Photoshop Gets Up to 20% Faster on Windows Thanks to New Microsoft Optimizations

Microsoft says Photoshop is getting faster on Windows thanks to new compiler-level optimizations developed in collaboration with Adobe. The improvements arrive as Microsoft continues to focus on performance enhancements across Windows, following the recent rollout of a Low Latency Profile and the discovery of hidden CPU tuning settings by enthusiasts.

According to Microsoft, the latest optimizations deliver up to 20% better performance on x86-64 (AMD64) systems. Arm-based Windows devices also benefit, with gains of up to 13%.

Adobe and Microsoft Use Real-World Data to Speed Up Photoshop

The performance improvements do not come from changes to Photoshop’s features or user interface. Instead, Adobe worked with Microsoft’s Visual C++ team to take advantage of enhancements in the Microsoft Visual C++ (MSVC) toolchain and a technology called Sample Profile Guided Optimization (SPGO).

SPGO allows developers to optimize applications using performance data collected from release builds that users run every day. Unlike traditional Profile Guided Optimization (PGO), the technique does not require special instrumented versions of an application.

This approach gives Adobe access to performance information gathered from real-world workloads rather than relying solely on synthetic benchmarks or internal testing scenarios.

Microsoft says SPGO helps the compiler identify frequently executed sections of code, often referred to as “hot paths.” Once identified, the compiler can optimize how that code is organized and executed.

The result is better processor utilization and faster execution of Photoshop tasks on both traditional Windows PCs and ARM-powered systems.

Not all Windows applications receive the same level of performance optimization, however. For example, some users continue to report that the modern Windows Media Player feels slower and less responsive than the legacy media applications it replaced. Complaints often focus on startup times, library navigation, and overall responsiveness on older hardware.