Windows 11 Apps May Launch 50% Faster With New Tech

The Windows App SDK is designed to assist developers in utilizing traditional desktop app frameworks while gaining access to contemporary APIs applicable across a variety of Windows devices.

Despite these advancements, apps developed through this SDK—whether created by Microsoft or third-party developers—often suffer from slow launch times. Users have observed sluggish animations and delays in responsiveness. For instance, the Windows Photos app has been so slow to start that Microsoft resorted to executing it in the background as a temporary fix.

Looking ahead, the introduction of native AOT is poised to alleviate some of these issues. This technology compiles applications into native code beforehand, allowing the system to bypass the process of translating the developer’s code while the app runs. With this reduction in workload, applications should launch more swiftly and consume less memory.

According to Microsoft’s blog, the update is touted as an “incredible performance boost.” However, the true extent of its effectiveness will only be realized over time. For the AOT benefits to be truly advantageous, developers will need to update their applications accordingly, and this transition will likely happen at varied paces across the development landscape. Consequently, the performance improvements will almost certainly differ from one application to another.

While Microsoft presents this update as an exciting new development, it also acknowledges that current Windows 11 applications are not performing optimally. It’s crucial to understand that improvements won’t be immediate and that users should not expect instant enhancements in performance.