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2h ago

Windows 11 Cuts Memory Use and Boosts Speed on 8GB PCs

Microsoft says tuned compression, shared web engines, WinUI migrations and delayed preloads keep more active data in RAM to reduce reloads.

Windows 11
A laptop sits on a wooden coffee table, displaying Windows Task Manager’s Memory page; books and a sofa frame the quiet home setting.
A sleek XPS 13 laptop displays a glowing upward graph and “+20% responsiveness” beside a Windows 11 logo, conveying improved speed and innovation.
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Overview

  • Microsoft announced Tuesday that its memory and responsiveness work is shipping in Windows 11 26H2 and requires build 26300.9818 or later to get the changes.
  • The company says smarter memory compression can keep about 2 GB more active data in RAM so apps and tabs reload less often and common actions feel snappier.
  • Microsoft reports lab telemetry showing up to 20% better responsiveness and up to 40% faster multitasking on 8GB machines and claims Windows, Edge and Microsoft 365 cuts can reduce committed memory growth by as much as 900 MB.
  • Practical changes include shared web engine instances, moving several UI experiences to WinUI, Edge sleeping inactive tabs after 15 minutes and delaying Widgets preload on 8GB systems to save roughly 200 MB.
  • Early hands‑on tests confirm real idle and multitasking RAM drops on 8GB laptops but results vary by processor, drivers, pagefile settings and phased rollout, and Microsoft still recommends 16GB+ for demanding work.