I am experiencing lag and delay when opening Quick Settings (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Sound, Brightness )

[jude777]

Windows 11 Quick Settings lag on HP OMEN 16(ae0xxx)

Product: HP OMEN 16
CPU/GPU: Intel Core i7-14650HX, NVIDIA RTX 4060
Display: 165 Hz
OS: Windows 11 Home (latest updates installed)
BIOS: Latest available from HP Support

Issue description:

I am experiencing intermittent lag when opening Windows 11 Quick Settings such as  Bluetooth volume and brightness. Sometimes the panel takes 2 to 4 seconds to open and the animation feels delayed. Occasionally the cursor freezes briefly. This happens randomly and is more noticeable after sleep or long uptime. Overall system performance is otherwise normal with no lag in games or applications.

Windows is fully updated. BIOS is updated from HP Support. Intel graphics and NVIDIA drivers are updated. Fast Startup is enabled. Startup apps are minimal. System temperatures are normal. I am using Balanced mode in OMEN Gaming Hub and mostly use the laptop while plugged in.

This issue did not occur on my older HP laptop with Intel 11th generation graphics. The issue appears to be related to Windows 11 UI behavior rather than hardware performance.

Is this a known issue on HP OMEN laptops with Intel HX processors and Windows 11. Are there any recommended fixes or settings.

Troubleshooting already done:
Windows fully updated
BIOS updated from HP Support
Intel Graphics and NVIDIA drivers updated

No third-party system tuning software installed
Temperatures  are normal
Using Balanced mode in OMEN Gaming Hub
Laptop mostly used while plugged in

Additional observation:
This issue did not occur on my older HP laptop with an Intel 11th generation integrated graphics. The problem appears to be related to Windows UI or shell  rather than hardware performance.

Questions:
Is this a known Windows 11 issue on newer Intel HX-series OMEN laptops?
Is HP working with Microsoft on a fix for Quick Settings lag?
Are there any recommended BIOS or power settings to reduce this issue?
Could this be related to Intel graphics and Windows 11 UI rendering?

Any official guidance or workaround would be appreciated.

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @jude777 

Welcome to the HP Support Community! We're here to help you get back up and running.

Thank you for sharing such a detailed description and for already performing thorough troubleshooting steps. I understand how frustrating it can feel when the Quick Settings panel hesitates or the animation stutters, especially on a high-performance system where you expect everything to respond instantly. 

Let’s walk through some additional measures that can help smoothen the Windows 11 interface experience on your HP OMEN 16.

 

Check OMEN Gaming Hub Performance Mode

• Switch from Balanced to Performance mode temporarily and observe if the Quick Settings panel opens more responsively.
• Performance mode ensures maximum CPU responsiveness, which can sometimes reduce UI delays.

Adjust Windows Power Plan

• Open Control Panel → Power Options.
• Select “High Performance” or create a custom plan ensuring processor minimum state is set to 100%.
• This can help reduce latency in UI rendering after sleep or long uptime.

Disable Fast Startup

• Since Fast Startup can occasionally cause UI inconsistencies after waking from sleep, try disabling it:
  • Control Panel → Power Options → Choose what the power buttons do → Change settings → Uncheck “Turn on fast startup.”
• Restart and test Quick Settings behavior.

Intel Graphics Command Center

• Open Intel Graphics Command Center.
• Ensure “Application Optimal Mode” is enabled.
• Check display refresh rate is locked at 165 Hz in both Intel and NVIDIA control panels.

NVIDIA Control Panel Settings

• In NVIDIA Control Panel → Manage 3D Settings.
• Set “Preferred graphics processor” to “High-performance NVIDIA processor.”
• Under “Power management mode,” select “Prefer maximum performance.”

HP System Diagnostics

• Run HP PC Hardware Diagnostics (UEFI) to confirm there are no underlying hardware delays.
• Guide: HP PC Hardware Diagnostics | HP® Support

HP Support Assistant / HP App

• Open the HP App (formerly HP Smart) and run “System Tune-up” or “Performance Check.”
• This ensures firmware and drivers are aligned with Windows updates.

Windows Visual Effects

• Search “Performance Options” in Windows.
• Under Visual Effects, select “Adjust for best performance” or customize by disabling animations and transparency effects.
• This can reduce lag in Quick Settings animations.

BIOS Power Settings

• Enter BIOS (F10 at startup).
• Check if “Hybrid Graphics” or “Dynamic Switchable Graphics” is enabled. If available, test with discrete GPU only to see if UI responsiveness improves.

You can refer to HP’s official guide for performance optimization here:
HP PCs - Improving PC performance (Windows) | HP® Support

By combining these adjustments—especially testing with Fast Startup disabled, switching power modes, and fine-tuning graphics settings—you should notice a more fluid response when opening Quick Settings.

If my response helped, please mark it as an Accepted Solution! ✅ It helps others and spreads support. 💙 Also, tapping "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" makes a big difference! Thanks! 😊

Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye

[jude777]

Hi @Hawks_Eye,

Thank you for the detailed suggestions. I tested the recommended steps carefully.

I disabled Dynamic and Variable Refresh Rate in both Windows Display settings and Intel Graphics Command , locked the refresh rate at 165 Hz, adjusted power settings using Balanced mode with the processor minimum state optimized, and reviewed Intel display power saving options.

While these changes improved overall responsiveness, the Quick Settings panel still shows occasional hesitation or animation stutter, especially after longer uptime or certain system states. Based on further testing, this appears to be related to Windows 11 UI or Explorer issue rather than a hardware fault, as system performance and gaming remain unaffected.

Regards,

[Hawks_Eye]

You are welcome @jude777 

Thank you for carefully testing the earlier steps and sharing back such a clear update. I understand how discouraging it feels when the Quick Settings panel still hesitates despite all the adjustments you’ve already made—especially since your system performs flawlessly in games and applications. You’ve done an excellent job narrowing this down to a Windows UI behavior rather than a hardware fault.

Let’s add a few more measures that can sometimes improve responsiveness in these interface elements:

 

Restart Windows Explorer

• Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
• Locate “Windows Explorer,” right‑click, and choose “Restart.”
• This refreshes the shell and can clear UI lag without rebooting the whole system.

Clear Windows Shell Experience Cache

• Press Windows + R, type %localappdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Shell, and press Enter.
• Delete the contents of the “Shell” folder (these are cache files).
• Restart the PC. This can reduce stutter in Quick Settings animations.

Disable Transparency Effects

• Go to Settings → Personalization → Colors.
• Toggle off “Transparency effects.”
• This lightens the rendering load on the UI and can make panels open faster.

Check Background Services

• In Task Manager, review background processes after long uptime.
• Look for spikes in “Desktop Window Manager” or “Shell Infrastructure Host.”
• If they consume high CPU during lag, restarting Explorer or adjusting visual effects usually helps.

System File Check

• Open Command Prompt as administrator.
• Run sfc /scannow.
• This repairs any corrupted system files that may affect UI responsiveness.

HP App Diagnostics

• Open the HP App on your OMEN 16.
• Run “Diagnose & Fix” to ensure no firmware or driver misalignment remains after updates.

The key here is to refresh the Windows shell environment and reduce visual overhead. Since your gaming and overall performance are unaffected, these steps target only the UI layer where the lag appears.

Best regards,

Hawks_Eye