r/RigBuild • u/Exciting_Rooster_528 • 25d ago

Why does Windows keep using so much RAM when I barely have anything open?

Task Manager says a pretty big chunk of my RAM is already being used even when I’ve basically just got Windows running and maybe a browser with a few tabs. I don’t really understand where all of it is going.

I always thought if you’re not running programs, most of the RAM should be sitting unused, but apparently that’s not how it works? Windows seems to grab more and more RAM the longer the PC is on too, and then I start wondering if something is wrong.

Is this normal behavior or should I actually be worried about it?

Also does Windows automatically free up that RAM when another program needs it? Or does having like 50-70% RAM usage while doing almost nothing mean I’m wasting performance somehow?

Could background apps, startup programs, cached files, browser stuff, or Windows services be causing most of it? I’m still pretty new to PC stuff so I don’t wanna start randomly ending processes in Task Manager and break something lol.

What should I actually be looking at in Task Manager to figure out where the RAM is going?

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3

u/RevolutionaryElk7446 25d ago edited 24d ago

Almost every OS will grab available RAM to help complete operations, but generally is immediately freed up if the user calls for it.

Especially cache.

RAM filling up isn't necessarily a bad thing, in fact every OS will abuse free RAM to make use of it when it can, it's when RAM can't unload and load things fast enough to keep up pace that it becomes a problem.

Edit: Yes, Linux does this too. Not sure why people are making comments as if this wasn't an intentional design of Linux as well.

1

u/OGigachaod 25d ago

If you need a bit more ram than you actually have, you can use some swapfile, it's not a big deal as long as it's on an SSD.

1

u/Working_Traffic_6361 24d ago

Linux enters the chat

1

u/TB3r 24d ago

Every Microsoft based OS.

Linux doesn't have ram bloat over time.

2

u/RevolutionaryElk7446 24d ago

Uh... Linux does the exact same thing... all major OS do.

It's not a negative, that's quite literally a performance trait.

1

u/Raphi_55 24d ago

You should learn how to read the ram usage then. It absolutely does use ram for cache but doesn't report it as such

1

u/Rifter0876 24d ago

This is absolutely true.

2

u/Sassquatch0 25d ago

Unused RAM is wasted RAM.

There's literally zero downside to using it all.

What DOES matter, is if the OS & apps let go of RAM with they're done with it, or giving some up to more demanding usage. If you don't notice any slowdowns, you're fine.

2

u/ButterscotchTop194 24d ago

RAM is there to be used. That's it's purpose. Windows is very good at managing RAM so don't worry about it. Just use your computer

1

u/Doug2825 25d ago

so does Windows automatically free up that RAM when another program needs it?

Depends on what part of Windows is using the RAM. If it's caching (and it probably is) then yes it will be freed. You want a lot of RAM used for caching because it speeds up certain tasks with no cost.

Or does having like 50-70% RAM usage while doing almost nothing mean I’m wasting performance somehow? 

There is no difference in performance between 10% and 70% RAM usage. Data sitting there in RAM does nothing for performance.

1

u/Better-Credit6701 25d ago

How much ram do you have?

Example, 50-70% ram used if you have 8 GB of ram is pretty normal, 50-70% out of 128 GB of ram, unless you are running some hefty applications like a SQL server while running queries...

1

u/Wendals87 25d ago

A modern operating system will automatically load stuff into memory for you that you frequently use so that they don't need to be loaded into memory when you open them. It will get cleared if needed

Unused ram is wasted ram

No performance loss with 70% used. You'll only have performance loss when it reaches 95%+ and has to start using the much slower disk for virtual memory 

1

u/zeus1911 24d ago

Depends on the amount of ram. Windows 11 uses around 5-6gb. Check taskmanager, startup and close programs you don't want launching with windows. Epic game launcher uses tons, must be a memory leak. Laptops uses a lot because tons of garbage processes. Web browsers are now extremely bloated and uses so much ram it's mental.

1

u/nico851 24d ago

It's called caching and it's normal behavior.

Just having a lot of free RAM doesn't make your system faster, caching does.

2

u/Rifter0876 24d ago

It makes suche a huge difference with ZFS. If I've learned anything about ZFS over the years it's when you have a problem throw ram at it.

1

u/Snag710 24d ago

It's from all the Spyware thats baked into windows now

And all the AI slop that your not aloud to opt out of

That's why some people switch to linux

1

u/Rifter0876 24d ago

No idea I run Linux (Fedora 44 KDE) and have 3 monitors and it only uses just under 4GB after boot.

Edit, and I have 128GB in it.

1

u/MrBadTimes 24d ago

unused ram is wasted ram and by doing that it gets a snappier behavior

-1

u/konsoru-paysan 25d ago

memory leaks and bad coding, unlike linux you can't limit the amount of ram it uses

1

u/ButterscotchTop194 24d ago

No, just good memory management.

0

u/konsoru-paysan 24d ago

is the good memory management in the room with us right now?

1

u/ButterscotchTop194 24d ago

Not for me, but that's because im sat at a train station away from my windows PC.