Microsoft is preparing a set of Windows 11 optimizations aimed at making the system run smoothly on machines with 8GB of RAM, targeting the high memory use it draws while sitting idle. The updates will roll out gradually, with broader improvements expected before the end of 2026. Pavan Davuluri, President of Windows and Devices, outlined the effort as part of a wider quality push first announced in March.
The timing matters because memory prices keep climbing, which makes a RAM upgrade a harder sell for many users. Squeezing more out of 8GB is the more practical fix.
What is the memory problem?
Windows 11 has long drawn complaints for eating memory before you open anything. Reports suggest an 8GB system can use close to 6GB at idle, and on a 4GB machine, the official bare minimum, the system takes up about 3GB on its own.
Much of that has been traced to WebView2, a Chromium-based framework that powers many built-in apps and runs a lot of background tasks. When core parts of the system lean on a web engine, the memory cost adds up fast even when the machine is doing nothing.
How is Microsoft fixing it?
The approach is to make Windows lighter from the inside. Microsoft has started moving components such as the File Explorer Properties dialog to its lighter WinUI framework, and it is pushing developers to build native apps rather than web-wrapped ones.
The optimizations will arrive in stages through the end of 2026. Machines with more RAM will still perform better, but the changes should help the many Windows 11 users who still run 8GB setups for work, study and everyday computing.