[Easy Ways] How to Free Up RAM on Windows 11 and Enhance PC Performance?

The necessity of sufficient RAM on Windows 11

RAM, or Random Access Memory, is like your device's short-term memory. It helps your device do different things at the same time, such as playing music, sending emails, or updating while handling other tasks. When your device experiences low RAM (or high memory usage), performance suffers, leading to slowdowns due to insufficient space to manage tasks smoothly. Clearing up RAM space is akin to giving your computer a breath of fresh air, restoring its efficiency in task performance.

On Windows 11, having ample RAM is crucial for smooth multitasking, a responsive system, efficient app operation, optimal gaming performance, support for future updates, faster file access, and reduced reliance on slower virtual memory. Ensuring sufficient RAM translates to an overall enhanced computing experience.

If you notice your computer slowing down, exploring ways to free up RAM is advisable. There are various methods to optimize your device's performance and maintain its efficiency.

How to free up RAM on windows 11

How do I free up RAM on Windows 11? In this part, we will introduce 6 ways for you.

Way 1. Update your software

To fix high memory usage in Windows 11, it is a good idea to keep your computer software and apps updated remain current, and function at their best. Older versions can use more memory, making your computer slower. There are many ways to do this, you can enable automatic updates, check for updates manually, and subscribe to newsletters or notifications from software providers.

Way 2. Restart the Windows 11 computer

To free up RAM on Windows 11, a simple step is to restart your computer.  When you do this, all the stored data in your RAM gets wiped clean, and programs start fresh. This action can help clear out background processes and programs that might be using up your RAM storage.

Way 3. Clear the RAM Cache

If you're still facing high memory usage in Windows 11, another option is to clear the RAM cache on Windows 11. The cache stores short-term data for quick access, helping your device run smoothly. It holds information for reloading pages without downloading them again. Although the cache saves time during browsing, it can occupy a lot of RAM. If RAM is limited, sacrificing the cache has minimal effects on your device.

Step 1. Go to your desktop and right-click on any empty space. Choose "New" and then select "Shortcut" from the pop-up menu.

Step 2. In the window that appears, enter the following text: %windir%\system32\rundll32.exe advapi32.dll,ProcessIdleTasks, and click "Next."

Step 3. Provide a name for the shortcut, like "Clear RAM Cache," and click "Finish." You can now double-click the shortcut whenever you need to flush the memory cache.

Way 4. Remove junk files on your Windows 11

Sometimes, the RAM cache is just one of many unnecessary files that can slow down your computer. This data helps apps and websites load faster, but it can be stored in various places. Manually clearing these files is a hassle and can lead to accidentally deleting important stuff.

For a quick and safe cleanup, it is recommended to use AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard, a free tool for managing disks and partitions on Windows 11/10/8/8.1/7/XP. Its "PC Cleaner" feature scans for all junk files, including hidden cache, and lets you choose what to clear.

Step 1. Download and open AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard, and click "Free up" and "PC Cleaner" in turn.

Step 2. Click "Start Scan" in the new pop-up window to scan your computer for unwanted files.

Step 3. After starting the scan, please wait for a while until the progress bar is loaded.

Step 4. Unneeded data will be automatically selected, you can directly click "Clean All" to delete them. If you still have other unnecessary files, you can tick the boxes of the corresponding files.

Step 5. When you see a correct symbol displayed in the interface, you can click "Back" to leave the function.

Way 5. Stop unneeded apps and services

If your Windows 11 is using too much memory, it might be because you have too many apps or services running. If you don't need some of them right away, you can close them to free up memory. You can use the Task Manager for this.

Step 1. Right-click on Start and choose Task Manager to open it.

Step 2. Click on "More details" if needed.

Step 3. Look for apps or services that are using a lot of memory. Right-click on one and select "End task." Alternatively, select the app or service and click the "End task" button at the bottom right to close it. Repeat this for all unnecessary apps and services to reduce memory usage on your Windows 11 device.

Way 6. Defrag your hard disk on Windows 11

To free up memory on Windows 11, you can also defrag your hard disk to reduce RAM usage. TTo defragment your hard disk more efficiently, you can upgrade to AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional.

This tool helps defrag all your hard disks effectively and offers a scheduling feature. You can choose when the target disk should be defragged, whether it's a one-time defrag in the future or a daily defrag at a specific time.

Step 1. Install and open AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional. Pick the disk or partition you want to defragment, and then click on "Disk Defrag" or go to "Advanced" > "Defrag Partition".

Step 2. In the popup window, you'll find a list of all your utilized drives. To establish a schedule, click the "Schedule" button. However, you can also defragment the disk or partition directly if you prefer.

Step 3. Within the schedule settings, you can choose the drives and set the time mode for defragmenting the specified drives.

Step 4. Click on "Conditions," where you can establish the fragmentation rate that will activate the scheduled disk defragmentation. Explore additional options for creating a detailed schedule. Save all your settings by clicking "OK."

Now your personalized defragment schedule is set. During the set schedule, you can also defrag disks or drives normally if you need, it won’t affect your schedule.

Ending lines

How to free up RAM on Windows 11? Simply follow the methods outlined in this article to reduce RAM usage and optimize your device's memory. If these methods don't work, it might be time to consider upgrading your RAM or SSD with AOMEI Partition Assistant.

Besides PC Cleaner and Disk Defrag, it is also a good idea to explore App Mover, Allocate Free Space, Clone Disk, Delete Large Files, etc., if your Windows 11 PC is slow. For Windows Server users, please turn to the Server edition.