Why Is Windows 11 Using 72% of My RAM When Nothing Is Open?
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MellowPine47
I recently switched to Windows 11 and noticed that about 72% of my 16 GB of RAM is already in use when I close all my applications. I'm not sure whether this is normal, but older games sometimes run extremely poorly, so I'm concerned that the available memory may be too low. My laptop has an Intel i5-12450H, an RTX 4050, and one 16 GB RAM stick. What should I check or change to improve memory usage and gaming performance?
Answers
Don’t start with unofficial stripped-down Windows installations. They can remove useful components, cause driver or update problems, and create security concerns. Instead, uninstall programs you definitely don’t use, disable unnecessary startup entries, and close launchers, overlays, browser windows, recording tools, and chat applications before gaming. Avoid disabling random Windows services just because their names are unfamiliar.
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Since the laptop has a single 16 GB RAM stick, it is probably running in single-channel mode. Adding a matching second 16 GB module would provide 32 GB and enable dual-channel memory, which can improve overall responsiveness and sometimes gaming performance. Also check whether the RTX 4050 is actually being used by the games and whether the laptop is plugged in and set to a performance power mode. If memory usage is genuinely high, check the page file and look for a memory leak rather than trying to force Windows to show a low usage percentage.
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Windows uses available RAM for caching and background services, so the percentage shown in Task Manager isn’t automatically a problem. Cached or standby memory can usually be reclaimed immediately when a game needs it. Check the Memory section in Task Manager and look at the actual amount marked as In use, Available, and Cached rather than focusing only on the percentage. If a game causes memory use to approach 90–100% and performance drops, then background programs or paging may be contributing.
MellowPine47: I tested with Minecraft and memory usage rose to around 90%, but the other visible applications didn’t noticeably change their usage.
CedarOrbit21: That behavior can still happen with preloaded services and cached data, but 16 GB leaves less headroom than newer systems. Checking the Processes and Startup tabs should show whether something unusual is consuming memory.
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MellowPine47: The confusing part is that it isn’t one application using several gigabytes. There are many small processes using roughly 100 MB each, and I’m not sure which ones are safe to change.
SlateGarden42: That’s why it’s better to sort Task Manager by memory usage and research individual programs before changing them. Removing optional apps is safer than using a modified Windows build.