Please use this thread to discuss the NVIDIA Hotfix Version 581.94
NVIDIA has released a very important hotfix that addresses and fixes the issue where lower performance may be observed after installing the Windows 11 October 2025 update KB5066835
The lower-performance issue has affected many of us not only in MSFS 2024 and 2020 but also in a wide range of other games.
Lower performance may be observed in some games after updating to Windows 11 October 2025 KB5066835 [5561605]
Click here to download the GeForce Hotfix display driver version 581.94 for Windows 10 x64 / Windows 11 x64
Someone once warned against installing Hotfix versions because they were supposedly “beta” but I explained that NVIDIA introduces important changes and fixes in these releases. I often faced criticism for posting Hotfix builds on MSFS forum. This Hotfix once again proves what I’ve been saying all along. Hotfix releases are just as important as Game Ready or Studio drivers.
If you still don’t want to install this driver version, that’s perfectly fine - I’m not trying to convince anyone. Just wait for the WHQL release.
I used DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) to completely remove my current NVIDIA driver and then installed the new Hotfix driver. After that, I cleared all shader caches with the usual tools.
Personally, I can’t see any noticeable improvement. The small lag spikes when switching views are still there. Of course, you could argue that this is normal right after reinstalling a graphics driver and clearing all shaders. But in my case, these view-switch stutters only started to appear after the latest SU4 Beta was released.
So at this point, it’s very likely that the issue is not caused by our systems or hardware, but once again by the software — something we unfortunately have no real influence over.
Those lag spikes when switching views are 100% normal AFAIK, I’ve never not had those in FS2024. They don’t bother me and I mainly notice them when I have a frametime graph open, where I can see a huge spike each time. But visually they are almost not noticeable.
Funnily enough, sometimes (especially after a lot of back and forth view switching has already taken place) they don’t occur at all.
But I’ve never had an FS24 session where they don’t happen at all. For months after launch, they were MUCH worse, where they were extremely noticeable even without a frametimes graph. So bad that it was one of the reasons I refunded FS24 initially.
The way it’s now is fine for me, I’m only bothered by stutters (usually also CPU spikes) that occur periodically during normal flight and are most noticeable when panning around the plane in external view.
i honestly experience no difference in the sim… other then the audio spikes which seem worse now and my laptop feels warmer… it’s still ok from my side performance wise
I agree that there is some improvement, but not huge in MSFS 2024 SU4 Beta. Switching views does not cause any of the lags on my system that others have reported on theirs.
FWIW I installed it with no disaster. I gave it a good run around in the skys of Paris and the visuals have been upgraded and I have to say it looks very good.
I don’t have the nVidia App installed because I believe less is more. I find new drivers by checking in on a weekly basis to nVidia’s driver forums. They always announce new drivers there including Hot Fixes like this one. They always provide links in their posts for the WHQL or Hot Fix driver referenced in the post. Here’s a link: Game-Ready Drivers Community | NVIDIA GeForce Forums
Discussion threads for the most current drivers are always pinned at the top of the list of forum topics.
1 Download Hotfix
by default c:\Users\YourUserName\Downloads
2 Uninstall NVIDIA driver via DDU
If you need help for using DDU, check this GUIDE
3 Install Hotfix.
BIG performance improvement for me on MSFS 2020 with the Hotfix, a lot more stable, less microstutters, and getting more out of the GPU with improved framerates, I must have had the Windows 11 update that caused the issues. So glad it’s improved, much smoother. Thought i’d share a positive experience
I built my new system last Sunday(11/16) with W11 25H2 26200.7171. Ran Windows updates until there were no more, after the build. I take it I would be on this “problem” build of W11?
