A fix for slow NVMe SSD speeds in Windows 11 is out — here’s how to get it

By Arif Bacchus December 10, 2021

An issue has been plaguing some Windows 11 users where NVMe drives might be running slower than expected, but Microsoft has now acknowledged the problem and issued a fix. As part of the latest Windows 11 monthly preview update, Microsoft is now testing a bug patch that should get rid of the issue.

Initially released on November 22, Microsoft mentions that the KB5007262 (OS Build 22000.348) preview has a fix related to write operations. The company also mentions that Windows 11 was performing unnecessary actions each time a write operation occurs. However, the issue only occurs when the NTFS USN journal is enabled. In most cases, this is always enabled on the C: drive, which is the primary system disk for most NVMe SSDs installed on a PC.

An SSD inside the Surface Pro 7+. — Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you want to get this update today to patch this issue, there’s little risk in doing so. This monthly preview update was tested and verified by Microsoft before it’s release. Just go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. Then, in the Optional updates available area, you’ll find the link to download and install the KB5007262 update. Download and installation should not take longer than five minutes, and you’ll also get some bonus features with this update, like a newly redesigned set of emojis.

It’s been a bit of a rough road for Microsoft when it comes to these Windows 11 bugs — even though fixes are usually issued within a few weeks or days. There have been various issues since the operating system launched. The list covers problems with right-click menus in the File Explorer, issues with performance, and empty folders in subsystem areas.

For now, though, the fix for slow NVMe drives is still in preview. There’s no risk of installing it early, but if you want to wait, Microsoft usually issues bug patches once a month on a day that’s known as “Patch Tuesday.” The next “Patch Tuesday” is expected for December 14. However, Microsoft has warned that the upcoming holidays and “minimal operations” in the United States might impact that release, so it may be worth it to grab this November 22 preview update now.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Arif Bacchus is a native New Yorker and a fan of all things technology. Arif works as a freelance writer at Digital Trends…

News

Beware! The latest Windows 11 update might crash your PC

A laptop running Windows 11.

Microsoft releases routine updates for Windows every month, and while the intent is to fix issues and occasionally add new features, the latest one is doing more harm than good. Some Windows 11 users have taken to social media to report that the latest KB5035853 update could be crashing their PCs, with the feared Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) appearing on startup.

Although Microsoft hasn't appeared to document any known issues with this update for Windows 11 22H2 and Windows 11 23H3, there's a Reddit thread on the matter. Frustrated Windows 11 users mention the problems they are experiencing after installing the update. One mentions that Explorer.exe shows an error during shutdown and another reports that the ribbon of the File Explorer is slow to load. Audio-related issues and PCs feeling laggy when gaming are among some of the other problems being reported.

Computing

The Windows 11 Android app dream is dead

A photo of the TikTok app running on a Windows 11 laptop

Microsoft first brought over the option to run Android apps natively in Windows 11 in 2021, but the dream is coming to an end after just a few years. Today, the company quietly updated its documentation for the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) to indicate that it will be ending support for the feature on March 5, 2025. Amazon has also published updated guidance for the same issue about its Amazon App Store on Windows 11, which powers the WSA.

What's causing this change is unknown, as Microsoft did not dive into specific details. Left to speculate, we can assume it's due to either lack of use or licensing issues, but until we hear more, it's left ambiguous.

Computing

Microsoft may fix the most frustrating thing about Windows updates

Windows 11 updates are moving to once a year.

Most Windows users will agree that one of the most annoying things about the operating system is the updates. While Windows Updates are necessary, they often tend to come up at the worst possible time, interrupting work and gaming sessions with persistent reminders that the system needs to reboot. Microsoft might be fixing that problem in the upcoming Windows 11 24H2 build, but it's still too early to bid farewell to those ill-timed reboots.

As spotted in the latest Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26058, Microsoft is testing "hot patching" for some Windows 11 updates. Hot patching refers to a dynamic method of updating that often doesn't change the software version and may not even need a restart. In the context of Windows 11, it's pretty straightforward -- Windows will install the update, and you won't have to reboot your system.