How to Adjust Virtual Memory in Windows 11

Virtual memory acts as a secondary storage mechanism when your computer runs low on physical RAM, temporarily storing paging files on your hard drive or SSD. While Windows 11 manages this allocation automatically by default, setting it manually can help prevent “out of memory” crashes, stabilize system performance, and optimize drive usage. This guide provides direct, step-by-step instructions to configure your custom paging file size in Windows 11.

Step 1: Open Advanced System Settings

  1. Press Win + S to open the Windows Search bar.
  2. Type View advanced system settings and select the matching result from the list.
  3. The System Properties window will appear, opened directly to the Advanced tab.

Step 2: Navigate to Virtual Memory Settings

  1. Under the Performance section at the top of the Advanced tab, click the Settings… button.
  2. In the new Performance Options window, switch to the Advanced tab.
  3. Locate the Virtual memory section at the bottom and click the Change… button.

Step 3: Configure the Paging File Size

  1. Uncheck the box labeled Automatically manage paging file size for all drives at the very top.
  2. Under the drive list, select the drive volume where you want to allocate virtual memory (typically the C: drive).
  3. Select the Custom size radio button.
  4. Enter your desired values in megabytes (MB) for:
    • Initial size (MB): The starting allocation size.
    • Maximum size (MB): The upper limit the paging file can expand to.
  5. Click the Set button to apply the specific values to the selected drive.
  6. Click OK to close the Virtual Memory window.

When choosing custom sizes, use the following standard formulas based on your physical RAM (1 GB = 1024 MB):

Step 4: Apply and Restart

  1. Click Apply and then OK on the Performance Options window.
  2. Click OK on the System Properties window.
  3. Restart your computer when prompted to allow Windows 11 to apply the new virtual memory allocation.