How to Optimize an SSD for Gaming and Fix Slow Load Times

What Causes This?

Slow game load times on an SSD usually happen when the drive is being held back by poor maintenance, low free space, or too much background activity. If TRIM is disabled, Windows can’t clean up deleted data efficiently, which can reduce SSD performance over time. Heavy startup apps, overlays, launchers, and sync tools can also compete for disk access while a game is trying to load.

Common Symptoms

• Games take much longer than expected to launch or load levels
• Load times get worse over weeks or months, even on an SSD
• Disk usage spikes to 100% when opening a game
• Stuttering or pauses happen during loading screens
• Windows feels sluggish when a game launcher is updating in the background

How to Fix It Manually

1. Make sure your SSD has enough free space

   • Open File Explorer with Windows + E.
   • Click This PC and check the free space on your SSD.
   • Try to keep at least 15–20% free space available. If the drive is nearly full, uninstall unused games or move large files off the SSD.

2. Check that TRIM is enabled

   • Press Windows + S, type cmd.
   • Right-click Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.
   • Type this command and press Enter:

     fsutil behavior query DisableDeleteNotify

   • If you see DisableDeleteNotify = 0, TRIM is enabled.
   • If you see 1, enable it with:

     fsutil behavior set DisableDeleteNotify 0

3. Optimize the SSD in Windows

   • Press Windows + S, type Defragment and Optimize Drives, then open it.
   • Select your SSD from the list.
   • Click Optimize.
   • On SSDs, this runs the proper optimization process, not a traditional hard-drive defrag.

4. Reduce background apps before gaming

   • Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
   • In the Processes tab, look for apps using high Disk, CPU, or Memory.
   • Close non-essential apps such as launchers, browsers, cloud sync tools, RGB software, and overlays you don’t need.
   • Then open the Startup apps tab and disable unnecessary apps that start with Windows.

5. Pause indexing and sync tools on your game drive

   • In File Explorer, right-click the SSD and choose Properties.
   • On the General tab, uncheck Allow files on this drive to have contents indexed in addition to file properties if the drive is mainly for games.
   • Also pause tools like OneDrive, Google Drive, or backup software if they are scanning the same drive while you play.

6. Check for storage driver and firmware updates

   • Press Windows + X and click Device Manager.
   • Expand Disk drives and Storage controllers.
   • Right-click your SSD or controller and choose Update driver.
   • Also check your SSD manufacturer’s software for firmware updates, since old firmware can hurt performance or stability.

7. Use Game Mode and avoid unnecessary overlays

   • Open Settings with Windows + I.
   • Go to Gaming > Game Mode and make sure it is On.
   • Disable overlays you don’t use in apps like Steam, Discord, GeForce Experience, or Xbox Game Bar, since they can slow launches and add background disk activity.

Fix It Automatically with Kudu

Kudu can scan your PC for the background apps, startup clutter, and storage-related slowdowns that often make SSD game load times worse. It helps reduce unnecessary activity automatically, so your SSD can focus on launching and loading games faster.

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