Is the Latest Windows Update Causing Browser Lag?

Have you recently experienced slower performance in your web browsers following a Windows update? If so, you’re not alone, and your situation warrants further examination.

Just the other day, I received a notification that a Windows update was available while I was watching a YouTube video. Almost immediately after that alert popped up, the video began buffering. Initially, I was in a Discord call where everything was functioning smoothly, but upon returning to my web browsing, I encountered persistent lag.

Curious about what was going on, I even opened Speedtest to check my internet connection, but the application was struggling to launch—what a frustrating experience! I first attempted to use Opera GX and thought it might have been a glitch, but the same issue arose in Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox as well. It became evident that all my browsers were underperforming.

In a bid to resolve the issue, I decided to restart my computer, all while forgetting about the pending update. As my machine rebooted, the update commenced, and I found it amusingly coincidental that the update was meant for Microsoft Edge, which had recently been revamped to utilize the Chromium engine. To my surprise, upon completion, Edge was automatically pinned to my taskbar and desktop, promoting its enhanced speed. The timing felt a bit too convenient, leaving me to wonder whether the update had affected the performance of the other browsers.

Fortunately, after the restart, I noticed that the lag issues vanished, and all my browsers began to work seamlessly once again. However, this experience raises questions about whether the recent Windows updates are somehow linked to browser performance issues.

Have any of you encountered similar problems after a Windows update? I’m curious to hear your stories and insights! Your feedback could help us piece together what might be happening with our beloved web browsers.