# Raycast Windows 2.6: 🎛️ Performance Improvements and Auto Model

URL: https://www.raycast.com/changelog/windows/2-6
Released: 2026-10-05

![image](https://misc-assets.raycast.com/releases/f7d1de1c1b4920dad5ece63d76713804325bc628cf726298d62f29281c5c7733.png)


We made several memory and performance improvements. Raycast's host process now uses about 50% less memory. Each extension process uses about 30% less memory at startup and less CPU when launching, which helps menu bar commands, background refreshes, and AI tools. We also fixed a memory leak that grew the longer Raycast stayed open. More details are below, and further improvements are coming in the next updates.


## 🤖 Auto Model


We reworked our Auto model, and you can now choose how it picks a model for you. It comes with three different preferences: Lightweight, Balanced, and Flagship. Balanced is the default and uses about 70% fewer credits than Flagship to help you get more out of your credits. Lightweight responds in about 70% less time than Flagship and works well for quick questions. Flagship uses the most capable models for harder tasks and requires a Pro+ or Max subscription.


## ✨ New

- **AI**: Added Claude and ChatGPT subscription usage in `/usage` in AI Chat and in Settings
- **AI**: Added Show AI Credits/Claude/ChatGPT Usage commands
- **UI**: Added automatic color contrast adjustments throughout to ensure the UI remains legible

## 💎 Improvements

- **AI Chat**: Mermaid diagrams now load only when a chat first needs them, which reduces memory usage
- **AI Permissions**: Extended Always Allow approvals to cover similar commands
- **AI Permissions**: Reduced approval interruptions for routine Git and GitHub workflows, and improved Auto approval decisions
- **Clipboard History**: Improved contrast of color swatch in color items
- **Dictation**: Cancelling a dictation now stops it immediately
- **Dictation**: Transcription is more reliable on slower connections
- **Extensions**: Clarified how uninstalling an extension affects its settings and data across synced devices
- **Extensions**: Improved performance when extensions refresh frequently in the background
- **File Search**: The file indexer uses about 60% less memory when it updates its index
- **Memory Usage**: Reduced memory overhead from command icons and deferred loading diagram support until needed
- **Memory Usage**: Reduced memory used by file indexing
- **Memory Usage**: Reduced memory use in idle extension workers
- **Performance**: Reduced extension worker startup CPU usage
- **Quick AI**: Added an option to hide the Quick AI hint in Root Search
- **Root Search**: Recent searches keep their results, so typing them again responds faster
- **Root Search**: Added support for numpad for number hotkeys

## 🐞 Fixes

- **Action Panel**: Fixed loading spinner alignment in search menus
- **AI**: Fixed new chats sometimes using the incorrect model when using the “Last Used Model” default setting
- **AI Chat**: Fixed an issue where pinning a chat removed it from its project
- **AI Chat**: Improved sidebar spacing and chat title fading
- **AI Chat**: Fixed "Open AI Settings" opening an empty Settings window instead of the AI settings
- **AI Projects**: Fixed the missing New Folder button when choosing a project's working directory
- **Emoji Picker**: Ensured AI results are stable when pasting & keeping the window open
- **Extensions**: Fixed extension updates failing on Windows for extensions that include AI skills
- **Extensions**: Fixed AppPicker width something blowing up
- **Extensions**: Fixed colored tags/icons being illegible in some cases
- **File Search**: Fixed recent files disappearing while the file index updates
- **Keyboard Shortcuts**: Fixed recorded shortcuts changing to modifier-only shortcuts when releasing the keys
- **Keyboard Shortcuts**: Fixed double-tap shortcuts losing their left or right modifier selection when recorded
- **Quicklinks**: Fixed issues where Quicklink icons would not reliably update or display
- **Quicklinks**: Fixed a regression preventing from saving a Quicklink
- **Quicklinks**: Fixed flashing/jumping issues in search view when navigating entries
- **Root Search**: Fixed `Tab` and alias navigation to focus the first empty command argument
- **Root Search**: Fixed running a command with missing required arguments in compact mode to expand the window and focus the missing argument
- **Root Search**: Fixed results lagging or staying outdated when opening Raycast while file indexing is busy
- **Root Search**: Fixed running app and game indicators ignoring the preference to hide them
- **Script Commands**: Fixed fallback commands not receiving the search query as their first argument
- **System**: Fixed Raycast failing to start, or crashing, when an audio device or media session is unavailable or unplugged
- **Notes**: Fixed Copy Content from Search losing formatting when pasted into rich text editors
- **Notes**: Fixed line breaks being lost when pasting text
- **Notes**: Fixed pasted Markdown being formatted inside code blocks instead of remaining plain text
- **Notes**: Fixed newly inserted dividers reverting to Markdown when pressing `Backspace`. The first press now selects the divider, and the second deletes it