Home windows 11 replace fixes battery life situation on laptops with NPUs

What do you utilize the Neural Processing Unit (NPU) in your laptop computer for? If you happen to’re like most folk who purchased a brand new laptop computer within the final couple of years, the reply is “not a lot.” The NPU is meant for use for native “AI” processing duties… however since most individuals simply use cloud-powered AI instruments as a substitute, it type of looks like an digital appendix—an appendix that is likely to be costing you battery life in your laptop computer.

Fortunately, that is likely to be fastened with the most recent Home windows replace. In response to the patch notes for Home windows 11 replace KB5074109 (for 25H2 and 24H2), there was an “situation” with NPUs remaining energetic whereas laptops have been idling, inflicting notable battery drain. It’s been fastened as of yesterday for Patch Tuesday, at the least so far as Microsoft reckons.

Different updates embrace the standard smaller bug fixes and up to date drivers, new Safe Boot certificates, and an up to date model of the WinSqlite3.dll file. You possibly can see the total record over on Microsoft’s assist web page, and the brand new model ought to mechanically obtain through Home windows Replace for many customers.