Microsoft plans Windows 11 tweaks to improve performance on 8GB RAM PCs
Microsoft will roll out a series of Windows 11 optimizations aimed at reducing idle memory usage on computers with 8 GB of RAM, with broader updates expected by the end of 2026.
Microsoft announced that it will introduce a set of Windows 11 optimizations designed to lower the operating system's idle memory consumption on devices equipped with 8 GB of RAM. The effort is part of a quality-improvement program first outlined in March. > "The initiative is intended to make Windows 11 run more smoothly on machines with 8 GB of RAM," said Pavan Davuluri, president of Windows and Devices.
The changes target the high memory usage that has been reported when the system is idle, where an 8 GB configuration can consume around 6 GB before any user applications are launched. Microsoft attributes much of the usage to WebView2, a Chromium-based framework that powers many built-in apps, and is shifting components such as File Explorer's Properties dialog to the lighter WinUI framework while urging developers to create native applications.
The updates will be released incrementally, with the majority of improvements expected before the close of 2026. While devices with larger memory capacities will still see better overall performance, the tweaks are expected to benefit millions of users who rely on 8 GB configurations for work, study and everyday tasks. Systems with the minimum supported 4 GB of RAM currently use roughly 3 GB of memory when idle.