Microsoft is working on performance improvements for Windows 11 that could make the operating system boot faster and feel more responsive. The company says it has already made “significant gains” in startup speeds, although the changes aren’t available to Windows Insiders just yet.
Speaking at IFA 2026, Mark Linton, VP of Windows & Devices at Microsoft, said the company has been improving both boot times and Windows Hello responsiveness. “We’ve made significant gains on things like boot time, Windows Hello responsiveness,” Linton told Windows Latest.
That could mean less time waiting at the lock screen before you can actually start using your PC. Windows Hello is Microsoft’s biometric authentication system, commonly using facial recognition through a compatible infrared webcam, so faster responsiveness should make signing into Windows feel snappier too.
There’s a catch, though: Microsoft hasn’t started testing these particular improvements publicly. The work is currently being refined in internal builds, so there’s no indication yet of when Windows Insiders or the wider Windows 11 user base will get access.
Microsoft’s ambitions also extend beyond simply getting Windows to start faster. The company is working on broader performance improvements designed to make menus more responsive and apps load more quickly. Some of that work is already appearing in Windows 11, including a CPU-boosting feature called Low Latency Profile.
Advertisement
The push could be particularly useful for the growing number of Windows 11 laptops with 8GB of RAM. Rising memory prices have made lower-memory configurations more relevant again, and Microsoft says it is specifically working to make Windows 11 perform better on machines with 8GB.
“We’re continuing to improve on the fundamentals,” Linton said, adding that Microsoft is “optimizing so that 8 gig of RAM runs great on machines as well.”
Microsoft hasn’t put a figure on how much faster Windows 11 could become, so it’s too early to know whether these improvements will be immediately noticeable. Still, with faster startup, quicker Windows Hello authentication and wider performance optimisations in development, Microsoft appears to be putting more focus on making Windows 11 feel faster rather than simply adding more features.