Microsoft says a new wave of Windows 11 updates will make the operating system up to 20% more responsive in everyday use. The company’s measurement covers response times for the Start menu, File Explorer, Windows Search and other system components, alongside changes designed to reduce RAM pressure and expand integration with Android phones and iPhones.
On PCs with 8GB of RAM, Microsoft says its revised memory management can keep up to 2GB more active data in memory instead of moving it to storage. Widgets on systems with 8GB of RAM or less will also load only when opened, which Microsoft says can free more than 200MB for active applications.
Phone controls, search actions and faster game startup
Windows 11’s Start menu phone integration is expanding to Android and iPhone. Users will be able to view notifications and messages, open conversations in dedicated windows, take calls from their PC, and make a compatible phone ring through Quick Settings. On certain Android devices, Microsoft is also enabling resizable mobile-app windows, File Explorer access to phone files and quick access to newly captured photos. Available features will vary by phone and platform.
Windows Search is gaining direct actions for settings such as Dark Mode and Night Light, as well as window organization. Microsoft also promises better-coordinated Windows updates with fewer restarts, Bluetooth improvements, and up to 15 seconds less time when pairing AirPods. Windows Hello is receiving updates for both facial recognition and fingerprint sign-in.
For gaming, Advanced Shader Delivery will distribute precompiled shaders for supported games, a process Microsoft says can cut initial loading from minutes to seconds. The company has named Forza Horizon 6 and Gears of War: E-Day among the titles supporting the technology, and recommends installing the Xbox app for PC before downloading a compatible game and keeping graphics drivers updated. Game Bar is also adding overlay access to recording, communications, audio controls and Microsoft Edge for guides or video playback.
Starting in November, Microsoft also plans an Xbox anniversary collection containing 25 games valued at more than US$500. The promotion is for eligible Windows 11 PCs purchased in the United States from participating retailers, and includes:
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition
- Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
- Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
- Minecraft Dungeons
Photos, pen input and accessibility additions
Microsoft says the Photos app will launch up to 20% faster. Its redesigned version adds a reorganized gallery, natural-language search and an updated editor with unwanted-object removal and Relight, a tool for adjusting lighting after a photo has been taken. Advanced search across local photos will depend on compatible hardware.
The company is also introducing Ink Canvas for drawing, notes and annotations. Copilot integration can turn selected ideas into text or images for documents and presentations, although those AI features require an eligible Microsoft 365 subscription; the drawing tools and non-AI features do not.
Other additions include advanced haptic feedback for supported mice, including the Logitech MX Master 4 and Surface Mouse (2nd Edition), providing subtle vibrations when a window or object is aligned in a compatible app. Accessibility updates include Screen Tint with an adjustable color filter, independent Magnifier zoom levels across multiple monitors, structured reading of mathematical expressions in Narrator, and driver-free USB or Bluetooth connections for Braille devices using the HID standard.
The updates are rolling out gradually. The new Windows Search experience and redesigned Photos app will first reach Windows Insiders, with wider availability planned by the end of 2026.
