You’re working on a few tabs, maybe streaming some music, and suddenly—your PC stutters. You open Task Manager only to find your RAM usage through the roof. How? You’ve got 8GB, maybe even 16GB. That should be enough.
But here’s the twist: it’s not your apps that are the problem. It’s Windows itself.
Behind the scenes, Windows runs several features that consume memory constantly—without asking. The worst part? Most people don’t even know they exist.
Let’s fix that.
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❌ The Misstep Everyone Makes
Frustrated users often turn to RAM-boosting apps they find online. These so-called solutions usually offer little more than false hope. At best, they kill background processes indiscriminately.
At worst, they slow down your system further or introduce more junk.
You don’t need gimmicks. What you need is a better understanding of how Windows handles memory—and a few tweaks that can make a real difference.
3 Fixes That Actually Work
1. Say Goodbye to SysMain (a.k.a. Superfetch)
SysMain is designed to anticipate your next move by preloading apps you might open. In theory, it should speed things up. In practice? It often backfires—especially on older machines—by chewing up valuable RAM.
How to disable it:
- Open the Start Menu and search for “Services.”
- Find SysMain in the list.
- Right-click it, choose Properties, then hit Stop.
- Set its Startup type to Disabled and click OK.
Once turned off, many users notice smoother multitasking almost instantly.
2. Consider Turning Off Memory Compression
Memory Compression is another Windows feature that can be more harmful than helpful, especially if you’re on limited hardware. It compresses data in RAM to make space, but the CPU work required to do so can slow things down.
Disable it like this (optional):
- Right-click the Start button and select Windows PowerShell (Admin).
- Type this command:
Disable-MMAgent -mc
- Hit Enter, then restart your PC.
Want to re-enable it? Just use:
Enable-MMAgent -mc
3. Trim the Fat From Startup Apps
Some apps sneak into your startup routine and launch every time your PC boots—even if you rarely use them. Over time, they can eat away at your system memory for no good reason.
Here’s how to declutter:
- Go to Settings > Apps > Startup.
- Toggle off anything non-essential—voice assistants, gaming overlays, messaging tools you don’t use daily.
Less bloat at boot means more RAM for what you care about.
Bonus Round: Clean Out Task Scheduler
Hidden deep in Windows is the Task Scheduler—a utility that automates certain background tasks. Some of these are helpful. Others? Not so much. Adobe, Google, and other third-party apps love to set up routine background updates you probably don’t need.
How to clean it up:
- Search for Task Scheduler and open it.
- Click on Task Scheduler Library in the left pane.
- Scan the list for anything that looks unfamiliar or unnecessary.
- Right-click and select Disable on tasks you don’t want running silently in the background.
The Result? A Faster, Smarter PC
No shady apps. No deep system overhauls. Just smart adjustments using tools that are already part of your OS.
With a few quick changes, you’ve cut down on background memory usage, reduced boot-time clutter, and taken back control of your RAM. Your computer should feel more responsive, especially when multitasking.
Enjoying the speed boost? Let us know!
Drop a comment below if this helped, and don’t forget to checkout TechWithBenam on YouTube for hands-on fixes. No fluff, no fear-mongering—just solutions.
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