Microsoft has officially acknowledged that its Windows 11 operating system needs significant improvements in speed and must reduce the amount of advertising users encounter. Senior executives confirm that work is actively underway, with some fixes already reaching users. These changes aim to address years of consistent complaints about sluggish performance and unwanted promotional content within the operating system.[windowslatest+4]
Performance Boosts Underway
Microsoft is prioritizing making Windows 11 faster and more responsive. Scott Hanselman, Vice President and member of technical staff at Microsoft, confirmed that a faster Windows 11 is in development. He stated simply, "Yep. On it," when asked if the company could make Windows run faster.A major focus is optimizing memory usage, particularly for devices with 8GB of RAM or more. Pavan Davuluri, Executive Vice President of Windows & Devices, mentioned that these memory optimizations are expected to roll out by the end of 2026.Microsoft even quietly removed previous documentation that recommended 32GB of RAM for Windows 11, signaling their commitment to better performance on less memory.[windowslatest+3]
Beyond RAM, Microsoft is implementing speed enhancements in various parts of the OS. Users can expect a significantly faster File Explorer, a component that has often drawn criticism for its speed.The company is also redesigning user interface elements, moving older code to the more efficient WinUI 3 framework. This includes improvements to Widgets, Print Management, and upcoming changes to AutoPlay and File/Folder Properties dialogs.These technical updates are designed to deliver noticeable performance gains.[windowslatest+5]
Another tactic to improve perceived speed is a new "Low Latency Profile." This feature briefly boosts the CPU for one to three seconds when opening applications or menus, making the system feel more responsive. Scott Hanselman defended this approach, noting that similar techniques are used by other major operating systems like macOS and Linux.Additionally, Microsoft has been working to improve the reliability of core system components, including explorer.exe, the Windows sign-in and lock screens, and the Start menu during startup.Improvements to the Windows Search Box are also rolling out, featuring a calmer home screen and clearer, less promotional results.[techradar+2]
Tackling Unwanted Ads
Microsoft is also actively working to reduce the presence of ads and "upsells" across Windows 11. This move comes after years of user frustration over promotional content appearing in various parts of the operating system.The company aims to create a "calmer" operating system experience.[windowslatest+6]
Several areas have already seen changes. The Search feature has been decluttered, with Microsoft removing MSN tiles, ads, and trivia that previously crowded the home screen. Early tests showed a noticeable speed increase without Bing search results.The Widgets panel also underwent a cleanup, and as of May, MSN feed content and ads are turned off by default.Microsoft has even removed the "Ask Copilot" option from File Explorer, streamlining the AI integration.[windowslatest+4]
The company is addressing bloatware, which refers to unwanted pre-installed applications. Windows 11 users will soon be able to uninstall more of these apps, giving them greater control over their system.Efforts are also being made to reduce the number of promotional prompts and advertisements shown during the initial setup process of Windows 11.Users can already manually disable many of these "suggestions" and "recommendations" in areas like the Start Menu, Lock Screen, Settings app, and notification center.[pdq+6]
User Feedback Drives Changes
Microsoft's decision to focus on speed and reduce ads is a direct response to widespread user complaints that have been consistent for years.Windows President Pavan Davuluri confirmed that these major updates are a direct response to user feedback.Many users have expressed dissatisfaction with Windows 11 feeling sluggish on anything less than high-end hardware and its tendency to display excessive advertisements.[windowslatest+2]
This "return to basics," as Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella described it, is part of a broader strategy to win back consumer loyalty.The company is aware that a significant number of users are either staying with the older Windows 10 or are using Windows 11 but are unhappy with its current state.The goal is to curb the migration of users to competing operating systems like Apple's macOS and Google's ChromeOS.[ynetnews+2]
Many of these performance and ad reduction improvements have been rolling out gradually to Windows Insiders over the past few months. Microsoft expects these updates to become more widely available to all Windows 11 PCs starting this fall.The company has stated it is not slowing down its efforts, acknowledging there is still more work to do to get these improvements to all customers.This ongoing commitment aims to make Windows 11 a more reliable, responsive, and user-friendly experience.[blogs+1]
