Microsoft says it has made Windows 11 noticeably quicker on PCs with 8GB of RAM, claiming up to 20% better responsiveness and up to 40% faster multitasking in its own lab tests.
The figures come from a Windows Experience blog post published Tuesday by Windows chief Pavan Davuluri. The multitasking result compares a test workflow against January 2026 builds, and Digital Trends reports the changes are available in Windows 11 version 26H2, build 26300.9818 or later.
What changed
Microsoft’s central change is better memory compression. Windows can now keep up to 2GB more active data in memory instead of moving it to slower storage, so an app or browser tab left open is less likely to reload, The Verge reports.
The responsiveness claim covers everyday actions such as opening Start, searching, right-clicking, opening Settings, using the Snipping Tool and launching File Explorer. Tom’s Hardware says Microsoft achieved this partly by holding back background tasks such as indexing while a person is actively using the PC. The approach builds on earlier work such as the experimental Low Latency Profile the company tested in May.
Apps and widgets
Microsoft also trimmed memory use in its own software. Across Windows, Edge and Microsoft 365 apps, it says committed-memory growth fell by up to 900MB in multitasking tests, with Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook accounting for up to 360MB of the savings.
On PCs with 8GB or less, Widgets now loads only when opened, saving roughly 200MB. Edge opens up to 33% faster, inactive Edge tabs now sleep after 15 minutes, and Teams can run in Efficiency Mode by default, which Microsoft says speeds launch by 20%, according to Fone Arena.
What comes next
Microsoft says memory compression will become smarter over the coming months. Search and Widgets are to share a single web engine, apps built on WinUI 3, including File Explorer and Notepad, are being redesigned to use less memory, and the company is working with PC makers and chip suppliers to reduce the memory a machine reserves for its hardware, ZDNET and others report.
The push follows the company’s earlier admissions of problems. Microsoft previously acknowledged driver flaws that hurt performance, and its later quality progress report offered few numbers. The Tom’s Hardware report ties the timing to a global PC component shortage that is pushing manufacturers toward lower-memory machines.
The gains are Microsoft’s own measurements, and real-world results will vary by hardware and workload. Owners should install the latest Windows 11 update and update their apps to see any benefit.
