A recent update to Windows 11 has disabled a widely used registry tweak that significantly enhanced the performance of NVMe SSDs, reportedly improving their input/output operations per second (IOPS) by as much as 80%. This tweak utilized a native NVMe driver that was originally designed for Windows Server 2025.
While the enhanced performance was a boon for power users, Microsoft has apparently closed this loophole in a bid to maintain system stability and compatibility with certain storage management tools, such as Samsung Magician and BitLocker. The alteration, which had allowed users to enable the server driver in Windows 11, is thought to have been disabled following reports from tech forums, particularly from the My Digital Life community.
The native driver offers reduced CPU usage and heightened performance, making it an attractive option for those looking to optimize their systems amidst rising component prices. Users who benefited from this tweak are now expressing hopes that Microsoft might officially integrate the native NVMe driver into future updates of Windows 11.
As it stands, various alternatives remain for those seeking improved storage performance, but many are looking forward to further updates from Microsoft that might include better support for NVMe SSDs.