What the KB5089573 Windows 11 Performance Update Changes
The Windows 11 performance update KB5089573 is an optional release that introduces a Low Latency Profile to speed up core interface elements, promising noticeably faster system menus, Start, search, and app launches while also delivering around 30 stability, reliability, and quality-of-life fixes for everyday users. This Windows 11 performance update targets versions 25H2 and 24H2 and upgrades systems to builds 26200.8524 or 26100.8524. According to Windows Central’s testing, system flyouts now load up to 70% faster and app launches can be up to 40% quicker after the Low Latency Profile is enabled. Microsoft describes the KB5089573 update as accelerating “core shell experiences such as Start menu, Search, and Action Center,” focusing on responsiveness rather than new features. The changes sit under Microsoft’s K2 initiative, which shifts development toward fixing long-standing complaints that Windows 11 felt sluggish compared with earlier releases.
Low Latency Profile: How It Delivers Faster Menus and App Launches
Low Latency Profile is a new behavior that briefly pushes the CPU to its maximum boost frequency when you perform common actions, such as opening apps or interacting with key Windows elements. As PCMag reports, this performance mode keeps the CPU boosted for roughly one to three seconds when you open the Start menu, use search, or trigger the Action Center, which cuts visible lag and shortens animations. In practice, this is what drives the 70% speed-up in system flyouts and 40% faster app launches reported by Windows Central. For now, Microsoft says the biggest gains apply to the Start menu and native Windows tools, with broader support for third-party apps planned for a future Low Latency Profile update. Microsoft is also rolling the feature out gradually, so some users will see the system performance boost only weeks after installing KB5089573.
What Else Is in KB5089573: 30 Fixes and New Features
Beyond the system performance boost, KB5089573 packs about 30 improvements across security, reliability, and daily usability. Windows Hello now prefers face or fingerprint unlock and keeps biometrics as the default sign-in method even if you previously chose another option, while sticking with PIN after three incorrect attempts until you switch back. Bluetooth Shared Audio arrives through LE Audio, letting two Bluetooth devices listen to the same PC audio at once. Windows Setup gains the option to pick a custom user folder name from the Device Name page. For hardware, displays connected through USB4 docks or hubs should wake more reliably from standby, and USB3 stack recovery has been strengthened against unexpected hardware faults. Power handling updates aim to reduce battery drain from apps that keep the sensor hub active. Task Manager gains expanded NPU monitoring on the Performance tab, and Dev Drive creation now accepts gigabyte-based size input for easier configuration.
Installation Issues, Known Problems, and How to Enable the Update
The KB5089573 update is optional for now and delivered through regular Windows Update. To install it, open Settings, go to Windows Update, then Advanced options, and look under Optional updates to download and install the package. Microsoft now bundles Servicing Stack Updates with the cumulative package to improve installation reliability, responding to frequent complaints about failed update installs. Even so, some users report that the update rolls back during setup. Common workarounds include freeing disk space, temporarily disabling third-party antivirus tools, ensuring all previous pending updates are installed, and rebooting before retrying. Because the Low Latency Profile is rolling out in stages, you may not see the full faster app launches and snappier menus immediately, even after a successful install. Advanced users can try enabling the feature early via ViVeTool, but that requires command-line steps and is not officially supported.
How KB5089573 Positions Windows 11 Against Competitors
KB5089573 is part of Microsoft’s wider K2 push to make Windows feel quicker and more responsive after criticism that Windows 11 lagged behind competitors on everyday speed. By focusing on core shell elements and native apps instead of new visual features, the Low Latency Profile helps close the gap in areas users notice most, such as clicking the Start button or opening a commonly used app. The optional update also improves AI-related components, with Task Manager now providing deeper visibility into NPU usage and AI workloads, and under-the-hood updates to features like Image Search, Content Extraction, Semantic Analysis, and the Settings Model. Together with enhancements to File Explorer reliability, Modern Standby resume, theme switching, and input handling, KB5089573 shows Microsoft prioritizing responsiveness and smoothness. For many users, that shift may make Windows 11 feel more in line with the snappy experience they expect from a modern desktop OS.