- A developer has managed to boot a heavily modified Windows 11 26H2 installation with just 128MB of RAM, compared with Microsoft’s official 4GB minimum requirement.
- The experiment retains basic functionality, including the desktop, File Explorer, Start menu, and Notepad, but performance is extremely slow.
- The Tiny11 and Pico11 projects show how removing components can reduce the footprint, though some configurations sacrifice essential features and servicing capabilities.
Windows 11 is supposed to need at least 4GB of RAM, but a developer has managed to get version 26H2 running with just 128MB. The experiment shows how far the operating system can be stripped down while retaining some basic functionality, although the resulting installation is far from practical for everyday use.
NTDEV, the developer behind the Tiny11 project, shared the achievement and published a video demonstration. The heavily modified Windows 11 installation can reach the desktop, open File Explorer, display the Start menu, and launch classic Notepad with just 128MB of system memory.
That’s only 3.125 percent of Microsoft’s official 4GB minimum requirement. However, getting Windows 11 to start with just 128MB of RAM doesn’t mean it can handle everyday tasks reliably. The system runs extremely slowly, making this more of a technical experiment than a practical solution.
Windows 11 boots with just 128MB of RAM
NTDEV demonstrated the experiment in a YouTube video, showing Windows 11 26H2 running under extremely limited memory conditions.
The developer managed to retain several recognizable parts of the operating system, including the desktop, File Explorer, Start menu, and Notepad. The system can even handle limited multitasking, although NTDEV acknowledged that performance is extremely slow.
The achievement builds on years of work to reduce Windows installation footprint and remove unnecessary components. However, NTDEV hasn’t provided a complete breakdown of everything removed or disabled to reach the 128MB configuration.
Although removing enough components can dramatically reduce memory consumption, it also reduces what the operating system can do.
Microsoft’s 4GB RAM requirement still stands
Microsoft lists 4GB of RAM as the minimum requirement for Windows 11, alongside 64GB of storage and other hardware requirements.
The 128MB demonstration doesn’t invalidate those requirements. Instead, it shows the difference between the resources needed to start a heavily customized environment and those needed to support a complete installation.
A desktop appearing on screen doesn’t mean a computer can comfortably browse the web, run security software, open multiple applications, or handle everyday workloads.
When physical memory becomes in short supply, Windows must work harder to manage available resources. It can compress memory or move less-active data to storage, but accessing information from a drive is considerably slower than retrieving it directly from RAM.
For that reason, I wouldn’t consider this a way to revive extremely old computers. The experiment is an interesting technical achievement, not a practical hardware recommendation.
Tiny11 and Pico11 push Windows to its limits
This isn’t NTDEV’s first attempt to reduce Windows’ hardware requirements.
The developer is best known for Tiny11, a project that creates smaller Windows 11 installation images by removing selected components and applications.
NTDEV has also been working on Pico11, an experimental project focused on producing super small Windows installation media.
In a separate demonstration, the developer managed to compress an entire Windows 11 installation ISO, including its installer, into just 699,811,840 bytes. That’s small enough to fit on a conventional 700MB CD-ROM.
The demonstration retained a graphical desktop and basic applications, including Calculator, Notepad, Settings, and Paint. However, it used a virtual machine with 4GB of memory, making it a separate experiment from the 128MB achievement.
Pico11 also sacrifices Windows Update and normal servicing capabilities to achieve its exceptionally small footprint. As a result, it’s unsuitable as a regular installation, particularly on computers that need ongoing security updates.
Microsoft is improving Windows 11 performance on 8GB PCs
While NTDEV is exploring how little memory Windows 11 can use, Microsoft is working on a more practical problem. The company wants the regular operating system to perform better on computers with 8GB of RAM.
Throughout 2026, the company has introduced memory and performance optimizations designed to improve responsiveness without requiring users to upgrade their hardware.
According to the company’s latest results, Windows 11 is now up to 20 percent more responsive on 8GB computers, while multitasking can be up to 40 percent faster compared with earlier builds.
One improvement is memory compression, which lets the operating system keep up to 2GB more active data in memory instead of moving it to slower storage. Microsoft has also reduced committed-memory growth by up to 900MB across Windows, Edge, and Microsoft 365 apps.
The company is also changing how certain features consume resources. For example, Widgets now loads only when opened on computers with 8GB of memory or less, reducing memory commitment by approximately 200MB while the feature remains closed.
A lot of these improvements are available starting with Windows 11 build 26300.9818 (KB5127936) or later.
The difference between the two approaches is significant. NTDEV is removing functionality to make Windows run with an extremely small memory allocation. Microsoft is trying to make the complete operating system more efficient so that existing computers can handle everyday workloads more comfortably.
Pureinfotech’s Take
I find NTDEV’s experiment impressive, but I wouldn’t confuse a technical achievement with a practical solution. Getting Windows 11 to open File Explorer with 128MB of RAM is one thing. Having a reliable computer that can handle everyday tasks is another.
I’d rather see Microsoft continue improving memory management and performance than focus exclusively on reducing the operating system’s footprint. The improvements on 8GB computers are much more significant because they benefit people using actual devices without sacrificing essential functionality.
I still recommend 16GB of RAM for a more comfortable Windows 11 experience, but making 8GB computers more responsive is a good direction.
What do you think about Windows 11 running on just 128MB of RAM? Let me know in the comments.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert and founder of Pureinfotech in 2010. With over 23 years as a technology writer and IT Specialist, Mauro specializes in Windows, software, and cross-platform systems such as Linux, Android, and macOS.
Certifications: Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA), Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP), VMware Certified Professional (VCP), and CompTIA A+ and Network+.
Mauro is a recognized Microsoft MVP and has also been a long-time contributor to Windows Central.
You can follow him on YouTube, Threads, BlueSky, X (Twitter), LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].
