Advanced users of Windows 11 can now unlock improved NVMe performance through a registry modification, enhancing data transfer speeds by bypassing legacy SCSI commands. This enhancement signals a significant boost in IOPS for storage-intensive workloads.
Registry Modifications for NVMe
The native NVMe driver included in Windows 11 25H2 and Windows Server 2025 can be manually activated. This involves adding three DWORD entries in the registry. Microsoft reports up to an 80% improvement in IOPS on Windows Server 2025. Instructions suggest using the Windows Terminal to make these changes and a reboot is required to apply them.
- Activate native NVMe driver by bypassing SCSI.
- Increased IOPS by up to 80% reported on Windows Server.
- Use Windows Terminal for registry changes and reboot.
Performance and Compatibility
Significant performance gains are observed in workloads with multiple simultaneous small file operations. Everyday tasks may show modest improvements, and results depend on the SSD model. However, this tweak may not suit all users. Vendor-supplied drivers such as those from Samsung or Intel may negate the benefits.
Risks associated with this experimental change include potential Safe Mode failures due to driver loading issues, altered disk identifiers which may affect backups, and compatibility problems with storage utilities.
Recommendations for Users
Microsoft recommends that only advanced users or those with modern PCIe 4.0/5.0 NVMe drives and comprehensive backup strategies should attempt this modification, given the current experimental nature. Mainstream users are advised to wait until full official support is implemented to avoid potential disruptions in system stability.
