Microsoft is making Windows 11 use RAM more efficiently, especially on 8GB PCs

• Microsoft says Windows 11 is now up to 20 percent more responsive, based on measurements of selected system interactions.
• Windows can keep up to 2GB more active data in memory instead of moving it to slower storage.
• On PCs with 8GB of RAM or less, Widgets load only when you open them, freeing more than 200MB of memory for other tasks.
• Microsoft is reducing background memory usage as part of its broader effort to improve Windows performance and reliability.

As part of its broader effort to improve Windows 11 performance and quality, Microsoft is making changes to how the operating system manages memory, with a particular focus on computers with 8GB of RAM.

The work aligns with the Windows K2 initiative, which focuses on improving performance, reliability, and the overall Windows experience. Microsoft now says Windows 11 is up to 20 percent more responsive, with improvements across Start, File Explorer, Search, Settings, Snipping Tool, and other experiences.

A big part of that work is making smarter use of memory and system resources, says Navjot Virk, corporate vice president of Windows experiences at Microsoft.

According to the company, Windows can now keep up to 2GB more active data in memory instead of moving it to slower storage. Microsoft has also reduced background memory usage. On computers with 8GB of RAM or less, Widgets now load only when opened, making more than 200MB of memory available for applications and other work.

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Microsoft says reducing the system memory footprint is now an explicit focus. However, the 2GB figure refers to additional active data that can remain in memory, not a reduction of 2GB in overall RAM consumption.

Other improvements include less disruptive Windows Update behavior, faster and more reliable Windows Hello sign-in, and more reliable Bluetooth connections. The company also says AirPods pairing can be up to 15 seconds faster.

The software giant is continuing this work with a new Windows Search experience that lets users perform common tasks directly from search results.