While Windows is generally effective at handling memory, frequent slowdowns can signal the need for maintenance. When my system begins to lag, my routine always starts with identifying what’s running in the background.
6 Shut Down Background Applications
In my daily routine involving applications like Office 365, Slack, Asana, and various testing tools, many programs tend to run in the background—even when I’m not actively using them. This phenomenon, often referred to as “tab hoarding, ”can lead to excessive memory consumption.
To quickly regain lost memory, it’s advisable to close any background applications that are not in use. This includes common culprits such as Slack, Asana, Teams, virtual machines, live wallpaper apps, and RGB software. If I need to check on project notifications, I can always rely on the web versions of my task management tools.
Before terminating any application, it’s wise to review memory usage through the Task Manager. Sorting processes by Memory Usage will reveal which applications are consuming the most resources. Close anything that isn’t essential to your immediate work to mitigate memory drain effectively.
5 Improve Browser Tab Management
Should your Task Manager indicate high memory usage from your web browser, it may be due to the overwhelming number of open tabs. I often find myself with multiple tabs across various browsers, which is a leading cause of my system’s memory issues.
The first step is to actively close any unnecessary tabs. You may soon realize that none of these tabs are as critical as previously thought, having merely accumulated over time.
If memory spikes persist, your web browser could be at fault. Chrome is well-known for its high memory consumption. Our studies exploring lightweight browser options have revealed that alternatives such as Edge and Firefox can be up to 25% more efficient in memory management.
If you’re considering a transition, there are numerous alternatives to Chrome based on Chromium that provide similar features while being more resource-friendly.
4 Streamline Startup Applications
Many applications vie for a spot in your startup list, and having too many can significantly hinder boot times and consume upwards of 100MB of memory while remaining idle. This hidden memory drain can accumulate quickly, potentially costing you a gigabyte before you even start working on more critical tasks.
Here’s how to manage your startup applications effectively:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to launch Task Manager, then navigate to the Startup Apps tab.
- Right-click on any application that isn’t critical for startup and select Disable. Pay special attention to those marked with High startup impact, as these significantly affect startup performance.
For a smoother start-up experience, I enable only essential applications like my cloud storage sync and password manager, while disabling others like Microsoft Teams, which can be opened manually as needed. This approach not only speeds up my system boot time but also reduces baseline memory usage.
3 Optimize Visual Effects for Better Performance
While Windows visual effects enhance the aesthetic appeal through animations and shadows, they often come at the cost of performance, especially when system resources are limited. Disabling these effects can lead to a noticeable boost in responsiveness.
- Press Windows + R, type sysdm.cpl, and hit Enter.
- Navigate to the Advanced tab, and under Performance, click Settings.
- In the performance options, select Adjust for best performance to turn off all effects, or choose Custom to maintain only the effects that are necessary to you.
I usually retain Smooth edges of screen fonts for better text clarity but turn off everything else. While my windows no longer fade in seamlessly, the overall speed and responsiveness of my system make the trade-off worthwhile when I need an extra performance boost.
2 Turn Off SysMain (Superfetch) Service
For those in need of maximizing every megabyte of RAM, consider disabling SysMain. This service preloads frequently used applications to expedite opening times; however, with modern SSDs, the benefit may be negligible. Disabling this service can free up some memory that can be more effectively utilized elsewhere.
- Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
- Locate SysMain from the list, right-click it, and select Properties.
- Change the Startup Type to Disabled, then click Stop if the service is currently running.
This adjustment is best suited for systems equipped with SSDs and at least 8GB of RAM. Older systems that rely on mechanical drives can benefit from keeping SysMain enabled, so testing both configurations is advisable. If you notice a slowdown after disabling it, feel free to reactivate the service.
1 Implement Regular System Maintenance
Regularly restarting your computer is crucial. While it may be tempting to keep programs running for productivity, a simple restart clears the RAM and gives Windows a fresh start. I typically reboot my machine every few days to avoid interrupts during work.
Notably, both Windows 10 and 11 come equipped with memory compression technology, optimizing inactive pages without the need for third-party memory optimization tools, which are often ineffective and can lead to system issues.
Ultimately, managing RAM effectively does not mean striving for zero usage but ensuring adequate freed memory availability when needed. Start by closing unnecessary apps and managing your tabs for immediate relief, and then explore other optimizations based on your specific requirements.
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