RAM is the most important hardware part of the computer, the one that most affects its speed and which is often the only cause of Windows slowdowns.
Although PCs are sold today
RAM is one of the main factors that differentiates a slow PC from a fast one and even if today the newer PCs are sold with 8 GB of RAM (which is the minimum by now), the memory is still limited by the most common programs (such as Chrome or Firefox) that require more and more memory.
Being so important, let's now see how to free up RAM on Windows (Windows 10, Windows 7 and 8) when there are slowdowns caused by memory and to keep the PC always fluid and fast .
READ ALSO: Why the computer slows down over time "> check if the processes are safe or harmful on Windows
2) Check the programs in automatic start
When you install several programs, or if they update, they may be automatically set to start when you turn on your computer and it will run in the background.
If you notice a lot of RAM in the task manager even if you are not doing anything, it is better to check the programs and the apps in the background, which start automatically.
To do this, go to the Start tab of the task manager and disable those that don't need to be running all the time.
In another article, the detailed guide to disable automatic program startup in Windows.
3) Delete the paging file on shutdown automatically
Whenever you turn off your computer, system RAM is always cleared, while the paging file remains stored on the disk.
The paging file, in short, is an area of the disk that the operating system uses as additional RAM when the memory is low.
Clearing the paging file every time you shut down your PC can slow down the shutdown and startup process, but it also keeps your memory cleaner and more efficient.
To do this, open the registry key editor from the Start menu, looking for and running the regedit command.
In the left side, go to the folder
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SYSTEM \ CurrentControlSet \ Control \ Session Manager \ Memory Management
On the right side, find the ClearPageFileAtShutdown key and set the value to 1.
Press OK and restart your computer.
This is a tweak that can work or not, to try to see if the performance improves or worsens.
READ ALSO: Virtual memory: setting up the Windows paging file.
4) Reduce the visual effects of Windows
Windows 10, as well as Windows 7 and Windows 8, has animated effects in opening menus and windows, which take up memory.
On low memory PCs, you can free up RAM permanently by turning off these visual effects.
To disable Windows visual effects, open a file explorer folder, right click on this PC and then click on Properties .
On the left side, press on Advanced system settings, then under Performance on Settings .
In the Performance Options window, select the Rule for best performance option.
Alternatively, you can activate and deactivate the various animations depending on how you like best.
In the guide on how to keep Windows super fast, we saw which of these effects would be best to turn off completely and which ones can be maintained without problems.
5) Free up the cached RAM, if not used
When applications and programs are often opened and closed, sometimes closed ones do not properly release system memory during shutdown.
While using the PC and until it is restarted, this memory remains unavailable and locked.
To free up RAM when it really seems to be running low, you can create a desktop shortcut that launches the memory recovery command.
Then press the right button on the desktop, then go to New> Connection and target the following command:
% windir% \ system32 \ rundll32.exe advapi32.dll, ProcessIdleTasks .
Save the link and click it to free up RAM that has been blocked by programs that are no longer open.
Note that this system of freeing up RAM can also be made automatic with the use of some small software.
We talked about it in the article on how to optimize RAM memory on Windows PC and in this on the RAMRush program , to recover memory and free RAM .
6) Add more RAM
Of course, instead of freeing up RAM, it may be better, if the slowdowns are frequent, to add memory to the computer.
We talked about this several times especially in the guides on how to increase RAM and add new memory to the PC and how to add or replace the RAM of the PC
Finally, I refer to other guides to find other interesting tricks that work to avoid PC slowdowns
- Increased file system cache memory in Windows to speed up the computer
- Guide to optimize Windows 10 and decrease the use of PC resources
- Check PC RAM test with Windows memory diagnostics
- Solution to the problem of "Out of memory" on Windows
Although PCs are sold today
RAM is one of the main factors that differentiates a slow PC from a fast one and even if today the newer PCs are sold with 8 GB of RAM (which is the minimum by now), the memory is still limited by the most common programs (such as Chrome or Firefox) that require more and more memory.
Being so important, let's now see how to free up RAM on Windows (Windows 10, Windows 7 and 8) when there are slowdowns caused by memory and to keep the PC always fluid and fast .
READ ALSO: Why the computer slows down over time "> check if the processes are safe or harmful on Windows
2) Check the programs in automatic start
When you install several programs, or if they update, they may be automatically set to start when you turn on your computer and it will run in the background.
If you notice a lot of RAM in the task manager even if you are not doing anything, it is better to check the programs and the apps in the background, which start automatically.
To do this, go to the Start tab of the task manager and disable those that don't need to be running all the time.
In another article, the detailed guide to disable automatic program startup in Windows.
3) Delete the paging file on shutdown automatically
Whenever you turn off your computer, system RAM is always cleared, while the paging file remains stored on the disk.
The paging file, in short, is an area of the disk that the operating system uses as additional RAM when the memory is low.
Clearing the paging file every time you shut down your PC can slow down the shutdown and startup process, but it also keeps your memory cleaner and more efficient.
To do this, open the registry key editor from the Start menu, looking for and running the regedit command.
In the left side, go to the folder
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SYSTEM \ CurrentControlSet \ Control \ Session Manager \ Memory Management
On the right side, find the ClearPageFileAtShutdown key and set the value to 1.
Press OK and restart your computer.
This is a tweak that can work or not, to try to see if the performance improves or worsens.
READ ALSO: Virtual memory: setting up the Windows paging file.
4) Reduce the visual effects of Windows
Windows 10, as well as Windows 7 and Windows 8, has animated effects in opening menus and windows, which take up memory.
On low memory PCs, you can free up RAM permanently by turning off these visual effects.
To disable Windows visual effects, open a file explorer folder, right click on this PC and then click on Properties .
On the left side, press on Advanced system settings, then under Performance on Settings .
In the Performance Options window, select the Rule for best performance option.
Alternatively, you can activate and deactivate the various animations depending on how you like best.
In the guide on how to keep Windows super fast, we saw which of these effects would be best to turn off completely and which ones can be maintained without problems.
5) Free up the cached RAM, if not used
When applications and programs are often opened and closed, sometimes closed ones do not properly release system memory during shutdown.
While using the PC and until it is restarted, this memory remains unavailable and locked.
To free up RAM when it really seems to be running low, you can create a desktop shortcut that launches the memory recovery command.
Then press the right button on the desktop, then go to New> Connection and target the following command:
% windir% \ system32 \ rundll32.exe advapi32.dll, ProcessIdleTasks .
Save the link and click it to free up RAM that has been blocked by programs that are no longer open.
Note that this system of freeing up RAM can also be made automatic with the use of some small software.
We talked about it in the article on how to optimize RAM memory on Windows PC and in this on the RAMRush program , to recover memory and free RAM .
6) Add more RAM
Of course, instead of freeing up RAM, it may be better, if the slowdowns are frequent, to add memory to the computer.
We talked about this several times especially in the guides on how to increase RAM and add new memory to the PC and how to add or replace the RAM of the PC
Finally, I refer to other guides to find other interesting tricks that work to avoid PC slowdowns
- Increased file system cache memory in Windows to speed up the computer
- Guide to optimize Windows 10 and decrease the use of PC resources
- Check PC RAM test with Windows memory diagnostics
- Solution to the problem of "Out of memory" on Windows
