Fixing High RAM Usage on Windows 10 – Effective Solutions for Performance Issues

Stop High RAM Usage Slowing Down Your Windows 10 PC

We’ve all experienced it – opening up the Task Manager on our Windows 10 computer only to be greeted by shockingly high RAM usage for no apparent reason. While a bit of RAM usage is normal, excessive amounts can really slow your system down. But don’t panic! In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through several effective techniques to diagnose the causes of high RAM usage on Windows 10, and provide actionable solutions to optimize your system’s performance.

Why High RAM Usage Matters

Before jumping into the fixes, it’s important to understand why high RAM usage causes problems. RAM (Random Access Memory) is a type of computer memory that stores data for quick access by active programs and processes. The more RAM your system has, the more data it can handle at once without needing to swap data out to slower storage drives.

If too much RAM is being used, your computer may start lagging, freezing, or crashing. That’s because there won’t be enough RAM left for the programs you want to run. Getting those RAM levels down is crucial for smooth PC performance.

10 Ways to Reduce High RAM Usage on Windows 10

Without further ado, here are 10 proven techniques we can use to diagnose and lower high RAM utilization on Windows 10.

1. Close Unnecessary Apps

The most straightforward way to free up RAM is to close any apps you aren’t currently using. Here’s a quick way to do this:

1. PressCtrl + Shift + Escto open the Task Manager.
2. Click the "Processes" tab.
3. Sort the processes byMemoryusage.
4. Look for apps using high amounts of RAM that you aren’t actively using and clickEnd Taskon them.

Closing these RAM-hogging apps will immediately free up memory for apps you actually need.

2. Disable Startup Programs

Apps that auto-start with Windows can gradually eat up your RAM without you even realizing. To identify and disable them:

1. In Task Manager, click theStartuptab.
2. Disable any unnecessary programs by right-clicking them and selectingDisable.

This prevents them from starting automatically when you boot your PC, freeing up RAM capacity.

3. Defragment Drives

A fragmented hard drive forces Windows to work harder to access data, consuming extra RAM. Here’s how to defrag your drives:

1. OpenFile Explorerand right-click your hard drive.
2. ClickProperties > Tools > Optimize.
3. Select your drive and clickOptimizeto defrag it.

Once finished, Windows will run more efficiently.

4. Adjust Virtual Memory Size

Virtual memory lets Windows swap data from RAM into reserved space on your hard drive. You can manually adjust its size to optimize performance:

1. OpenControl Panel > System > Advanced System Settings.
2. Under Performance, clickSettings.
3. Select theAdvancedtab and clickChangeunder Virtual Memory.
4. Uncheck "Automatically manage…."
5. Set the initial and maximum sizes to4096 MB(or higher).
6. ClickSetthenOK.

This gives Windows more space to offload excess data from RAM.

5. Disable Superfetch and SysMain

Superfetch and SysMain are Windows services that try to speed up app launches by preloading data into RAM. You can disable them to free up memory:

1. Open anelevated Command Prompt.
2. Runnet stop Superfetchandsc config Sysmain start=disabled.

This prevents them from occupying RAM unnecessarily.

6. Adjust Registry Settings

Tweaking a couple registry settings can optimize RAM:

1. OpenRegistry Editor.
2. Navigate toHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management.
3. Double-clickClearPageFileAtShutdownand set the value to1.
4. ClickOKto save.

This clears unnecessary data from the pagefile at shutdown.

7. Set Virtual Memory to System Managed Size

Alternatively, you can let Windows automatically size your virtual memory:

1. OpenControl Panel > System > Advanced System Settings.
2. Under Performance, clickSettings.
3. Select theAdvancedtab and clickChangeunder Virtual Memory.
4. Check "Automatically manage…."
5. ClickOK.

Windows will adjust it as needed.

8. Use High Performance Power Plan

Switching to a high performance power plan prevents your PC from throttling resources to save power:

1. Go toControl Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options.
2. ClickHigh performance.

This maximizes performance at the cost of higher energy use.

9. Run Antivirus Scan

Viruses and malware can consume massive amounts of RAM. Perform a full system scan with your antivirus software to detect and remove any infections.

10. Upgrade RAM

If your system has 4GB of RAM or less, upgrading your memory is one of the best ways to boost performance and handle more applications at once.

Installing more high-capacity RAM dims will give Windows 10 plenty of breathing room. Just make sure your motherboard has open slots and your PC supports the speed and type of new RAM you buy.

Diagnose RAM Issues with Task Manager & Resource Monitor

In addition to the above fixes, Task Manager and Resource Monitor are handy built-in tools for diagnosing high RAM issues:

• Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and look at memory usage on the Performance tab.

• Open Resource Monitor (Windows key + R then type "resmon") and view memory stats on the Memory tab.

Here you can see precisely which apps and processes are consuming the most RAM, helping pinpoint any culprits.

Keep Your Windows 10 PC Running Smoothly

While frustrating, high RAM usage on Windows 10 is manageable with the right techniques. Follow the optimization steps in this guide and you’ll keep your system running fast and responsive. Don’t settle for a sluggish PC – take control of your RAM!

What tips do you have for investigating and reducing high RAM usage on Windows 10? Let us know in the comments!

References

1. https://www.easeus.com/partition-master/windows-10-high-ram-cpu-memory-usage-issue.html
2. https://www.partitionwizard.com/partitionmagic/windows-10-high-memory-usage.html