Windows 11 26H2 Cuts RAM Usage by Up to 3 GB on Some PCs

Some users who installed the Windows 11 26H2 update say their computers’ RAM usage has fallen by between 1 GB and 3 GB. The difference is mainly visible immediately after the system starts. However, RAM usage has not changed on other computers that received the update. This result therefore cannot yet be applied to all devices.

On one computer, RAM usage at startup fell from 6.9 GB to between 4.8 and 5 GB. On another computer, it dropped from 9.1 GB to 7.5 GB. Some users have also reported decreases in memory usage of about 1 GB or 3 GB. These are not official test results, but merely users’ observations.

Some of the computers showing larger reductions had high amounts of RAM. For this reason, the same result is not guaranteed on devices with 8 GB of RAM. Many users also say memory usage did not change before and after the update. The difference may depend on the computer’s hardware, programs running in the background and system settings.

Microsoft announced in early August that it was optimizing Windows 11 to use less RAM. 26H2 is not a major update package, but it may activate some previously prepared changes on computers. According to one user, File Explorer opened immediately after the update, without the previous 5-second delay. The company is also working to improve the file manager’s speed.

Microsoft is also working to fix memory issues in WinUI, the system underpinning the Windows 11 interface. This change could help both the operating system and applications built with WinUI run faster. There have not yet been widespread complaints about serious problems. Nevertheless, it is safer to wait for a while before installing the update so that any potential bugs can surface.