Check your memory and memory usage

When it comes to memory, one of the first things to do is find out how much memory (RAM) you have and how much of it is currently being used. You can find out these things and much more in Task Manager.

To check memory and memory usage

1. Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete, and then select Task Manager.

2. In Task Manager, select More details > the Performance tab > Memory.

First, see how much you have total, and then check the graph and see how much RAM is being used.

 1. Total amount of memory (RAM)

2. Memory in use

If you find that a lot of your RAM is regularly in use, you might want to consider adding more RAM if you can—especially if your PC only has 1 or 2 gigabytes (GB) of RAM. To learn more about what kind of RAM your PC model uses, first look at the memory information in Task Manager, and then visit the PC manufacturer’s website for more specific info.

1. Type of memory (RAM) PC uses

2. RAM speed

3. Memory slots used

Here’s some info about the minimum memory requirements for Windows 10:

• Windows 10 (32-bit) can run on a PC with 1 GB of RAM, but it runs better with 2 GB. For better performance, add memory so you have 3 GB or more.

• Windows 10 (64-bit) can run on a PC with 2 GB of RAM, but it runs better with 4 GB. For better performance, add memory so you have 6 GB or more.

For more info about the system requirements for Windows 10, see the Windows 10 Specifications page.

Use ReadyBoost to help improve performance

Like previous versions of Windows, Windows 10 has ReadyBoost. ReadyBoost lets you use a removable drive, like a USB flash drive, to improve your PC’s performance without opening your PC and adding more memory (RAM). To use ReadyBoost, you’ll need a USB flash drive or a memory card that has at least 500 MB free and a high data transfer rate. For more info about ReadyBoost, see ReadyBoost in Windows 10.

To use ReadyBoost

1. Insert the USB flash drive into a USB port on your PC.

2. On the taskbar, select File Explorer.

3. Press and hold (or right-click) the USB flash drive (or SD card if you used one instead), then select Properties.

4. Select the ReadyBoost tab, then select Use this device.

Windows determines if the device can use ReadyBoost. If it can’t, a message appears to let you know.

5. After Windows determines how much free space to use to optimize memory, select OK to reserve this space, so ReadyBoost can use it.

When you look at the contents of the USB flash drive in File Explorer, you’ll see a file named ReadyBoost.sfcache on the flash drive. This file shows how much space is reserved for ReadyBoost.

Note

If Windows is installed on a solid state drive (SSD), ReadyBoost can’t be used because the SSD drive is already fast and you won’t get better performance by using ReadyBoost.

Change the paging file size to improve performance

The paging file is an area on your hard disk that Windows uses like memory. Increasing the paging file size can help improve your PC’s performance.

1. Right-click the Start button, then select System.

2. Select Advanced system settings on the left side.

3. In System Properties, select the Advanced tab > Settings in the Performance area.

4. In Performance Options, select the Advanced tab > Change in the Virtual memory area.

5. Clear the Automatically manage paging file size for all drives check box.

6. Select Custom size, then enter an initial size (in MB) and maximum size in the corresponding boxes.

7. Select Set > OK.

8. Restart your PC by selecting the Start button > Power > Restart.

Use your PC then see if it’s running better. If it’s not, try the next tip.