New Windows 11 update will actually make your PC faster

Good news, gamers, Windows 11's latest update is actually designed to make your PC more efficient and run faster. The update, named "KB5089573," which is easy to remember, focuses on general performance gains, specifically aimed at app launches and what they call "core shell experiences," such as the Start menu, Search, and Action Center.

The biggest news here is the performance gains when you launch an application, which should ensure programs feel snappier when you open them. To achieve this, Microsoft is using what it calls "Low Latency Profiles," which essentially means that, when you open a program, Windows 11 maxes out your CPU frequency for a few seconds, making your system focus on that task. All that power from your processor should make apps open quicker and feel momentarily more responsive, giving the sense that your PC is running faster.

According to research by Windows Central, this makes app launches up to 40% faster, in turn meaning those core shell experiences we mentioned earlier open up to 70% quicker. After installing the update for myself and testing it out on apps like Steam and Photoshop, I feel like I can see a difference, even though Microsoft says you may not see improvements immediately after installing the patch. They will be enabling more performance improvements over the next few weeks, though, so don't lose hope if it doesn't feel any different today. Of course, this is hardware-dependent, so performance improvements will vary depending on your system.

Elsewhere, the update also brings reliability improvements to the sign-in screen and File Explorer, improved touch gestures on touchscreen devices, Task Manager updates, and the ability to share Bluetooth with two devices at once.

This update comes as part of Microsoft's K2 initiative, which is aimed at making Windows 11 run faster and more reliably. An internal focus, Microsoft wants to address the biggest complaints that users have about the operating system. It's got big plans too, including rebuilding the Start Menu to run faster, making major improvements to the File Search system, and speeding up File Explorer. With SteamOS running markedly better than Windows 11 on identical hardware, Microsoft aims to have its OS on par with Valve's offering within two years.

Windows 11 update KB5089573 is available now, and can be installed through the Windows Update tool in your PC's settings.