Microsoft has prioritized reducing Windows 11 memory usage through 2026, citing rising hardware costs. Pavan Davuluri, head of Windows and Devices, stated that the company is optimizing memory management across system components and application frameworks to improve efficiency.
The initiative focuses on devices with 8GB of RAM or more. Technical adjustments include implementing more efficient memory allocators, refining the WinUI 3 framework, and optimizing Chromium and WebView2 components to lower overhead for both system and third-party applications.
The development team is analyzing resource consumption based on specific user scenarios, such as File Explorer and widgets, to eliminate unnecessary background processes. Microsoft aims to transition toward a model where features load resources only when actively required by the user.
AI features are also under review to provide users with better control over activation and runtime. While Microsoft has not disclosed specific targets for RAM reduction, community reports suggest that updates between Windows 11 25H2 and 26H2 have already decreased memory usage by 1.5GB to 2GB.
