Microsoft has found a way to make Windows 11 feel less sluggish by briefly kicking the CPU harder.
The latest Windows 11 optional update, KB5089573, introduces a feature called Low Latency Profile. It is not enabled by default yet, but users can force it on through a workaround if they fancy poking the bear.
The feature arrived in the 2026 optional update, KB5089573, Build 26200.8524, as part of the May update. Microsoft describes it as a general performance improvement rather than shouting about CPU boosting from the rooftops.
The idea is simple enough. Windows briefly pushes the CPU to higher frequencies when it spots latency-sensitive actions. That means app launches and bits of the shell should respond faster, including the Start menu, Search and Action Centre.
“[General Performance] This update accelerates app launch and core shell experiences such as Start menu, Search, and Action Center.”
Microsoft said the change applies to Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2. Systems running Build 26200.8524 or 26100.8524 should be eligible, although the rollout is expected to happen gradually in June.
Users can grab the optional update through Settings, Windows Update, Advanced options and Optional updates. The feature is disabled for now, but can be forced on using third-party tools such as ViveTool.
That is probably not the route for normal users, unless their idea of fun involves debugging Windows. Windows 11 does not include a toggle for Low Latency Profile, so there is no friendly switch to prod.
When Microsoft rolls it out properly, PCs are expected to use it by default. Windows Latest tested the feature and found that CPU use jumped when opening the Start menu.
The Action Centre could push CPU usage to 100 per cent, which sounds dramatic but only happens in short bursts. The result appears to be fewer micro-stutters when opening the Start menu, making Windows 11 feel less like it is contemplating its own navel.
It is a small change, but one that attacks a daily irritation rather than another shiny feature nobody asked for. The catch is that users will have to wait for Microsoft’s staged rollout, or take the ViveTool route and accept the usual risks.
