Windows 11 may be getting the most attention right now, but hundreds of millions of people are still using Windows 10, and many have been encountering serious problems for months when trying to play games on Windows 10.

This week, Microsoft rolled out an optional update for Windows 10 (branded KB5004296). This update includes a number of fixes for low frame rates, performance issues, and other problems that users are experiencing when trying to play games, both within and without Windows 10's game mode.

How important this is depends on what (if any) problems you have experienced recently when trying to play games on Windows 10; after Microsoft's major update to Windows 10 in April, many users have been using both AMD and Nvidia's components on a variety of hardware configurations, including PCs with both AMD and Nvidia components, began reporting problems (low frame rates, stuttering, etc.) while playing games like Assassin's Creed Valhalla (pictured above) and Call of Duty: Warzone.

Microsoft quickly fixed a number of Windows 10 game-killing bugs with an emergency rollback, but a number of known issues (including performance issues when using Windows 10's game mode, designed to improve performance) remain.

Microsoft's recently distributed optional update to Windows 10 includes a number of fixes for these issues. A full list of changes can be found in Microsoft's patch notes.

Fortunately, Microsoft has made installing the update to Windows 10 surprisingly easy. See how straightforward the step-by-step instructions are:

1. Open the Windows Update section of the Windows 10 Settings menu. The quickest way to do this is to press the Start button, type "Windows Update Settings" and select that option when it appears.

2. Since this is an optional update, look for the heading "Optional quality update available". Below that, you should find a list of KB5004296, the patch in question.

3. The patch will then begin downloading! Once complete, it will automatically install and should make playing games on Windows 10 a little smoother.