Microsoft Confirms Windows 11 Is Getting Faster, and the Ad Cleanup Is Already Here

For years, the two most consistent complaints about Windows 11 have been remarkably steady: sluggish performance on anything below high-end hardware, and an operating system that feels more interested in showing you ads than letting you work. That dynamic is finally shifting. A senior Microsoft executive has publicly confirmed that Windows 11 is getting faster, and a multi-year pipeline of Windows 11 performance fixes is already reaching users ahead of schedule.

A close-up of a modern laptop keyboard with soft backlighting, emphasizing a clean, uncluttered desk setup. — The executive confirmation came after years of consistent user feedback about sluggish performance.

#1 The Executive Confirmation

The confirmation came through an unusually direct exchange on X. A viral post recently claimed that Microsoft had secretly added a hidden tracking service to Windows 11 that actively slows down desktop PCs. The rumor gained traction until Scott Hanselman, Microsoft vice president and member of the technical staff, stepped in to clarify the actual function of the service, which Windows Latest originally identified.

When a user replied to Hanselman asking whether the company could simply make Windows run faster, Hanselman did not hedge. His two-word reply, “Yep. On it,” left no room for corporate ambiguity. It is a rare moment of unscripted transparency from one of the company’s most senior technical leaders, and it aligns directly with commitments made months earlier by Windows president Pavan Davuluri.

Davuluri confirmed a major Windows 11 update focused on faster File Explorer, reduced Copilot integration, and lower memory usage, explicitly framing the changes as a direct response to years of user feedback. Four months later, several of those promises have shipped. The broader push includes optimizing Windows 11 for 8GB RAM devices and above, a commitment significant enough that Microsoft quietly deleted internal documentation previously recommending 32GB RAM. IDC has also noted that competitive pressure from devices like the MacBook Neo is forcing Microsoft to make Windows 11 leaner and faster.

A stylized diagram showing memory blocks shrinking, representing RAM optimization in a modern operating system. — WinUI 3 is replacing heavier legacy frameworks to reduce memory consumption across the shell.

#2 RAM Optimization and WinUI 3 Migration

The largest chunk of the performance overhaul revolves around memory management. Windows 11’s memory footprint has been Microsoft’s most publicly acknowledged failure this year, with the OS consuming significantly more resources than competitors even at idle. The fix is not a single toggle but a structural shift in how the operating system renders its interface.

Microsoft is systematically replacing older Win32 and WebView2 code with WinUI 3, its native UI framework. Davuluri noted that the company has strengthened the fundamentals of WinUI 3 and extended it into more of the Windows shell, while simultaneously driving efficiencies across Chromium and WebView2 components. The result is that WinUI 3 applications now use less memory by design, rather than relying on workarounds.

The migration is already visible in the changelog. Microsoft has confirmed a broader UI redesign moving legacy code to WinUI, rebuilt Print Management in WinUI 3, and confirmed AutoPlay is next in line. These changes follow the File Explorer Properties dialog and a growing list of other legacy dialogs already rebuilt this year. For users running 8GB of RAM or higher, the cumulative effect should be noticeably smoother multitasking and fewer forced swaps to disk.

A blurred motion shot of a computer mouse clicking, symbolizing faster shell responsiveness and interaction. — Shell responsiveness is now treated as a first-class metric rather than an afterthought.

#3 Windows 11 Performance Fixes in the Shell and File Explorer

Beyond memory, Microsoft has been targeting the specific interactions users perform dozens of times daily. The Low Latency Profile, a scheduler-level CPU boost that reached all PCs in June, spikes your processor to maximum frequency for one to three seconds when you interact with core shell elements. It is most noticeable on budget and older hardware, where it transforms the feel of opening the Start menu or triggering Search.

File Explorer has received dedicated attention. The latest updates include faster deletion of large, fragmented files, a dedicated speed overhaul for search across This PC, and a faster File Explorer launch that no longer relies on preloading. The right-click context menu, confirmed to be loading noticeably faster alongside Quick Settings, rounds out the areas where users click through dozens of times a day.

These changes are not theoretical. When critics dismissed the Low Latency Profile as a lazy trick, Hanselman pushed back, pointing out that macOS and Linux implement identical scheduling behaviors. The approach turned out to be a preview of deeper architectural fixes, and it demonstrates how Microsoft is now treating shell responsiveness as a first-class performance metric rather than an afterthought.

A clean monitor displaying a streamlined file manager interface with minimal icons and open space. — Ad removal and WebView2 cleanup are directly reducing background resource usage.

#4 Cutting Ads and WebView2 Bloat

Every promotional tile, MSN feed, and web-based suggestion competing for space in Windows 11 is also a WebView2 process consuming CPU and RAM. Removing those elements does double duty: it declutters the interface and directly reduces background resource usage.

Microsoft has already decluttered Search after years of MSN tiles, ads, and trivia cramming the home screen. Early testing showed the interface was noticeably faster without Bing search results. Widgets went through the same cleanup, with MSN feed content and ads turned off by default as of May. Davuluri also mentioned Widgets getting a WinUI 3 makeover, which is where the real performance gains will be seen.

The Photos app recently lost its promotional icons and cluttered context menu, though the cleanup has not been perfectly uniform. Microsoft simultaneously shipped a separate WebView2-based Photos gallery alongside the debloated version, proof that this cleanup is still rolling out unevenly across internal teams. The direction is clear, but consistency remains the next hurdle.

What This Means for You

If you are running Windows 11 on hardware with 8GB of RAM or higher, you should already be noticing the difference. The combination of the Low Latency Profile, WinUI 3 migration, and ad removal is not a single patch but a cumulative shift in how the operating system behaves. Background processes will consume less memory, shell interactions will feel more responsive, and the desktop will spend less time rendering promotional content. For IT administrators managing a fleet, the reduced memory footprint simplifies baseline imaging and extends the usable lifespan of older enterprise hardware. OEMs are also adjusting their minimum RAM recommendations downward, which should translate into more affordable base models hitting the market in the coming quarters.

What to Do

The updates are rolling out through standard Windows Update channels. Ensure your system is on the latest cumulative update to receive the File Explorer improvements and right-click menu optimizations. If you are on a build that predates the Low Latency Profile, enabling it through the performance settings will apply the scheduler boost immediately. Users who prefer a completely clean experience can manually disable the remaining ad sources through Settings > Personalization > Start, though the default configuration is already moving in that direction. Microsoft has not announced a hard deadline for the 8GB RAM optimization targets, but the current trajectory suggests steady improvements through the remainder of 2026.

Source: Windows Latest

Over to you: Which of these performance changes will you notice first on your current Windows 11 machine?