Reports of a Windows 11 23H2 gaming performance drop surfaced in late 2023, but they do not show that every PC running 23H2 became slower. One user reported lower CPU benchmark scores and game stuttering, then said a procedure attributed to Microsoft Support improved performance. Contemporary coverage did not confirm it as a general Microsoft fix. Because Windows 11 Home and Pro 23H2 reached end of updates on November 11, 2025, check your edition and support status before trying advice from that period.
What players reported about Windows 11 23H2
In a November 2023 Reddit post, a user with an AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D and GeForce RTX 4080 said CPU benchmark results were 5–8% lower on Windows 11 23H2 than on 22H2 and described random stuttering in games. The user later said CPU benchmark results had returned broadly near 22H2 levels after following instructions attributed to Microsoft Support, with some GPU and game results also improving. These are self-reported results from one PC, not a controlled test or evidence of a system-wide regression. The original Reddit discussion.
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PCWorld covered a report of roughly an 8% gaming-performance drop on December 4, 2023, and described the same procedure. That coverage relayed the user’s account; it did not establish a universal cause or a generally confirmed fix. PCWorld’s December 2023 report.
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The Reddit user said Microsoft Support recommended resetting Windows Security through PowerShell, restarting, enabling CPU virtualization in BIOS or UEFI, turning on Memory Integrity under Windows Security, then restarting again. The commands in the account were:
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Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted
Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.SecHealthUI -AllUsers | Reset-AppxPackage
PC Gamer also described this procedure and noted that it changes firmware and Windows security settings. PC Gamer’s coverage.
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Why not to run the commands casually
Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted changes PowerShell’s execution policy. Do not copy and run it without understanding the security implications, confirming that the instruction applies to your system, and checking current official guidance. BIOS/UEFI labels and menus differ by manufacturer and model. Consult current Microsoft documentation or your device maker’s support before changing firmware or security settings.
The account describes enabling virtualization and Memory Integrity, not turning protective features off as a performance tweak. The Reddit user later said they had retained performance with Core Isolation/VBS disabled after making additional Group Policy and registry changes, but did not provide those instructions; there is no basis here to reconstruct or recommend them.
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How to troubleshoot a game stuttering after a Windows update
Before changing settings, establish what Windows version and edition the PC is actually running and whether the symptom is repeatable. A single benchmark or an intermittent hitch is not enough to attribute a problem to 23H2.
- Check the installed version and edition. Open Settings > System > About and review Windows specifications. Record the edition and version before following any version-specific advice.
- Check support and update status. Use Microsoft’s Windows release-health information for current known issues and install applicable updates for a supported version. Microsoft says the 22H2 and 23H2 update histories share a common core operating system and identical system files, and that the latest update includes previous updates and security fixes. Windows 11 version 23H2 update history.
- Reproduce the symptom consistently. Use the same game, settings, benchmark, and comparable conditions before and after any change. Note whether the issue is sustained low performance, a measurable benchmark difference, or occasional stuttering.
- Check virtualization and Memory Integrity only as diagnostic context. Their status can help determine whether your PC resembles the setup discussed in the 2023 report. Do not change security settings just to match another user’s configuration; get current guidance for your hardware and Windows version first.
- Make one change at a time and verify the result. If you do make an advised change, repeat the same test and keep a record so you can tell whether it helped. Avoid combining unrelated tweaks, which makes cause and recovery harder to identify.
Why the 2023 advice needs a date and edition check
Microsoft’s lifecycle notice lists November 11, 2025, as the end-of-updates date for Windows 11 Home and Pro version 23H2. This date is specific to those editions; do not assume all Windows editions share the same lifecycle. Verify the edition and its current support status before applying instructions written for the 2023 release. Microsoft lifecycle information for Windows 11 Home and Pro.
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The report is best understood as a troubleshooting lead for a limited set of historical user experiences, not proof that 23H2 universally slowed games. The cited press coverage did not publish a general Microsoft confirmation of this performance issue or workaround, and the specific support exchange is not available as a public Microsoft article.
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