Microsoft’s Latest Windows 11 Preview Gives Task Manager an AI Upgrade and Promises Faster Shell Performance
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AI visibility comes to the system monitor
Microsoft has rolled out a new cumulative update preview for Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2, signaling a shift in how the operating system handles and displays the workload of the modern PC. The most notable change is the evolution of Task Manager, which has transitioned from a tool primarily used for killing frozen apps into a dashboard for the AI era.
For users on Copilot+ PCs or devices equipped with dedicated Neural Processing Units (NPUs), Task Manager now provides granular visibility into AI hardware utilization. New optional columns for NPU, NPU Engine, Dedicated Memory, and Shared Memory have been added across the Processes, Users, and Details pages. This move allows developers and power users to see exactly how much a specific AI-driven application is leaning on the NPU versus the CPU or GPU.
Crucially, Microsoft noted that neural engines integrated directly into GPUs now appear on the Performance page. This creates a more unified view of AI activity, acknowledging that the line between a discrete NPU and an AI-accelerated GPU is increasingly blurred in current hardware architectures.
Beyond the NPU: Shell speed and Bluetooth LE Audio
While the NPU monitoring is the headline for enthusiasts, the broader user base might find the performance tweaks more impactful. Microsoft is promising accelerated app launches and a snappier feel for “core shell experiences,” specifically targeting the Start Menu and basic system navigation.
Although the official documentation is light on the technical specifics of these optimizations, early reports from the community suggest the update employs a temporary CPU boost during the initial launch phase of applications to reduce perceived latency. This “burst” approach aims to eliminate the micro-stutters that have plagued certain Windows 11 builds during multitasking.
On the connectivity front, Windows 11 now supports Bluetooth LE Audio broadcast technology. This allows for a more efficient sharing of audio across multiple Bluetooth devices, aligning Windows more closely with the ecosystems seen in modern smartphones and high-end wearables.
Developer quality-of-life and the ‘Brave User’ warning
Several smaller, targeted improvements have also made the cut. Users can now specify a custom name for their user folder during the initial Windows setup process—a long-requested feature for those who dislike the default truncated naming convention. Additionally, developers managing Dev Drives can now specify drive sizes in gigabytes rather than megabytes, removing a tedious layer of mental math during partition setup.
However, the update comes with a significant caveat. A persistent bug associated with the May 2026 security update (error 0x800f0922) continues to haunt some installations. The issue typically strikes devices with limited free space on the EFI System Partition—specifically those with 10MB or less available. When this occurs, the update process often fails around the 35% to 36% mark, triggering a full rollback and the dreaded “Something didn’t go as planned” notification.
Microsoft has confirmed that a resolution is in progress, but until then, users with tight partition constraints may find this preview update more frustrating than functional. Given the instability of the EFI partition error, this update remains firmly in the territory of “early adopters” rather than the general public.
