Nvidia says it’s aware of an issue where some games could have “lower performance” after recent Windows updates, and it’s rolling out a new display driver (version 581.94).
Nvidia confirmed that when KB5066835 (October 2025 Update) or newer (KB5068861, November 2025 Update) is installed, a bug could reduce FPS. This issue was first observed in our tests in October 2025 when the Patch Tuesday update shipped, and Nvidia has finally confirmed our reports.
KB5066835 is a Patch Tuesday release, and it is automatically applied on PCs running Windows 11 25H2 or 24H2 (these two are the same platform, so you’re affected regardless). Even if you skipped Windows 11 KB5066835 somehow, you’re still going to experience performance issues because newer releases also include those changes.
How to check if you are affected by the Windows 11 25H2 / 24H2 gaming performance issue?
- Open Settings > System > About.
- Scroll (if the window is small) and locate Device specifications.
- If the Build number is 26200.6899 (OS version 25H2) or newer and 26100.6899 (OS version 24H2) or newer, you’re affected.
It’s fair to assume that gaming performance issues are most likely isolated to GeForce drivers, as only Nvidia has acknowledged the issue. However, tests previously showed that even Intel PCs could run into sluggish performance. Windows Latest understands that there could be two separate issues affecting some PCs.
How to fix recent gaming performance issues in Windows 11 25H2 / 24H2 if you use Nvidia drivers?
In a support document first spotted by Windows Latest, Nvidia says only some games will have ‘lower performance,’ which could refer to lower FPS, but we don’t know how many games are affected. We also don’t have a list of affected games, but it’s likely significant because Nvidia has issued an emergency update.
Download GeForce Display Driver version 581.94
Regardless, Nvidia has published Display Driver version 581.94, which you can download from their website. This fixes all potential performance issues.
Recent Windows updates have been hell of a ride
Recent Windows updates, the October 2025 Update in particular, have been a hell of a ride for users.
When the update started rolling out, we noticed that it broke localhost, which affected locally hosted websites or apps. Later, we found that Microsoft also broke WinRE (Windows Recovery), as we could not use the mouse or keyboard during the recovery process. Worse, it also ships with a change that disables previews in File Explorer for downloaded files.
What about you? How is the update treating your PC?
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