Top 6 Ways to Fix High RAM Usage While Windows 11 PC is Idle

High RAM usage is normal behavior when you have several apps and services running in the background on your Windows machine. But the same RAM usage while Windows PC is idle is uncommon. You may face glitches, errors, and slow down in other apps too. Here are the best ways to fix high RAM usage while Windows 11 PC is idle.

No amount of RAM will be sufficient on your Windows 11 PC when your system takes up high memory usage in the background. Such behavior limits the number of apps you can open on your PC. Before we go through the troubleshooting steps, let’s confirm high RAM usage on Windows 11.

Check High RAM Usage on Windows

There are a couple of ways to check RAM usage on Windows 11. You can either use the Task Manager or go with Resource Monitor to confirm abnormal RAM and disk usage.

Step 1: Right-click on the Windows key and open the Task Manager menu.

Step 2: Check the memory tab. If it’s consuming 60%-70% RAM while your PC is idle, it’s unusual.

You can also use the Resource Monitor to confirm the high RAM usage.

Step 1: Press the Windows key and search for Resource Monitor. Hit Enter.

Step 2: Check how much physical memory is in use.

1. Disable Startup Items

If you have dozens of apps and services running in the background at Windows startup, the system may end up with high RAM usage while it’s idle. You can follow the steps below to disable startup apps.

Step 1: Press Windows + I keys to open the Windows Settings menu.

Step 2: Select Apps from the sidebar.

Step 3: Click Startup.

Step 4: Disable apps that start automatically when you sign in.

2. Run Windows Memory Diagnostic

You can use the built-in diagnostic tool to troubleshoot high RAM usage on Windows 11. Go through the steps below to make changes.

Step 1: Press the Windows key and search for Windows Memory Diagnostics.

Step 2: Hit the Enter key to open the tool.

Step 3: Select ‘Restart now and check for problems’. Make sure to save your work and close any open programs before restarting.

Step 4: Your system will restart and check for memory problems on your PC.

3. Check for System File Corruption

SFC and DISM are basic commands to find and remove corrupt files from your Windows 11 PC. Such files may lead to high RAM usage when your computer is idle. Here’s how you can repair Windows 11 computer.

Step 1: Right-click on the Windows key and open Terminal. Make sure to run it as administrator.

Step 2: Run the following command and hit Enter.

sfc /scannnow

Step 3: Once the system scans the PC, run the following commands to repair bogus Windows image files.

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Step 4: Restart the computer and check memory usage after some time (refer to the steps above).

4. Install Optional Updates

Do you notice high RAM usage after updating Windows 11 to the latest version? Microsoft recommends installing optional updates when things go south after a major Windows 11 update.

Step 1: Click Windows + I keys to open Settings.

Step 2: Select Windows Update from the sidebar.

Step 3: Click Advanced options and select Optional updates from the following menu.

Step 4: Download and install pending updates from the following menu.

5. Disable Unwanted Third-Party Services

When your computer is running unnecessary third-party services in the background, it may consume high RAM while the PC is idle. Here’s how you can find and disable such services.

Step 1: Click the Windows key and search for System Configuration. Hit Enter to open the app.

Step 2: Move to the Services tab.

Step 3: Enable the checkmark beside ‘Hide all Microsoft services’.

Step 4: Check other services status. Click Disable All and hit Apply.

Select OK and restart your computer.

6. Run Windows Security Scan

You can use the default Windows Security tool to run the quick scan on your PC and remove malicious files. Sometimes, these files lead to high RAM usage.

Step 1: Open Windows Security on your computer.

Step 2: Select ‘Virus & threat protection’ from the sidebar.

Step 3: Run the quick scan on your PC and try again.

Your Windows 11 computer won’t consume high RAM usage.

Free Up RAM on Windows 11

High RAM usage While Windows PC is idle can lead to major inconveniences in your workflow. The tricks above should troubleshoot the problem in no time. Which trick worked for you? Share your findings in the comments below.