you can’t even run an app in you computer when Windows 11 is slow, this is mainly due to high memory usage issue. This article is a step-by-step guide to fix high memory usage in Windows 11 and make you computer fast again.
How to Manage Windows 11 High Memory Usage
Your system is running out of Memory, and you are getting the “High Memory Usage” error in Windows 11. Your system running low on Memory causes apps to freeze and lag. It indicates that your system needs to upgrade. You can fix the “High Memory Usage” problem in Windows 11. We have created a detailed guide that contains actionable methods to fix Windows 11 high memory usage problems.
What is Memory (RAM)
Memory and storage are often confused. Memory can be described as RAM (random access memory), ROM (read-only memory), and Cache. It stores temporary data while a task executes. Ram stores temporary data while a Windows program runs. Once the program is closed, the CPU will transfer data to the Memory.
What leads to High Memory Usage
There are many reasons why high memory usage could occur, and it is usually related to RAM (or virtual memory). High memory usage is likely to cause apps to freeze or lag.
It is crucial that we first understand the root cause of the problem before we fix it.
- Too many programs running simultaneously
- Startups launch many programs
- Insufficient Memory
- An infected system with malware or virus
- Registry misconfiguration
Let’s now get to solve the problem.
How to Fix High Memory Usage in Windows 11
There can be multiple reasons for a Windows 11 High Memory Usage issue, so there are various solutions to fix this issue, and they are as follows:
Close Unnecessary Apps
It is easy to clear out Memory by closing all open apps. Users often launch too many apps, but they don’t realize it can affect the system’s performance. If that is your problem, try closing all the apps you don’t require using the Task Manager in Windows 11.
To force close an app.
- Type Task Manager on the search menu and hit Enter key.
- In the Task Manager. A list of running apps will appear in the Processes Tab. (Memory consumption can be seen under the Memory column.
- To close an app, right-click on it and select “End Task” from the context menu.
- The app will now be closed and won’t be listed in the Task Manager anymore. Like this, by closing the app, you can bring down the memory usage.
Disable Apps from Running at Startup
Many programs start up as soon as your computer turns on. They consume lots of Memory. These programs/apps may cause excessive memory usage problems. Remove unnecessary apps from the startup to fix it.
- Open Task Manager from the above method.
- Move to the Startup Tab at the top.
- Right-click on the app and select “Disable” to stop running.
Disable SysMain Service
SysMain allows you to preload programs that are generally used on the RAM. It makes quick access to them and ensures they work effectively. SysMain can make it easier to access the program and improve system performance. However, SysMain may be one reason for high memory usage.
Try disabling the feature to see if that fixes the problem. If it doesn’t work, you can re-enable it as it increases the computer’s performance.
Follow the steps to disable the “SysMain” Service.
- Press Windows + R to launch the ‘Run’ Command.
- Type “services.msc” in the text box and press enter.
- Double-click on the “SysMain” service to open it.
- Click on the “Startup Type” drop-down menu, then select “Disabled” from the list of options.
- Click on the “Stop” under “Service Status.” It will take a few seconds to disable the service, and the progress would be displayed in a dialog box on the screen.
- After the service has been stopped, click OK at the bottom to save the changes.
Defragment Hard Drive
Fragmentation refers to the process of data fragments or blocks being scattered around on the hard drive. It slows down the system and takes time to rearrange these fragments on the hard drive. It allows Windows to access the files quickly.
Windows automatically defragments your hard drive every few minutes by default. You should do it manually if you experience high memory usage. There is no need for defragmented on Modern SSD (Standard State Drives), but you should do the same on HDD (Hard Disk Drive).
Follow the steps to Defragment Hard Drive.
- Type “Defragment and Optimize Drives” in the search menu and hit Enter key.
- A list of drives on or connected to your system. Select the one you want to defragment and click on the “Optimize” option.
- The process will start right automatically. After fragmentation, restart the computer and check if the memory usage has reduced.
Increase Virtual Memory
Virtual Memory allows data from RAM to transfer to disk storage. It compensates for the absence of physical Memory. It is a very efficient method that will solve the problem of high memory usage.
Follow steps to increase the virtual memory:
- Open Search menu and type “sysdm.cpl” and hit Enter key.
- In the system properties window, click on the Advanced tab.
- Click on Settings under Performance.
- Move to the Advanced Tab under performance options.
- Click on Change under Virtual Memory.
- Untick Checkbox for Automatically manage paging file size for all drives at the top.
- Before we set a new size for the virtual memory, clear the existing one on the C Drive. To do so, select the C Drive to form the list, tick the check box for no paging file, and click on “set.”
- Click on Yes on the confirmation box that pops up.
- Now select another volume (non-system partition) from the list, select the “Custom size” option, and enter the virtual memory value. Insert the same values for both the “initial size” and “Maximum size” in MB (Megabyte).
- Click on Set and wait for the changes to come into effect, and then click OK at the bottom.
Change System Performance Settings
You can also modify the system performance settings to reduce memory usage:
- Type sysdm.cpl on the search menu and hit Enter key to launch System Properties.
- Click on Advanced Tab.
- Go to Settings under Performance.
- After that, select Adjust for best performance option and click OK at the bottom to save the changes.
Run Full System Scan
High memory usage is a sign that a system is affected by malware or viruses. The malware can run in the background, consuming a lot of Memory. To check for malware, run a complete system scan if the above methods fail. You can use Windows Security or trust third-party antivirus to run the scan. Windows Security is the best choice, as it’s fast, reliable, and provides the same level of security as top-quality antivirus.
- Type Windows Security in the search menu and tap Enter key.
- Select Virus and threat protection.
- Click on Quick Scan. Yet, we prepare to run a “full scan” to determine any virus or malware that may have infected the system.
- Click on Scan options to view the other options for a scan.
- Select the Full scan option and tap on the scan now at the bottom.
- It will start scanning, and it shows the progress when completed. You will be messaged if any threats or malware were found and the action taken on it or not.
Make Changes to the Registry
The RAM memory will automatically clear when you turn off your system. However, pagefile, or virtual Memory, is not. It would be possible to enable pagefile clearing at shutdown. This would allow you to keep your memory consumption under control.
- Press Windows + R to launch the Run command, enter “regedit” in the text box and tap Enter key.
- To launch the Registry Editor, Click Yes on the confirmation box that pops up.
- In the Registry Editor, either navigate the following path or paste it in the address bar and hit enter.
- Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management
- Locate and double click on the “ClearPageFileAtShutDown” key.
- Enter 1 under value data and press OK to save the changes.
- Restart the computer for the changes to come into effect.
Increase the RAM
If none of these solutions have solved the problem, upgrading your RAM or physical memory is possible. It is necessary to know how much RAM your system has. You should also know the RAM maximum capacity of every system. You can find this detail on the manufacturer’s website and the manual that came with your system.
- Launch the Task manager by the above-given method.
- Click on Performance Tab.
- Select the Memory option on the left, and you can check the installed RAM on your PC will be mentioned near the top right corner.
- Now when it comes to upgrading RAM, we recommend you take expert advice because every system has a different configuration, and generalizing it would create further issues rather than fixing it.
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