Microsoft is trying a new way to make apps and animations feel faster on Windows 11 by boosting CPU performance during common actions. When you launch an app from the taskbar or Start (or open the Start menu itself), windows should pop up faster with a smoother UI.
The system essentially detects when an app is launched or a menu is triggered, then briefly drives one or more CPU cores to their boost clocks for one to three seconds, Ars Technica reports .
This change can make some built‑in apps like Edge and Outlook open up to 40% faster, with elements like the Start menu and context menus appearing up to 70% faster in test builds. The gains appear most obvious on slower or older hardware, but people with newer systems also report that Windows 11 feels more responsive in side‑by‑side comparisons.
Following critiques of the new feature on X, one technical staff member at Microsoft said that other operating systems, including macOS and Linux, use similar systems to boost responsiveness. The key idea is to front‑load CPU performance into short bursts rather than running at high speed all the time. Because these bursts are so short, the company and its early testers expect limited impact on a computer's power and battery during normal use, especially when it comes to desktops or plugged‑in laptops.
The new feature is currently in testing builds and does not yet have a confirmed release timeline or public name. Testers report that it runs automatically in the background, with no clear setting for users to toggle, though this may change before it reaches all Windows 11 devices.
