RAM is getting too expensive to waste memory in Windows 11 — optimize your PC with my tips and keep it running smoothly

On Windows 11, you can reduce the system memory footprint to improve overall responsiveness, stability, and multitasking performance. In this guide, I will show you the most effective ways to do exactly that.

Although the operating system is designed to manage RAM efficiently, background services, startup apps, visual effects, and modern software workloads can quickly consume available memory. When RAM usage is high, you may experience slower app launches, frequent stuttering, delayed task switching, or excessive drive activity due to paging.

At the same time, with memory prices fluctuating and often trending higher, upgrading RAM is not always a practical option. Fortunately, there are several proven ways to optimize Windows 11 to use less memory without sacrificing usability or core features.

These adjustments focus on controlling which apps run at startup, limiting unnecessary background processes, fine-tuning system settings, and making smarter choices about how applications use RAM. The goal is not to strip down the operating system, but to reclaim wasted memory so your PC runs more smoothly during everyday tasks such as web browsing, productivity work, light creative workloads, and even gaming.

In this how-to guide, I will walk you through practical steps to minimize memory usage on your Windows 11 computer.

Best tips to reduce memory usage on Windows 11

In this set of instructions, I'll be focusing on managing system resources, uninstalling unnecessary apps, applying system and driver updates, controlling the memory usage of the web browser, performing a full malware scan, and using features like the Xbox Full Screen experience and the Microsoft PC Manager tool.

Adjust system settings to minimize memory consumption

To begin, you can prevent the system from loading certain applications during startup. You can also control background process and system services.

Disable startup apps

To prevent certain apps from running at startup to minimize RAM usage, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Apps.
3. Click the Startup page on the right side.

4. Select the "Startup impact" option from the "Sort by" option.
5. Turn off the toggle switch for apps impacting memory usage.

• Quick tip: Only disable the applications you know are hogging memory, and don't turn off system services.

Once you complete the steps, the applications won't launch in the background when the systems start freeing up resources for more important tasks.

Disable background processes for apps

In addition to disabling apps at startup, some Microsoft Store apps can run background services that can affect memory usage. However, you can prevent certain apps from running background processes to improve the memory usage.

To disable background processes for Store apps on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Apps.
3. Click the Installed apps page on the right side.

4. Select the app and open the menu (three dots) on the right side.
5. Click on Advanced options.

6. Select the Never option under the "Background app permissions" section.

After you complete the steps, the specific app will no longer run in the background.

Disable system services

By default, Windows 11 runs a slew of background processes you may not even need, and while many are essential for the operation of the system, you can disable unnecessary services to minimize RAM usage.

You should only proceed with these steps if you know what you're doing. Otherwise, it's recommended to use the other available options.

To turn off system services on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Services and click the top result to open the console.
3. Right-click the service (for example, the "Print Spooler" if you don't have a printer connected to the device), then choose Properties.
4. Click the Stop button to terminate its process.

5. (Optional) Select the Disabled or Manual option for the "Startup type" setting.
6. Click the Apply button.
7. Click the OK button.

Once you complete the steps, continue turning off other services to lower the system memory usage.

Optimize memory usage with Microsoft PC Manager

If you have access to the PC Manager app, you can use its "Boost" feature to reduce your computer's memory usage.

To reduce the memory usage of your device, after installing the PC Manager app, use these steps:

1. Open Start menu.
2. Search for PC Manager and click the top result to open the app.
3. Click on Home.
4. Click the Boost button to reduce memory usage immediately.

• Quick note: This feature also deletes temporary files, which can also affect performance.

5. (Optional) Click the "Set Smart boost" option.
6. Turn on the "Start boost setting" toggle switch to enable the feature to lower memory usage when usage is high automatically.

7. Turn on the "Start Microsoft PC Manager automatically when I sign in to Windows" toggle switch to have the application start automatically and run the optimizations.

After you complete the steps, the feature will run, freeing up memory to improve system performance.

Remove unused apps to improve system memory

If you intend to prevent unnecessary apps from consuming system resources, the most effective solution is to remove them altogether. Uninstalling unused applications reduces background activity, lowers memory pressure, and can also reclaim valuable storage space.

In the previous sections, I covered ways to limit background processes and prevent apps from launching at startup. However, those measures are not always permanent. Some applications are designed to re-enable background activity after updates, while others follow preconfigured behaviors set by the developer. Because of this, uninstalling apps you never or rarely use remains one of the most reliable ways to keep resource usage under control.

The same logic applies to apps known to be heavy on memory usage. If an application consistently consumes a large amount of RAM and a lighter alternative offers similar functionality, replacing it can lead to noticeable performance improvements, especially on systems with limited memory.

Whenever possible, it's also best to rely on native Windows 11 applications. Many newer apps are web wrappers that run a website inside a container. While convenient for developers, these apps often consume significantly more RAM than native counterparts.

A recent example is WhatsApp for Windows 11. Meta replaced the native Windows app with a web-based version, and multiple reports indicate that this version can use substantially more memory than the previous native implementation. This is a clear case where choosing native apps, or uninstalling inefficient ones, can directly improve system performance.

To uninstall a native or web application, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Apps.
3. Click the Installed apps page on the right side.

4. Select the app, then open its menu using the three dots on the right.
5. Select the Uninstall option.

6. Click the Uninstall button again.
7. Continue with the on-screen directions (if applicable).

Once you complete the steps, you may need to repeat the instructions to uninstall additional apps from your computer.

Scan for malware and unwanted software

If you're noticing high memory usage when it's usually not the case, it could also be a virus or another type of malware causing the problem.

In this case, it's recommended to perform a full malware scan with the Microsoft Defender Antivirus or a specific antivirus solution.

To perform a full scan and remove viruses affecting the system memory usage, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Windows Security and click the top result to open the app.
3. Click on Virus & threat protection.
4. Click on "Scan options" on the right side.

5. Select the Full scan option.
6. Click the Scan now button.

After you complete the steps, the antivirus will scan and remove any malware detected.

If the option to perform a full scan didn't resolve the issue, you can perform an offline scan with these instructions.

Install the latest system and driver updates

Sometimes, the problem can be traced to a bug with the operating system, and even though system updates can often cause problems, they are necessary to patch bugs and vulnerabilities. For this and other reasons, it's important to keep your computer up to date with the latest system and driver updates.

System updates

To download and install system updates, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Windows Update.
3. (Optional) Turn on the "Get the latest updates as soon as they're available" toggle switch.
4. Click the "Check for updates" button.

After you complete the steps, the operating system will download and install any available updates.

Driver updates

To download and install driver updates, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Windows Update.
3. Click the Advanced options page on the right side.

4. Click the Optional updates settings under the "Additional options" section

5. Select the available device driver updates (if applicable).

• Quick note: This page lists the current drivers available through the Windows Update servers. If you don't see anything, then the system doesn't have any updates available for your device at that specific time.

6. Click the "Download & install" button.

Once you complete the steps, the system will apply the corresponding updates to improve the memory usage on your computer.

Alternatively, you may also want to check the manufacturer's support website to download and install device drivers manually.

App updates

To download updates for apps from the Microsoft Store, use these steps:

1. Open the Microsoft Store app.
2. Click the Downloads tab in the bottom-left corner.
3. Click the "Check for updates" button.

After you complete the steps, any available updates will download and install on the computer.

If you have apps from other sources, check for updates within the app or download them directly from the software support page.

Enable Xbox Full Screen Experience to lower memory usage

On handheld gaming PCs, you can reclaim up to around 2GB of RAM by switching to the desktop environment with the Xbox Full Screen Experience.

On Windows 11 version 25H2, the Xbox Full Screen Experience (FSE) is a feature that transforms the regular desktop experience into a console and controller-friendly interface to play games.

The system hides the traditional desktop and loads a full-screen version of the Xbox app, minimizing resource usage by disabling Windows Explorer and stopping unnecessary background processes.

Initially available on the ASUS ROG Ally and Ally X, the experience expanded to additional handheld devices in 2025, and Microsoft plans to bring it to more form factors.

To enable the Xbox Full Screen Experience on your handheld gaming PC, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Gaming.
3. Click the "Full Screen Experience" page on the right side.

4. Select the Xbox app in the "Choose home app" setting.
5. Turn on the "Enter full screen experience on startup" toggle switch.

6. (Optional) Turn on the "Show accessibility control hints in Task view" toggle switch.
7. Restart the handheld gaming PC.

After you complete the steps, the handheld will restart, and once you sign in, the console-like experience with the Xbox app will start reducing the memory usage, depending on your device configuration.

Reduce RAM usage by optimizing your web browser

The web browser is often one of the biggest contributors to high RAM usage on Windows 11. However, this is not entirely the application's fault. Memory consumption depends mainly on the type of content a website needs to load and render, such as high-resolution images, videos, animations, advertisements, and complex scripts. Opening multiple tabs, using heavy extensions, and keeping web apps running in the background can quickly push memory usage higher, even on systems with plenty of RAM.

Companies have made significant improvements over the years to better manage memory, and some browsers are more efficient than others. Microsoft Edge, for example, is generally considered less resource-intensive, thanks to features designed to suspend inactive tabs and limit background activity.

I'm not suggesting you must switch browsers, but it is worth noting that your choice of browser can have a noticeable impact on overall system performance.

If you are already using the default browser on Windows 11, there are several settings you can adjust to reduce its memory footprint. You can enable the resource control features, sleeping tabs, or efficiency modes. It is also a good idea to turn off background mode, which prevents the browser from continuing to run and consume memory after you close it.

In addition, regularly reviewing and removing unnecessary extensions, limiting the number of open tabs, and closing websites you are no longer using can make a significant difference. Combined, these small adjustments help keep memory usage under control and contribute to a smoother and more responsive Windows 11 experience.

Customise Microsoft Edge resource features

To enable resource controls on Microsoft Edge, use these steps:

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Open the main menu using the Alt + F keyboard shortcut.
3. Choose the Settings option.
4. Click on "System and performance" from the left pane.
5. Click the Background mode tab.
6. Turn off the Startup boost toggle switch to prevent the browser from pre-loading during startup using additional memory.

7. Turn off the "Continue running background extensions and apps when Edge is closed" to reduce the memory footprint while the browser is closed.
8. Click on "System and performance" from the left pane one more time.
9. Click the Performance setting.
10. Turn on the "Save resources with sleeping tabs" toggle switch to put inactive tabs to sleep after a specified time to save system resources.

11. Set the "Put inactive tabs to sleep after a specified amount of time" option to 15 minutes to improve memory usage more quickly.
12. (Optional) Turn on the "Enable performance detector" toggle switch to detect tab performance issues and recommend a solution.
13. Turn on the "Enable resource controls" toggle switch to control how much RAM the browser is allowed to use.
14. Confirm the amount of memory the browser should use, but consider that this can also affect browsing speeds.
15. Choose the Always option for the "Choose when to control resources" setting.

Once you complete the steps, the memory footprint reduction of Microsoft Edge should be noticeable on the computer.

Uninstall browser extensions

To uninstall extensions from Microsoft Edge, use these steps

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Open the main menu using the Alt + F keyboard shortcut.
3. Select Extensions and click on Manage Extensions.
4. Click the Remove button for the extension using excessive system memory.

5. Click the Remove button one more time.

After you complete the steps, continue uninstalling other extensions that may be using a lot of RAM.

If you don't know which extension is causing the increase in memory usage, from the Microsoft Edge main menu, select "More tools," then click the "Browser task manager" option.

Click the "Memory" tab to sort extensions by memory usage, and then you can identify which one to uninstall.

Find apps consuming excessive RAM in Task Manager

If you don't know which applications and processes are consuming the most system resources, you can use Task Manager.

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Task Manager and click the top result to open the tool.
3. Click the Process tab.
4. Click the "Memory" header to sort all running programs.
5. Confirm the apps at the top of the list that are currently using the most RAM.

After you complete the steps, you will know the apps that are consuming the most system memory.

It's important to note that browsers like Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge often appear at the top because each tab runs in a separate process. You can click the arrow next to the app name to see the breakdown of these sub-processes.

This process can also help you identify the extensions that use the most resources. At least in Microsoft Edge, other browsers like Google Chrome don't show extension details in the Task Manager.

Perform a clean installation of Windows 11

If you're still experiencing high memory usage on the computer after applying the different tweaks, consider performing a clean installation of Windows 11 to start fresh. This can help the device resolve high memory usage issues, as well as other performance and error issues.

You can use these instructions to start fresh with an installation of Windows 11. In this guide, you'll learn the steps to prepare the device as well as the steps to create the installation media, perform the installation, and complete the setup after the installation.

As a final note, I understand that upgrading the system memory may not be appealing at this time because of the sudden increase in cost. However, it's the most effective solution as long as your system configuration supports it.

Although Windows 11 requires at least 4GB of RAM, it's still recommended to have at least 16GB for general computing and gaming.

More resources

Explore more in-depth how-to guides, troubleshooting advice, and essential tips to get the most out of Windows 11 and 10. Start browsing here:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

Follow Windows Central on Google News to keep our latest news, insights, and features at the top of your feeds!