The KB5066835 patch that Microsoft released in October for Windows 11 caused performance issues and slowdowns in certain games. It’s important to distinguish between two parts of the problem: the performance loss, which reduced frames per second, and the slowdowns, which occurred regardless of frame rate drops.
The Problem with the Windows 11 Update
This issue has remained unresolved since October 15 and affects Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2. Microsoft did nothing to fix it, so the only way to solve the problem was by uninstalling the update that caused it—something users could do through the Windows Update menu.
It had to be NVIDIA that finally resolved the issue, doing so through the release of its beta driver update. The 581.94 Beta drivers include the fix, but they don’t bring any other improvements—just that correction.
Although it’s a minor update, it’s an important one following the 581.80 drivers that NVIDIA released recently, which did include significant enhancements such as performance optimizations for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Europa Universalis V, and Anno 117: Pax Romana.
Driver Availability and Microsoft’s Quality Issues
The new drivers are now available for download. If you use the NVIDIA App and haven’t yet updated to version 581.80, you’ll need to install that version first before upgrading to 581.94.
Microsoft’s update quality for Windows has reached a worrying low, and what’s worse is that it doesn’t seem to have hit rock bottom yet—each new update brings more issues and more defective releases.
