Learn how to manage the paging file in Windows 11 to optimize your system’s performance and speed. Follow these steps for a smoother Windows 11 experience.
In this guide, I’m going to explain what the Windows 11 paging file is and how you can configure it to improve your computer’s performance, especially if it has little RAM and multitasking is affected. In addition, I’ll explain the limitations of this feature so you know exactly in which scenarios it’s useful and in which it’s not. Don’t miss it!
What is the paging file in Windows 11
The paging file is a hidden element in Windows 11 where data from RAM is stored . And why is this done? Basically, to relieve the load on this component and leave free space for higher priority tasks. This has a positive impact on the overall performance of the computer and prevents it from becoming overloaded when multitasking gets heavy.
So to speak, the paging file is an extension of the RAM, which in this case is used by the storage drive to store data relevant to the applications you have open. However, it is crucial to understand that internal storage, even in an SoC, such as Apple’s M processors, is slower than RAM . Therefore, using it as RAM is usually not a good idea.
To overcome this problem, the system intelligently manages the data stored in RAM and decides which ones are suitable to be moved to the paging file, which is located in the internal storage. Windows 11 decides which data has the highest priority and reserves space for them in RAM.
In contrast, temporary information of lower priority is allocated from the paging file. This way, there is always some space left in RAM for new high-priority data that may arise, for example, when opening a new application.
In short, the paging file is a complement to RAM, a virtual extension of it. It is a way to improve multitasking, avoid RAM saturation and increase performance on low-resource computers. In fact, Microsoft indicates that the paging file is likely never to be used if the installed RAM is sufficient.
In a nutshell…
The paging file is a space allocated in the computer’s internal memory that acts as additional RAM. As it is slower than RAM, it houses low-priority data intelligently selected by the operating system. Its purpose is to prevent RAM saturation and improve multitasking, especially on low-resource computers.
How to manage the paging file in Windows 11
When you install Windows 11, the paging file has already been configured by the system. In fact, all the steps I am going to mention below have been carried out on a computer without prior configuration. It is possible that what you see on your computer is identical or, on the contrary, totally different.
To get started, go to Windows Settings . You can access the settings panel with the keyboard shortcut Windows + I . Once there, click on System > Device specifications > Advanced system settings . Clicking on this link will open a classic settings window, which belongs to the control panel in Windows 11 . In it, go to the Advanced tab and click on the Settings button in the Performance section .
Finally, as shown in the image above, click on Change , a button located within the Virtual Memory section of the new window that has opened.
Once you’ve followed these steps to the letter, you’re ready to configure the paging file to your liking. In the case of my test machine, it came configured with the Automatically manage paging file size for all drives option enabled by default.
This means that Windows is responsible for setting the maximum size of this file. To give you an idea, on a 32 GB computer, the system has decided that it needs about 2 GB extra for lower priority data. Keep in mind that just because a paging file exists, it doesn’t mean that it will be used. It’s like a reserve space, just in case.
Likewise, the opposite is true. Just because your computer has a lot of RAM doesn’t mean that Windows 11 won’t send data to the paging file . After all, since this is lower-priority data, it’s always a good idea to reserve RAM, even a generous amount, to store critical information, both from the system and from applications.
If you uncheck the first box, you’ll be able to select three different options for each drive. You have the Custom size option , which allows you to virtually expand the RAM as much as you want. Then you have the System managed size setting , and then No paging file , which disables this feature. These settings are applied individually to each drive.
Finally, remember that you can view the status of your RAM and paging file from the Performance > Memory section of Task Manager .