If your computer feels slower than it used to
A traditional hard drive (HDD) scatters pieces of files across the disk as it fills up and empties over time, forcing the drive to work harder to read a single file. Regular defragmentation reorganizes those pieces so files load faster.
SSDs work differently
A solid-state drive (SSD) doesn't have moving parts, so "fragmentation" in the traditional sense doesn't slow it down, and defragmenting one too often can actually shorten its lifespan. Windows automatically applies a different maintenance command (called TRIM) to SSDs instead, so if a drive shows up labeled as SSD in the list, there's nothing extra you need to do.
Frequently Asked Questions
I have an SSD β do I still need to defragment it?
No β fragmentation works differently on an SSD, and defragmenting it too often isn't good for its lifespan, so Windows automatically runs a different process called "optimization" (TRIM) instead. If a drive is listed as an SSD, you don't need to worry about it.
How often should I run this?
It's scheduled to run automatically every week by default, so you rarely need to think about it β but you can run it manually any time your computer feels unusually slow.