Microsoft admits Windows 11 was moving your open apps to slower storage on 8GB RAM PCs, which is why they reload, and now it keeps up to 2GB more in memory - Windows Latest
By Google News Technology ·
On PCs with 8GB of RAM, Windows 11 is now up to 20% more responsive, and a heavy multitasking run finished up to 40% faster in one of Microsoft’s lab tests, according to Windows boss Pavan Davuluri. Better yet, Microsoft says you can get it today on Windows 11 version 26H2, build 26300.9818 or later, with updated Edge, Microsoft 365, and Teams apps.
We had a head start on this one. Two weeks ago, I updated my dad’s 8GB laptop to Windows 11 26H2 build 26300.9550 (which is the build with most of Microsoft’s new numbers), and RAM usage after a restart dropped from 5GB to 3.3GB. Microsoft’s new blog finally explains where the RAM went.
Microsoft made memory optimization for 8GB PCs an official priority in July, and today’s Windows Experience Blog post gives us a bunch of test results. So, Microsoft does put their money where their mouth is!
The 20% more responsiveness data come from telemetry on 8GB PCs, measuring how quickly Start, Search, right-click menus, Settings, Snipping Tool and File Explorer respond compared with the January 2026 update. Microsoft first quoted this 20% figure on October 15 without specifically mentioning 8GB PCs.
The 40% figure has a few caveats, though, but still impressive. On an 8GB HP OmniBook 3 with a Snapdragon X Plus, Microsoft opened 20 Edge tabs, a 4K video, large Word, PowerPoint and Excel files, Outlook and File Explorer one after another, keeping everything open. Automated UI checks confirmed each step before the next began, and the company says the result is scenario-specific and isn’t a benchmark.
Interestingly, both builds in that test are 25H2 builds from January and September, so those multitasking gains were shipping before 26H2 arrived.
Microsoft’s own apps open faster, too. When Edge is already running in the background…
Originally published by Google News Technology