If you’ve recently updated your Windows and are experiencing gaming instability despite owning one of the best graphics cards, the Windows 11 KB5074109 January update may be to blame. Amid reports of framerate drops, gaming artifacts, and black screens, Nvidia has recommended uninstalling the update as a temporary workaround while the chipmaker investigates the issues.
“Even though it started after a Windows 11 update, we are looking into it. As far as I know, the only way to resolve it appears to be uninstalling KB5074109,” wrote Manuel, a Nvidia representative, on the official GeForce forums.
The January 2026 security update is a mandatory one because it addresses 114 security vulnerabilities and resolves multiple issues, including battery drain on systems with NPUs. However, the major update has done more harm than good, particularly leaving owners of GeForce graphics cards on the short end of the stick. There don’t appear to be any reports of AMD Radeon users struggling in the meantime.
The first user feedback focused on performance issues, with multiple GeForce gamers reporting framerate drops of 15 to 20 FPS. The performance hit was only the tip of the iceberg. As the month progressed, reports of instability began to build in the GeForce forums, with users expressing frustration with gaming artifacts and random black screens. Initially, many believed Nvidia’s GeForce driver was the culprit, as the chipmaker released two driver updates (582.28 and…
