Windows 11 Is Getting Faster: App Launch Boosts and RAM Optimizations
If you have been using Windows 11, you might have noticed two things over time: everyday apps can sometimes take a moment to open, and system memory (RAM) usage can feel pretty heavy.
Microsoft is actively working to address both issues with recent updates and upcoming optimizations. Here is a simple, plain-English breakdown of what is changing, why it matters, and what it means for your PC.
1. Faster App Launching: The "Low Latency Profile"
Microsoft recently introduced a performance tweak designed to make your system feel significantly more responsive. This is enabled through recent security updates (such as update KB5121003).
How It Works
When you open an app (like Google Chrome, File Explorer, or the Microsoft Store), Windows now automatically triggers a Low Latency Profile.
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CPU Clock Boost: For a brief second during launch, your processor cores automatically boost up to their maximum speed.
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Balanced Core Usage: Instead of relying on just one or two cores, all available CPU cores work together to load the application as quickly as possible.
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Quick Return to Normal: Once the app is opened, your CPU returns to its normal idle speed and energy usage.
What You Will Notice
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System Apps & Web Browsers: Apps like File Explorer, Task Manager, and Microsoft Store open noticeably faster.
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Heavy Games & Editing Apps: For huge applications like video editors or modern games, the launch boost helps a bit, but loading times will still mostly depend on storage speeds and heavy graphics processing.
2. Memory Optimization for 8GB (and Up) PCs
One of the biggest pain points for Windows 11 users—especially on laptops or budget desktops—has been memory usage.
The Current Problem
Windows 11 can be demanding on RAM:
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On a system with 8GB of RAM, Windows system processes and background tasks can easily consume 5GB or more right out of the box.
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This leaves very little memory left for multitasking with web browsers, messaging apps, and office software.
Microsoft's New Promise
Because PC memory prices fluctuate and many laptops are still sold with 8GB of RAM, Microsoft is focusing on reducing the Windows memory footprint.
In their ongoing quality and performance updates, Microsoft is committing to:
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Trimming background resource usage so Windows uses less baseline RAM.
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Improving efficiency for systems running 8GB and up of RAM so multitasking feels smooth again.
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Optimizing out-of-the-box performance to make new PCs feel lighter and faster right away.
3. When Are These Changes Coming?
Many performance fixes, like the app launch boost and File Explorer speed improvements, are already rolling out in recent updates.
The broader memory optimizations are expected to arrive alongside major system releases, such as the 26H2 update.
Good News for Future Updates
If your PC is already running a modern build of Windows 11 (like 24H2 or 25H2), updating to upcoming releases like 26H2 will be quick and seamless because they share the same underlying core platform.
I’ve also made a video on this topic — you can watch it below.
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