How to Free Up RAM in Windows 10 and 11: Check Memory, Startup Apps and Chrome

First, confirm memory is the problem​

BGR's piece assumes RAM is the culprit. A slow PC doesn't prove that. Microsoft's performance guidance lists several causes of a slow Windows device. These include limited storage, too many startup apps running in the background, outdated software, and hardware that no longer meets modern performance needs.

Task Manager is the right first stop:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
2. On Processes, click the Memory column header to sort by usage.
3. Open Performance > Memory and check how much is Available.

One caution comes from recent coverage. Geekrewind's roundup cites Microsoft's November 3, 2026 release notes for 8 GB Windows 11 PCs. Those notes say Task Manager may show most memory in use without the PC being under pressure. A related how-to explains why: if plenty of memory is available, Windows may simply be using spare RAM as cache, and it releases that memory when apps need it. A high percentage alone isn't the problem. A PC that is slow and has little memory available is.

The fixes, step by step​

1. Close what you aren't using​

Microsoft's suggested diagnostic step is simple. Open Task Manager, go to Processes, and sort by memory. Then close apps you recognize and no longer need. If a restart doesn't help, Microsoft's guidance is to open only the apps you need after rebooting and close them when you're done.

2. Disable startup apps​

Startup apps load as soon as you sign in. Microsoft documents two routes for Windows 10 and Windows 11:

• Settings: go to Start > Settings > Apps > Startup. Set the toggle to Off for any app you don't want launching at sign-in.
• Task Manager: right-click Start, open Task Manager, select the Startup apps tab, pick an app and select Disable.

Task Manager also shows a startup impact rating: None, Not Measured, Low, Medium or High. Microsoft defines these by CPU time and disk activity during startup. They are not a measurement of how much RAM an app holds later. Disabling an entry doesn't uninstall the app. Leave security tools and work-critical software alone unless you know what they do.

BGR adds that if the app still shows in the system tray, you should right-click it and choose Exit, Quit or Stop. That is a sensible extra step, because disabling the startup entry doesn't close an app that is already running.

3. Limit background activity​

Microsoft documents background permissions for individual apps on Windows 11:

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
2. Select More options next to the app, then Advanced options.
3. Under Background app permissions, set Let this app run in the background to Never.

There is also a route through Settings > System > Power & battery > Battery usage. Select More options and then Manage background activity for an app that supports it. Microsoft lists three choices: Always, Power optimized (recommended) and Never. It warns that with Never, you won't get notifications or updates for that app while you aren't using it.

There is a limit here. Microsoft's background-app documentation says desktop apps (typically .EXE-based programs) don't appear in the Installed apps list. They also aren't affected by the global background-apps toggle. For those programs, you have to use the app's own settings. This matters because many of the apps BGR mentions, like Slack and Chrome, are desktop apps. Expect to dig into their preferences, not just Windows Settings.

4. Uninstall apps you don't need​

Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps. Select More options next to the app, then choose Uninstall. Microsoft notes that some built-in apps can't be removed.

Be realistic about the payoff. Uninstalling frees storage right away. It frees RAM only if the app was running or launching automatically. Disabling startup is often the more targeted move.

5. Turn on your browser's memory saver​

In Chrome, Google's steps are: open the three-dot menu, then Settings, then Performance, and turn on Memory Saver. Chrome deactivates tabs you aren't using, and they reload when you return to them. You can pick Moderate, Balanced (recommended) or Maximum. Maximum makes tabs go inactive after a shorter period.

Some things keep a tab from being deactivated:

• Active audio or video, including calls
• Screen sharing
• Page notifications
• Active downloads
• Partially filled forms
• Pinned tabs
• Connected USB or Bluetooth devices

You can also add sites to an "Always keep these sites active" list. Memory Saver only affects the browser. It does nothing for Excel or Slack. BGR says Edge and Firefox have similar features, but I haven't verified their menu paths here, so check each browser's own settings.

6. Keep some storage free​

BGR points out that Windows pages inactive data out to disk when RAM fills up, and that this is slower than RAM. A nearly full drive leaves little room for that. Microsoft's performance guide agrees that low disk space can hurt performance. Both recommend Storage Sense:

1. Go to Settings > System > Storage.
2. Select Storage Sense.
3. Select Run Storage Sense now.

BGR also suggests typing size:>1GB in File Explorer's search box to find large files in folders like Downloads and Videos. It's a handy trick. Move those files to an external drive or cloud storage if you want to keep them.

What I'd treat with caution​

BGR's piece makes several claims that the primary sources I reviewed don't establish.

• "Modern workflows demand 16GB or more." Microsoft's Windows 11 minimum is 4 GB of RAM. That is a floor for the OS, not a recommendation for any workload. Your own usage matters more. If Task Manager shows you regularly running out, more RAM makes sense. A guide on helpdeskgeek frames adding RAM as a last step to take if your workload needs it.
• RAM prices and AI shortages, soldered memory, and the YouTuber making his own RAM. I couldn't verify these. They're background color, not part of the how-to. Soldered RAM does exist in some thin laptops, so check your model before planning an upgrade.
• Page-file tinkering. BGR describes paging accurately, but you don't need to change page-file settings. Windows manages it by default. Registry "RAM boosters" that circulate online aren't needed for this task. Microsoft's startup documentation itself warns that registry edits can have unintended consequences.

What success looks like​

Don't expect a guaranteed number of extra apps. Do expect the following:

• Memory in use right after sign-in is lower.
• Fewer processes show up in Task Manager's Processes list.
• Chrome tabs wake from sleep with a short reload instead of everything staying resident.
• Slowdowns happen later, or less often.

If the machine still crawls with Available memory near zero after these steps, you've hit the hardware limit. At that point, the options are a RAM upgrade where the memory isn't soldered, lighter alternatives to your heaviest apps, or a newer machine. Microsoft's own note says older PCs with outdated hardware may not see significant improvements from these steps.

Quick checklist​

1. Check Task Manager: sort by Memory and check Available.
2. Close unused apps and tabs.
3. Disable unneeded startup apps.
4. Set background permissions to Never where the option exists, and check desktop apps' own settings.
5. Enable Chrome's Memory Saver (Settings > Performance).
6. Uninstall software you truly don't use.
7. Run Storage Sense and clear large files.
8. Restart, then reopen only what you need.

The advice is old but it still works. The caveat is that none of it replaces RAM when your workload has outgrown the machine.