What is VmmemWSA Process and How to Stop it From Consuming Excess Memory in Windows 11

If you have recently noticed a process called ‘VmmemWSA’ in your task manager, don’t be alarmed. This process, known as Vmmem, is utilized in Windows 11 to indicate the resources being used by virtual machines on your computer.

The VmmemWSA process is responsible for managing memory allocation on Windows 11 devices running Android apps through the Amazon Appstore or other sideloaded applications. This process was released by Microsoft a few years ago as part of the Windows Subsystem for Android, which enables users to run and install Android apps on their PC.

Although it is a legitimate process, if you notice it using an excessive amount of memory or other resources on your system, resulting in a decrease in system performance, it is essential to control it. Let’s begin.

Reasons for High Memory Usage by VmmemWSA

The amount of memory used by VmmemWSA will vary depending on the Android apps that are currently in use. If you have multiple resource-intensive apps running, such as games, or if you have multiple Android apps open at the same time, the memory usage of the process will be higher as it displays the total memory being used by the entire virtual environment for WSA, rather than just individual Android apps.

For these situations, handling the memory utilized by VmmemWSA is uncomplicated. However, numerous users have noticed that VmmemWSA is consuming memory in instances where it should not be.

Tips for Managing Memory Consumption by VmmemWSA

To prevent the excessive use of memory by VmmemWSA in Windows 11, follow these steps for managing it.

1. Optimize Your Android Device by Closing Unnecessary Apps

To effectively handle the excessive memory usage caused by VmmemWSA on your computer, it is recommended to close any inactive Android apps. This will release the memory that was being used by the apps, which is a normal occurrence.

2. Optimize Resource Consumption

WSA can be set up to utilize resources from your Windows 11 system constantly or only when necessary. If WSA is configured to continuously consume resources, it will not shut down even if there are no Android apps running. Altering this setting will release the high memory currently being used by VmmemWSA.

• Open the WSA app on your Windows 11 PC from the Start menu or using Windows Search.

• Then, navigate to ‘Advanced Settings’ from the left menu.

• Expand the option for ‘Memory and performance’ and select the radio button for ‘As needed’.

When the WSA is configured to use resources on demand, the memory usage will not immediately decrease upon closing all Android apps. Due to the costly nature of booting Android, the WSA is not immediately shut down, but rather after a few minutes of inactivity.

It is important to wait for at least 10 minutes after closing all Android apps before checking if the memory has been released by WSA. If the memory is still not freed, there may be an underlying issue.

3. Restart of the Provincial Administrative Court

If you are experiencing high memory usage from VmmemWSA on your Windows 11 device even when it is not expected, consider restarting the WSA application.

• Open the Windows Subsystem for Android app on your system from the Start menu or using Search.
• Then, click the ‘Turn off’ button next to the ‘Turn off Windows Subsystem for Android’ tile.

• Once WSA window closes, you can restart it by either opening an Android app or relaunching the WSA app itself.

4. Configure Windows Subsystem for Android

If the WSA is not kept up to date, it may also result in problems with the VmmemWSA process utilizing an excessive amount of memory.

• Open the Microsoft Store on your PC.
• Then, switch to the ‘Library’ tab from the left menu.

• Ensure that there are no pending updates for Windows Subsystem for Android.

Even though VmmemWSA is necessary for the functioning of Android apps, there are ways to control its memory usage. By following these suggestions, you can ensure that your Windows 11 system operates efficiently while using Android apps through WSA. However, as Microsoft gradually discontinues support for WSA, reducing reliance on it may prevent future complications that could arise more frequently at present.