Optimize your Memory: Free up your RAM – Windows 10 or 11

Windows might be holding your RAM hostage. Here's how to free it up.

Conclusions clue

• Your PC slows down because the RAM fills up over time as previously running applications do not free up the allocated memory.
• Windows doesn't always do a good job of managing RAM properly.
• You can use a RAM cleaning app to free up memory.

You've probably noticed that your Windows computer tends to slow down after it's been running for a while. This can happen even on new laptops and powerful gaming PCs, but few people understand why it happens. The good news is that I have a solution.

Why Windows clogs your RAM

If your PC is generally well-specced and fast, but it slows down when you try to open a new app or even a tab in a browser, you're probably running out of space in your RAM. That's the fast kind of memory that programs use, not the kind you store your files on. Stuttering doesn't necessarily indicate that you don't have enough RAM—I have 16GB, and even opening a new tab in Chrome sometimes causes my PC to freeze for a second.

If you open Task Manager at any given time, you will likely see that the “Memory” is full between 50% and 60%. This happens for a few reasons. First, Windows has a ton of background services, in addition to which, you yourself probably have some applications running. That’s nothing to worry about.

The second reason is that Windows Superfetch allows the system to preload your most frequently used apps so that your PC can open them faster when you click on them. The third and most important reason is that previously run apps continue to retain allocated RAM space, effectively reducing the RAM available to the rest of your system. Windows doesn’t set a limit on how much RAM an app can use, which is great for performance when using an app. However, if it’s not freed up when you close it, you’ll be left with little memory left for apps you’re running in the foreground.

How to free up your RAM to improve performance

If you keep your PC on all the time or simply put it into sleep mode, Windows will not automatically free up allocated memory. This isn't necessarily a problem, as unused memory is actually useless. It's a good thing for apps to take up space, as it allows your PC to run them more quickly. However, it becomes a problem if you start encountering performance issues caused by a memory leak. Stuttering and micro-freezing can occur quite often if you only have 8GB or less, or if you're a gamer. That's why it's best to take control of memory management into your own hands.

The easiest way to free up RAM space is to use a RAM cleaning app. You can find many different ones online for free. I highly recommend going with the most lightweight solution that doesn't try to sell you a premium plan or consume even more memory as that would be counterintuitive. I've had success with WinMemoryCleaner by Igor Mundstein and Koshy John's Memory Cleaner, which use the built-in Windows function, but you can use any application you trust.

At the time of writing this article,WinMemoryCleaner and Memory Cleaner have passed a virus scan. However, it is always good practice to double-check any file you download from the Internet to ensure its safety.

Once you download the app, place the EXE file in an easily accessible location, such as your desktop, and open it. Then, simply hit the “Optimize” button (or its equivalent) and watch your RAM free up in real time in the memory gauge. This will not close any of your currently open applications. WinMemoryCleaner It has a few additional options you can use. For example, I enabled it to run at startup and set it to free up memory when it's below 15% so that I never run out of RAM when gaming. Once you set up the app, you'll never have to interact with it again.

Please note that these apps will not automatically “optimize” your memory; they simply provide an easy way to fix memory leaks when apps fail to free up allocated memory.

For example, I use my PC for work and if I launch a game after a couple of hours of using Chrome, I sometimes notice micro stutters and freezes caused by a memory leak. In those situations, a quick click on the “Optimize” button solves the performance issue instantly.

It's a shame that Windows can't do a better job of managing RAM, but at least we have an easy workaround that will ensure your PC never runs out of RAM. Say goodbye to interruptions and keep your system running like new.