Overview
- This week Microsoft began rolling out the changes in Windows 11 26H2 (build 26300.9818 or later) and through updates to Edge, Microsoft 365 and Teams so eligible 8GB PCs can receive the new tuning.
- In lab tests Microsoft reports up to 20% better responsiveness for common actions and up to 40% faster multitasking when compared with earlier Windows builds, numbers the company frames as best‑case 'up to' results.
- The core technical change is tuned memory compression that lets Windows keep as much as 2 GB more active data in RAM instead of paging it to storage, which reduces app and tab reloads and lowers latency for foreground tasks.
- Microsoft also reconfigured features and apps to save idle memory—Widgets now load on demand on 8GB machines, Edge puts inactive tabs to sleep after 15 minutes, and Office and Teams updates together reduce committed‑memory growth by up to about 900 MB in multitasking tests.
- Availability is staggered and real‑world gains will vary by hardware and settings, independent testing is still verifying Microsoft’s lab figures, and the company says it will keep tuning performance while working with OEMs and chip partners to free more RAM for users.