Microsoft commits to speeding up Windows 11 with clutter reduction and user-focused improvements

Microsoft reveals ongoing efforts to enhance Windows 11’s speed and cleanliness, targeting devices with 8GB RAM and above while trimming promotional clutter and improving core features, in a significant push towards a more efficient user experience.

Microsoft has acknowledged that Windows 11 needs to become faster and less cluttered, with one of its senior engineers now saying the company is working on it in public. The admission comes after years of complaints that the operating system feels heavy on modest hardware and crowded with promotional elements that add little value for users.

In March, Microsoft outlined a broad Windows 11 refresh that included faster File Explorer performance, reduced Copilot integration and lower memory use. Since then, several of those changes have already started reaching users. Windows Central reported that Microsoft is targeting devices with 8GB of RAM and above as part of a wider effort to reduce the operating system’s memory footprint across the software stack, from interface code to kernel behaviour and drivers.

Scott Hanselman, a vice-president and member of technical staff at Microsoft, gave the clearest signal yet that performance is a priority when he replied “Yep. On it.” to a user asking whether Microsoft could make Windows run faster. Windows Latest said the exchange followed false claims about a hidden Windows 11 tracking service and turned into an unusually direct acknowledgement that speed remains a problem.

Some of the work is already visible. Microsoft has been rolling out a Low Latency Profile that briefly boosts processor speed when users open core shell elements such as Start or Search. Windows Central said the feature is part of Microsoft’s wider 2026 Windows K2 push, alongside a smarter Windows Update experience, more customisation options and a reduced emphasis on ads and AI. Microsoft has also confirmed quicker loading for Quick Settings and the right-click menu, while Windows Latest reported faster File Explorer launch times and improved deletion of large, fragmented files.

At the same time, Microsoft is stripping out some of the visual clutter that has long irritated users. The company has reduced promotional material in Search and Widgets, both of which had been used for MSN content and ads, and it is moving more legacy interface elements to WinUI 3, its newer native application framework. Windows Central said the Search overhaul is designed to prioritise local results and remove ads, while Microsoft has also rebuilt components such as Print Management and is preparing to update AutoPlay.

Even with those changes, Windows 11 still faces a reputational problem. The operating system’s mandatory Microsoft account sign-in during setup remains untouched, according to the material Microsoft has published so far, and that omission continues to frustrate users who want a simpler installation experience. For now, the clearest message from Microsoft is that performance, lower memory use and fewer ads are finally being treated as product issues rather than user complaints.