TL;DR
- Optional Preview: KB5089573 is reaching Windows 11 preview users as a manually selected update rather than a mandatory patch.
- CPU Burst: Low Latency Profile uses short CPU bursts and is tied to reported gains of up to 40% faster launches and 70% faster menus.
- Phased Rollout: Activation may still vary by device, and some advanced users may need ViveTool before the feature appears through normal rollout.
Windows update KB5089573 is expected to reach preview users through optional installs. App launches and core shell experiences such as Start, Search, and Action Center sit at the center of the speed-up pitch.
The update rolls out as a manually selected preview, not a mandatory patch. Microsoft is also phasing parts of the package, so faster response after installation is not guaranteed on every supported PC from day one.
How KB5089573 Tries to Make Windows 11 Feel Faster
Low Latency Profile sits at the center of that responsiveness push. It uses CPU bursts for one to three seconds during high-priority actions and is designed to eliminate UI lag when users launch apps, open the Start menu, or call up context menus.
ow Latency Profile testing had already shown the same CPU-burst approach in action. Insider program changes in April narrowed Microsoft’s preview path before this update moved toward broader users, which helps explain why installation can arrive before the full feature behavior does.
Microsoft VP Scott Hanselman framed the behavior in a defense of Low Latency Profile as Windows briefly prioritizing interactive work so common tasks finish faster. Separate testing tied the feature to 40% faster launches and 70% faster menus. Real-world impact may remain uneven outside narrow test conditions.
Microsoft is distributing the update through Windows Update and the Update Catalog, which makes the package easy to fetch. Shared Audio and reliability fixes across USB, input, sensors, HID, File Explorer, and touch behavior show that the build carries broader system changes alongside the speed claim. Users checking for an immediate difference may notice those reliability and device changes before they can measure any repeatable launch-time gain.
Why the Rollout May Feel Inconsistent at First
Some systems may still keep the feature switch off after KB5089573 is installed because activation is staged separately from download. Eligible machines can sit on the new build without receiving the full latency profile on the same day.
Other machines may show faster menus first while app launches may still lag on the same build. Controlled Feature Rollout can delay feature availability by device, hardware, and software configuration, which is why installation status alone does not confirm that the responsiveness feature is active.
Advanced users may be able to enable the hidden feature with ViveTool by using command id 58989092. That path remains an unofficial workaround for people comfortable forcing hidden Windows features, not part of the normal update flow Microsoft exposes to many users. Using it also changes the article’s practical takeaway: installation alone is not the same thing as broad activation.
Microsoft has also positioned KB5089573 as part of its Windows K2 effort, a broader push to address long-running complaints about Windows 11 responsiveness. Menu and launch behavior are the headline improvements here, but the company is not promising a universal speed jump across every workload.
What Else Microsoft Bundled Into KB5089573
KB5089573 also expands hardware and device features beyond performance, including Shared Audio over Bluetooth LE Audio, expanded NPU monitoring in Task Manager, Multi-App Camera support, Windows Hello improvements, and custom user-profile folder naming during setup. Supported users could notice those changes before they can measure a launch-time difference.
Shared Audio lets multiple apps use the same Bluetooth LE Audio stream on supported hardware. Added NPU visibility in Task Manager gives Copilot+ PC owners a clearer way to see local AI hardware activity, while the camera and Windows Hello updates create more practical checkpoints for admins and users than synthetic speed numbers alone. Setup changes such as custom user-profile folder naming further show that KB5089573 is a broader maintenance release, not a single-purpose performance patch. Normal rollout, not early benchmark headlines, will decide whether KB5089573 feels faster in everyday use.
