Nvidia has confirmed that recent Windows security updates from October 2025 are causing performance degradation in games running on Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2. In response, the company has issued a beta GeForce Hotfix Display Driver, version 581.94, specifically designed to resolve these issues. This driver is released outside of the standard quality assurance cycle to provide a quicker solution for affected users.
The hotfix is optional and provided as-is, having undergone a significantly abbreviated testing process to expedite its availability. It includes a small number of targeted fixes on top of the previously released driver version. Users experiencing lower frame rates or stuttering after installing the KB5066835 update can download this beta driver directly from Nvidia's support website.
This is not an isolated incident, as the October Windows updates have introduced several other bugs, including problems with localhost connections and smart card authentication. Microsoft has also been active in resolving other recent issues, such as incorrect end-of-support warnings on Windows 10 and problematic BitLocker recovery prompts. Throughout the year, the company has also lifted compatibility blocks that were preventing the Windows 11 2024 Update on systems with certain games.
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