With Windows 11, Microsoft not only dropped support for many
capable processors but also limited the operating system to
hardware with
TPM 2.0 (Trusted Platform Module version 2).

Unlike controversial processor requirements, TPM 2.0 mandate is
actually not a big deal for most users as the vast majority of
modern devices have this security feature.

On AMD systems, TPM is also referred to as “fTPM” which is a
type of security module implemented in system firmware instead
of dedicated chip. fTPM can be easily enabled on AMD systems,
but for some configurations, enabling this feature seems to be
causing performance issues.

The TPM implementation is generally straightforward and a ton
of Intel folks are using it, but there are some issues with
AMD’s implementation, most notably a problem with audio
glitches and stuttering frame rates.

Interestingly, this issue appears to be due to compatibility
issues between AMD’s fTPM and Windows rather than a bug in the
new operating system.

Windows 11 fTPM bug causes stuttering

As some users investigated and shared their analysis with us,
enabling fTPM could nerf a device’s performance and cause
stuttering when you’re playing games on either Windows 10 or
Windows 11.

The problem has been documented by users on our comments
section, Feedback Hub, Reddit, and
other
forums.

“I have the same problem too, I’m running a Ryzen 5 1600AF, and
sometimes I get random stutters and audio crackling at random
times,” a user noted in a Reddit thread.

“I can confirm I have the same issue here as well – Ryzen 3900X
on an MSI MEG X570 ACE using the fTPM. Like others have
mentioned, I generally don’t notice the stutters unless I have
music playing. It’s the same as everyone else is describing.
I’m on the latest BIOS for my board, drivers and the like are
all fully up to date. Windows 11 Pro is fully up to date on the
release build,” another user said.

This bug doesn’t affect all PCs and it seems to have been
noticed on certain devices when upgrading to Windows 11 from
Windows 10. Based on the reports, it looks like the issue won’t
make your machine unusable as these stutters last a few seconds
only, and happen randomly.

How to fix stuttering caused by fTPM on Windows 11

The recommendation is to uninstall Windows 11 and turn off fTPM
on Windows 10 and it’s certainly worth trying this to see if it
addresses the stuttering. While you can turn off fTPM on
Windows 11 too, it can have adverse effects as some games like
Valorant won’t run on the new OS without TPM.

There is also the possibility that a bug in Windows 11 could
potentially be a cause, so if you’re getting stuttering while
playing games, you should consider reinstalling Windows 10 or
wait for a fix from Microsoft and AMD.

Remember that you can always report issues directly to
Microsoft via Feedback Hub, and Microsoft might come up with a
fix if you best describe the problem you are having.