Windows 11 8GB RAM Update Makes Multitasking Up to 40% Faster
Windows 11 8GB RAM PCs are now up to 20% more responsive and 40% faster at multitasking, Microsoft says. Here is what changed and how to get it.
Hakkı ALKANPublished 3 min read
Microsoft says its latest Windows 11 8GB RAM improvements make memory-limited PCs noticeably quicker. According to the company, Windows is now up to 20% more responsive and up to 40% faster at multitasking on 8GB machines, compared with builds from January 2026. The changes arrive with Windows 11 version 26H2, build 26300.9818 or later.
The announcement comes at a sensitive time for the PC market. Memory prices have climbed sharply as AI data centers soak up supply, and more budget and mid-range laptops are shipping with 8GB again. We looked at the reasons behind that squeeze in our explainer on why RAM is so expensive right now.
What Changes in Windows 11 8GB RAM PCs
The biggest change is smarter memory compression. In a Windows Experience Blog post, Windows chief Pavan Davuluri says Windows has been retuned for 8GB PCs and can now keep up to 2GB more active data in memory instead of pushing it to slower storage. In practice, a browser tab or app you left open should be less likely to reload when you return to it.
The 20% responsiveness figure covers everyday actions: opening Start, searching, right-clicking, opening Settings, launching Snipping Tool and opening File Explorer. Windows now briefly prioritizes what you click and backs off background jobs such as search indexing while you are active. Microsoft also says Edge can open up to 33% faster from a link or the Start menu, because Windows connects to the copy already running in the background.
Several apps are getting lighter too:
- Widgets now loads only when opened on PCs with 8GB or less, saving roughly 200MB while closed.
- Inactive Edge tabs go to sleep after 15 minutes by default, down from two hours.
- Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook together save up to 360MB.
- Teams can enable Efficiency Mode by default on 8GB PCs, which Microsoft says helps it launch up to 20% faster.
Across Windows, Edge and Microsoft 365, Microsoft says these tweaks cut committed-memory growth by up to 900MB in its multitasking tests.
How Microsoft Measured the Gains
The 40% claim comes from a single lab scenario on an HP OmniBook 3 with 8GB of memory and a Snapdragon X Plus chip. Microsoft opened 20 Edge tabs, a 4K video, large Office files, Outlook and File Explorer one after another. The company itself notes the result is specific to that setup and is not a benchmark, and The Verge and other outlets point out that independent testing will tell the real story. Microsoft also admits that heavy work such as 3D modeling or advanced video editing still benefits from 16GB or more.
More memory work is planned. Search and Widgets will share one web engine, OneDrive and Photos will share another, and WinUI 3 apps such as File Explorer and Notepad are being rebuilt to use less memory. It follows other recent changes like the Windows 11 search update.
How to Get the Update
Open Settings, go to Windows Update, turn on “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” and select Check for updates. Microsoft recommends keeping Edge, Microsoft 365 and Teams updated as well, since some of the gains arrive through app updates. If your PC still feels sluggish after updating, our guide on how to reinstall Windows 11 covers a clean start.