Microsoft acknowledges Windows 10 stuttering problem, a fix is in the works

Microsoft rolled out the Windows 10 Creators Update in April, and it wasn't quite smooth sailing for everyone. Reports of stuttering in games quickly began to surface—not universal enough to prove there was a problem, but persistent enough to suggest that something, somewhere was amiss. In a recent post on the Microsoft support site, Microsoft support engineer Paul Aaron acknowledged that there is in fact a problem, and that a fix is in the works.

"Thanks to all of you who provided feedback and submitted traces via the Feedback app. We've been reviewing the traces and have identified an issue that we believe is the cause of stuttering in some of the cases that you've reported," Aaron wrote. "We have a fix in the Windows Insider build that flighted to the 'Fast' ring this week (build 16273 and above). If you are already an Insider please test it with any app or game you're having this problem with and let us know how it goes."

Aaron asked that Insiders who try the fix report their results in the thread, and to submit another feedback item if it fails to help. "Your feedback on this change and the Insiders build will help us evaluate the fix so we that can decide if it should be released for the current version of Windows 10," he wrote.

Those of you who aren't Insiders, and who don't want to wait for the fix to arrive through conventional channels as part of the Fall Creators Update, can change that situation here. If you'd like to try a slightly less drastic approach, MSPoweruser says that some users have reported that disabling the Xbox Game DVR feature clears up the problem, but that's entirely hit-or-miss.

Thanks, Blues.

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.