocks of data are no longer in use and can be wiped internally. If TRIM isn't enabled or stops working, your drive will slow down because it's constantly rewriting old data instead of using fresh blocks.

You can check if TRIM is active by opening a Command Prompt window (as admin) and typing:

 fsutil behavior query disableddeletenotify

• If it returns DisableDeleteNotify = 0 , TRIM is on.
• If it shows 1 , you'll want to turn it back on with:

   fsutil behavior set disabledeletenotify 0

  Keep in mind that some older SSDs or certain RAID configurations might not support TRIM properly, which could also cause slowdowns.

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  2. Your Drive Might Be Nearly Full

  Unlike HDDs, SSDs need free space to perform background tasks like garbage collection and wear leveling. When your SSD gets close to full — say above 85–90% capacity — these essential processes get bottlenecked, and performance drops.

  

  Here's what you can do:

  • Delete temporary files using Disk Cleanup or a tool like CCleaner.
  • Move large files or media libraries to a secondary drive.
  • Consider upgrading to a larger SSD if this happens regularly.

  Even 10–15% free space can help your SSD breathe and maintain good speeds.

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  3. Outdated Firmware or Drivers

  SSD manufacturers often release firmware updates that improve stability, compatibility, and performance. If your SSD hasn't had a firmware update in years, it might be holding back your system without you realizing it.

  Check the manufacturer's website for tools like:

  • Samsung Magician
  • Crucial Storage Executive
  • Intel Memory and Storage Tool

  These tools usually include diagnostics and firmware updates tailored to your specific model. Also, outdated storage drivers in Windows can interfere with how your system communicates with the drive — so checking Device Manager or your motherboard manufacturer's site for driver updates might help too.

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  4. Background Processes Are Hogging Bandwidth

  Sometimes, it's not the SSD itself but what Windows is doing behind the scenes. System tasks like indexing, antivirus scans, or Windows updates can max out your drive's read/write capabilities temporarily, making everything feel slower.

  To see what's going on:

  • Open Task Manager > Performance tab > Disk usage.
  • If it's consistently high even when you're not actively using the PC, dig into the "Processes" tab to find the culprit.
  • You can adjust indexing options or schedule heavy scans during idle times to reduce interference.

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  It's also worth noting that while SSDs do wear out eventually, most modern models last far beyond typical usage expectations. So unless you're seeing actual errors or SMART warnings, slowdowns are usually fixed without replacing the drive.

  Basically that's it.

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