Why Windows 11 KB5074109 Breaks Gaming and How to Fix It

Issue Overview

In January 2026 Microsoft released the mandatory Windows 11 cumulative update KB5074109 . The update fixes 114 security vulnerabilities and an NPU‑related battery‑drain issue. Shortly after deployment, many PC gamers with NVIDIA GeForce GPUs reported severe performance regressions.

Observed Symptoms

Frame‑rate drops of 15–20 fps in games.

Graphical artifacts and visual glitches.

Random black screens, including during boot.

In extreme cases, the system fails to boot.

Impact on Different GPUs

All reported cases involve NVIDIA GeForce cards. AMD Radeon users have not reported similar problems.

Vendor Confirmation

NVIDIA confirmed on its official forum that KB5074109 is the root cause and that the only proven remediation is to uninstall the update. Microsoft acknowledged that the update can render some systems unbootable and later published an optional supplemental update KB5074105 , which addresses certain black‑screen scenarios but does not guarantee resolution of the gaming‑specific issues.

Uninstalling KB5074109

Two methods are available:

Graphical method

Open Settings → Windows Update → Update history .

Locate KB5074109 in the list.

Click Uninstall and follow the prompts.

Command‑line method (requires administrator rights): wusa /uninstall /kb:5074109 After removal, affected systems typically return to normal gaming performance. Users should monitor future Windows updates for a fixed version or for the release of a comprehensive fix.

Additional Notes

The update is installed automatically by default; manual removal is safe.

KB5074105 is optional and must be installed manually; its effect on gaming issues is unverified.

Continue to follow official NVIDIA and Microsoft announcements for a permanent resolution.