Microsoft's Windows 11 overhaul brings a new Photos app and a faster OS

Published Oct 15, 2026, 11:18 AM EDT Jon is a seasoned journalist who has written definitive coverage of consumer tech at publications like Engadget, Android Authority, and BetaKit. He's an expert on making tech accessible ranging from mobile and PCs to emerging platforms like wearables. When he's not writing, he's going on adventures with ihis family and is an avid photographer. Sign in to your How-To Geek account Microsoft is delivering on its promise to fix more of Windows 11's longstanding problems. The company is starting a large-scale rollout for a series of updates that both improve performance and rework key apps, including a new Photos app. For many, performance will be the centerpiece of the upgrades. Microsoft claims Windows 11 is now "up to" 20% more responsive across core features, including the Edge web browser. The brand is also making better use of memory for the Dell XPS 13, Lenovo IdeaPad Vibe, and other PCs with 8GB of RAM. The OS can store as much as 2GB of actively-used data in memory (instead of shunting it to storage), and free up 200MB of memory by loading widgets only when you need them. Reliability should also be improved, including faster and more consistent connections for Bluetooth headphones as well as a team-up with hardware makers to refine driver quality. The Photos app, meanwhile, is subject to a major redesign. The new software pools photos from your PC, iCloud, and OneDrive in a single, faster gallery. A revamped Editor brings "intuitive" tools to edit photos and adds support for common formats like HEIC (the iPhone's usual format) and Google's WebP. The Viewer is faster and easier to navigate, Microsoft adds. Finding photos is potentially better with a new filter tool that limits pictures to the people in-shot, or even which service is storing them. Other updates include a promised search change that generally eliminates ads, focuses on local content over the cloud, and lets you jump straight into some actions. Phone syncing includes resizable windows for Android apps, file browsing, easy photo viewing and resuming tasks from your phone. Ink Canvas gives you central place for hand-drawn sketches and notes on devices like the Surface Pro. Gamers can make use of Advanced Shader Delivery to speed up load times for supporting games, including Microsoft tiles like Gears of War: E-Day. Why is Microsoft rolling out so many Windows updates? Complaints and Apple pressure are to blame Microsoft made a "commitment to Windows quality" in March that would fix some of the main issues with Windows 11. The first batch involved scaling back Copilot's often intrusive presence, adding a customizable taskbar, and less irritating system updates. The move was largely a response to criticism: Microsoft says it spent "several months" garnering feedback that made clear Windows needed improvements. Some of these complaints have been present since Windows 11 was released in 2021, such as an interface loaded with promotions. In theory, this spurs Windows PC sales from shoppers who would otherwise hold off or even switch platforms. The performance changes, meanwhile, both counter Apple's MacBook Neo and tackle the ongoing memory crisis. Windows typically handles RAM less gracefully than macOS, and the new wave of laptops with 8GB of RAM frequently struggles with more than a light workload. The optimizations should help these PCs perform more like the Neo without requiring more memory.