The newest Windows 11 replace tanked PC gaming efficiency — however NVIDIA has already issued a repair

Windows 11’s October replace included a bunch of safety fixes and a small variety of new options. The replace additionally included a bug that would harm gaming efficiency on some methods.

After updating to the Windows 11 October 2025 Update (KB5066835), some PCs powered by NVIDIA {hardware} noticed diminished efficiency when gaming. NVIDIA confirmed the difficulty and launched a hotfix replace.

GeForce Hotfix Display Driver model 581.94 relies on the corporate’s newest Game Ready Driver, which optimizes efficiency for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Europa Universalis V.

The hotfix provides a way to address an issue quickly. The fixes included in GeForce Hotfix Display Driver version 581.94 will also be part of the next official driver from NVIDIA.

“The GeForce Hotfix driver is our way to trying to get some of these fixes out to you more quickly. These drivers are basically the same as the previous released version, with a small number of additional targeted fixes,” said NVIDIA.

“The fixes that make it in are based in part on your feedback in the Driver Feedback threads and partly on how realistic it is for us to quickly address them. These fixes (and many more) will be incorporated into the next official driver release, at which time the Hotfix driver will be taken down.”

NVIDIA’s post about the update doesn’t specify which GPUs had been affected or which video games noticed efficiency worsen following the Windows 11 October 2025 Update. X person Sebastian Castellanos shared benchmarks for Assassin’s Creed Shadows earlier than and after NVIDIA’s hotfix. The change is sort of stark, exhibiting a median of 149.7 FPS earlier than the replace and 202.3 FPS after the repair.

Another X person, Daniel Nowak, additionally noticed considerably higher FPS after the hotfix.

Performance will differ relying in your {hardware} and the title you are enjoying, in fact. But it’s clear that affected methods can see considerably worse efficiency when left unpatched.

The hotfix drivers are in beta, however they’ve been by an abbreviated high quality assurance course of by NVIDIA. If you wish to keep away from beta drivers or don’t want the repair urgently, you may wait till the subsequent official NVIDIA drivers come out.

A hyperlink on the backside of NVIDIA’s support page enables you to obtain the hotfix.

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