Microsoft speeds up Windows 11 file deletion for fragmented data

Microsoft's recent update, Windows 11 Build 26300.8935, optimizes the deletion of large fragmented files, reducing the time required for this process. This update rolled out on July 20, 2023, but will be gradual, so not all users will notice the change immediately. Fragmented files require additional processing in the NTFS file system, which can slow down deletions, especially on mechanical drives.

This improvement particularly benefits developers dealing with numerous small files and large file types such as virtual disks and database files. The specific technical details of the optimization were not disclosed.