Microsoft says Windows 11 can now keep up to 2GB more active data in memory instead of moving it to slower storage, and that Widgets on PCs with 8GB of RAM load only when users open them.
The changes are described in a Windows Experience Blog post by Navjot Virk, which states that the improvements developed with the Windows Insider community are beginning to roll out broadly.
Microsoft says the memory work makes an especially meaningful difference on PCs with 8GB of memory. On those systems, loading Widgets on demand frees more than 200 MB of memory for apps and other work.
The company is also making additional changes that reduce background memory use, although the post does not list them individually.
Windows 11 Memory and Responsiveness Changes
The memory figures are tied to Windows 11 build 26300.9550, according to the footnotes in Microsoft's post. Microsoft notes that actual availability and performance vary.
The same post claims an overall Windows experience that is up to 20% more responsive. Microsoft says the gains start at boot and extend to Start, File Explorer, Search, Snipping Tool, Microsoft 365, and Edge.
The response times were measured on Search, Start, the right-click menu, Settings, Snipping Tool, and File Explorer, comparing build 26300.9550 with build 26200.7628. Results vary by device, configuration, and usage, and rollout timing differs by device and region.
Other changes listed in the announcement:
- AirPods pairing that is up to 15 seconds faster, based on build 26200.8737
- more reliable pairing, reconnection, and call handling for Bluetooth headphones
- improved Windows Hello sign-in with face and fingerprint
- more control over when Windows updates install, with coordinated updates designed to reduce restarts
The memory change is aimed at budget and older laptops in particular. On an 8GB system, Microsoft says, keeping more active data in RAM rather than pushing it to slower storage is where users should notice the difference most, and the on-demand Widgets change adds more free memory on top of that.
Advanced Shader Delivery and What Users Can Do Now
Microsoft also highlights Advanced Shader Delivery, which reduces game load times by delivering precompiled shaders for supported titles. Forza Horizon 6 and Gears of War: E-Day are the examples named in the post. Microsoft gives two steps to benefit from it:
- Install the Xbox PC app before downloading a supported game.
- Keep graphics drivers up to date.
For the memory and responsiveness improvements, Microsoft does not mention any setting that users need to change. The figures are linked to specific builds rather than to a named cumulative update, so Windows 11 users on 8GB systems should keep installing the latest updates and watch for the on-demand Widgets behavior.
Microsoft redesigned another inbox app in the same announcement, covered in our report on the Windows 11 Photos app redesign with OneDrive and iCloud. Microsoft has not said which release channel each build belongs to or when every Windows 11 PC will receive the memory changes.
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