AMD Radeon driver 26.11.1 fixes extra SSD writes: how to update

AMD has released Adrenalin Edition 26.11.1, an optional graphics driver for Windows 10 and 11. AMD says it fixes a bug where PCs with Radeon RX 7000 series cards and newer kept writing to the system drive while idle, and another where moving or resizing windows caused the same heavy writes. If an office PC has a recent Radeon card, check the driver and install 26.11.1.

Who is affected

The fix in AMD's release notes covers two cases. The first is idle writing on Radeon RX 7000 series graphics and above. The second is extra writing when you drag or resize an application window. AMD describes both as issues that "may be observed", so not every PC with these cards shows them.

Why it matters for an office: an SSD can only take a certain amount of writing over its life. Lowyat reports that users saw the writes come from an AMD background program called atieclxx.exe, at between 0.3MB and 5MB a second. At the top rate that is roughly 432GB a day on a PC left on overnight, which wears a drive faster than normal use.

PCs without a Radeon RX 7000 series card or newer fall outside the idle case AMD describes. Check which graphics the PC has before you change anything.

What to do

1. Find out which graphics card the PC has. In Windows, open Device Manager and expand "Display adapters". If it says AMD Radeon RX 7000 or RX 9000, keep going.
2. Check the driver. In Device Manager, double-click the Radeon card and open the Driver tab. AMD's release notes list two Windows driver store versions in the 26.11.1 package, 32.0.32015.16001 and 32.0.21045.26001, depending on the card. A lower number means the PC is on an older driver. You can also open AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition from the Start menu and read the version there.
3. Desktop PCs: download Adrenalin 26.11.1 from the AMD release notes page linked below and install it. Save open work first, the screen will flicker and the PC may ask to restart.
4. Laptops and all-in-one PCs: AMD recommends the driver from the PC maker (Dell, HP, Lenovo, Asus and so on) for these systems. Check the maker's support page first, and use the AMD driver only if the maker has nothing newer.
5. If you turned off the AMD External Events Utility or Resizable BAR as a stopgap, you can switch them back on after the update. Lowyat notes those workarounds could affect some Radeon features or game speed.
6. Check the SSD health with the drive maker's tool if the PC was left on for weeks with the bug. Keep a current backup either way.

Not sure which PCs in the office need it? Our help centre explains how to reach our team for office IT questions.

Source and credit

We are sharing this news from AMD and Lowyat.NET. This summary is written by Synctech in our own words.

• AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition 26.11.1 Optional Driver Release Notes, AMD, 12 Nov 2026: https://www.amd.com/en/resources/support-articles/release-notes/RN-RAD-WIN-26-11-1.html
• AMD Releases Adrenalin 26.11.1 Driver To Fix Excessive SSD Writes, Lowyat.NET, 13 Nov 2026: https://www.lowyat.net/2026/409742/amd-adrenalin-26-11-1-driver-fix/ Retrieved 14 Nov 2026. AMD, Radeon and Windows are trademarks of their owners. Synctech is not connected with them. This is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. If anything here is wrong, email support@synctech.com.my and we will correct it.