14 Fixes For Memory Leaks in Windows 10

What is A Memory Leak?

A memory depletion occurs when a program labels a section of RAM as “in use” but isn’t using it.

It occurs when an application fails to notify the Windows RAM management. It has stopped using a RAM segment. It is now available for System’s Ram usage. As a result, even though the RAM is free, Windows will not use it.

Even though no program is using the RAM, this problem results in higher memory usage. Any program, including Windows services, native apps, background processes, can experience this issue.

How To Detect and Fix Memory Leak?

Going into the Task Manager and monitoring the RAM Usage by various programs and applications. It is the most straightforward technique to avoid memory leaks. Keep an eye on the background processes and, if necessary, add more columns.

• To open the Task Manager, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc and select the Processes tab. All active processes will be listed here, along with their CPU and Memory use.
• To arrange the processes in descending order, click the top of the Memory tab. Drag the processes to the top.
• Look for a process that significantly has more Memory usage than usual. You’ll have to figure out which process is using odd RAM on your own. Using more than half of the entire RAM will very certainly be the culprit.
• Resource-intensive programs like Photoshop, your browser can consume several GBs of RAM.

You can use tools like Runtime Broker to find memory leaks in Windows, but this program might also cause memory problems. There’s more on that later. You can add any columns you think will help keep track of an application’s resources.

Methods To Fix Windows 10 Memory Leak

• Run Inbuilt Memory Diagnostic Tools
• Fix Memory Leaks With Windows Resource Monitor
• Optimize Windows For Best Performance
• End Unnecessary Processes And Restart
• Check For Operating System Updates
• Disable Runtime Broker
• Clear PageFile At Shutdown
• Check For Malware
• Restart your PC
• Disable Superfetch 
• Disable Windows Tips And Tricks
• Update Driver Softwares to Prevent Memory Leak
• Disable Programs Running on Startup
• Defrag Hard Disk

1. Run Inbuilt Memory Diagnostic Tools

Windows 10 features built-in diagnostic tools that are sufficient for delivering accurate analysis. It assists you in discovering the cause of your issue.

You can use the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool to do a memory test. It works by writing to your computer’s RAM and then reading it. Disparate readings indicate malfunctioning hardware.

This type of software searches your computer for memory problems. Such as memory leaks and provides detailed diagnostics for all faults found.

• To use the utility, open the Run window by pressing Windows + R.
• Enter the command mdsched.exe. You need to restart your machine by Windows.

• It will only take a few minutes to finish the exam. When it’s finished, your computer will restart. When you return to the Windows desktop, you’ll see the screen’s results.

• If Windows doesn’t show you the results straight away. Open the Event Viewer. Right-click on the Start. Go to Windows Logs > System and look for the most recent MemoryDiagnostic file.

2. Fix Memory Leaks With Windows Resource Monitor

Resource Monitor is an excellent built-in program that will show you how Windows manages the resources on your computer. Resource Monitor is a beautiful place to start observing if you feel an application or process isn’t releasing your standby RAM. In Windows 10, 8, and 7, follow the steps below to view your system’s memory usage.

• Firstly, open task manager.
• Go to ‘Performance, “Windows Resource Monitor” under the performance tab.

• To use the run function in Windows 10, press Windows key+R, type “resmon,” and then pick OK.

• To reorder the list, go to the Memory tab and then Commit.

• Keep an eye on the Standby (blue bar) while the applications you normally use are running.

3. Optimize Windows For Best Performance

To improve the performance of your system, navigate to Control Panel > System and Security > System.

• Go to Advanced system settings on the bottom of the Windows panel.

• To alter these settings, you’ll need admin access.
• Now, go to the Performance section and select Settings.

• Check the box for Adjust for optimal performance under the Visual Effects tab.

• To confirm the changes, click OK. Restart the system to see if the problem has been resolved.

4. End Unnecessary Processes And Restart.

You can terminate an unwanted process in the Task Manager if it is consuming too much RAM. To make the freed space available to other programs, you’ll need to restart the device. The memory leak issue will not be resolved without a restart. Runtime Broker is one process that has faults that cause the computer to slow down.

• Go to Task Manager (CTRL+SHIFT+ESC), find which process is wasting RAM, and terminate that task.
• After completing the process, you’ll need to restart your computer to fix the memory leak.

5. Check For Operating System Updates.

Operating systems like Windows are regularly updated. New features and performance improvements are added to improve performance. Even a firmware upgrade can assist in enhancing your system’s performance.

• Select Start > Settings > Update & security > Windows Update from the Start menu.
• Select Check for updates if you wish to check for updates manually.

• Select Advanced settings, then Automatic under Choose how updates are installed (recommended).

6. Disable Runtime Broker

All permissions for programs from the Windows Store in Windows 10 are managed by the Runtime Broker, located in Task Management.

Runtime Broker typically consumes little memory. If the system has a problematic program, the process may demand more memory than planned.

It could be causing problems because there is no memory left for other apps to use. It’s possible that disabling Runtime Broker will assist, and you’ll notice a difference. The steps to turn off Runtime Broker are as follows:

• Task Manager can be used to disable Runtime Broker.
• Right-click on Runtime Broker in the Processes section of Task Manager (CTRL+SHIFT+ESC). Select End now.

Check to see if the condition has improved after restarting the computer.

7. Clear PageFile At Shutdown

It is the most challenging option, but it is necessary to resolve memory leak issues in Windows 10. The Virtual Memory management mechanism includes PageFile.sys. When Windows 10 ends out of physical memory, it comes into play (RAM). It solves the problem by copying certain RAM content to the hard drive.

As your system’s memory requirements grow and there isn’t enough RAM to keep all of the data, the least-used files are ‘paged’ out to PageFile.sys.

An increasing PageFile can generate memory allocation concerns over time. Mainly due to the latencies associated with the PageFile’s rising size.

• Clearing the PageFile at every shutdown is the simplest way to ensure that it is in use. It is removed regularly. On the other hand, this could lengthen the time it takes your computer to shut down.
• Open the Run box (Windows Key+ R) and put regedit into it to clear the PageFile at every shutdown. The Registry Editor is activated when you press Enter.
  • Enter the path HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEM/Current/Control/SetControlSession ManagerMemory Management.
• Set the value of ClearPageFileAtShutDown to 1 now.
• Once you’ve finished, save your modifications and restart your computer.
• It should now fix the memory leak and allocation difficulties caused by a big PageFile in Windows 10.

8. Check For Malware

A virus or malware might also boost RAM use. Malware designed to harm your system frequently places a strain on RAM. It causes your computer to shut down. The remedy is simple: use a reputable antivirus program to do a malware scan. I recommend Norton’s free antivirus because it is both lightweight and powerful.

Run a full system scan after installing antivirus. It should be capable of detecting and removing all forms of malware. You can also build a Norton Rescue Disk and run a scan while Windows is not running if it fails.

The virus will not hide or prevent the antivirus from scanning because Windows is not running.

9. Restart your PC

While the computer is shut off, RAM only Stores data from running processes. As a result, when you restart your computer, RAM will be empty, and the memory leak issue will be resolved.

• Open Task Manager, press CTRL + SHIFT + ESC.
• Find out which program is using the most memory. Go to the Processes tab.
• To close the software, simply click End process.
• The application has now been closed. The problem has not been resolved. The amount of RAM that the program initially requested is still unavailable to other processes.
• The best option is to restart your computer, and the memory leak will not show until you open the problematic program again.

10. Disable Superfetch 

Superfetch is a Windows feature that analyses your memory usage patterns. It determines which apps you use the most. Superfetch stores them in RAM ahead of time after the analysis is completed to save loading time.

• Although it is not suggested that you disable this function, you can test it out in isolation to see if it works for you.
• Go to Services Manager by typing services.msc in the search bar.
• Right-click on Superfetch and select Properties from the drop-down menu.
• Select the “Stop” option. Disable the service from the Startup type drop-down selection, as well.
• Select Stop And Disable The Service from the drop-down menu.
• Now restart your computer to test if the remedy is working for you. If that doesn’t work, try enabling it again using the same procedures as before, but this time select “Automatic” as the startup type.

11. Disable Windows Tips And Tricks

Tips & Tricks for Windows 10 are pretty beneficial to new users. If you enable this, you’ll be able to get some excellent advice on how to use and manage the system appropriately.

For some seasoned users of the OS, though, these tips and techniques can become tedious. Furthermore, this feature can waste a significant amount of memory on your machine, causing it to operate poorly.

Follow the procedure below to turn off Windows 10 Tips and Tricks:

• Go to System > System > Notifications & actions.
• Switch it off and go to Get tips, techniques, and suggestions as you use Windows.
• Turn off the option to receive tips, tricks, and suggestions as you use Windows.

• You won’t see those tips and tricks pop-ups if you disable it, and the RAM needed for this reason will be freed up.

12 Update Driver Softwares to Prevent Memory Leak

The leading cause of this potential memory leak issue in Windows 10 is malfunctioning or outdated drivers. An obsolete driver does not necessarily damage any program and hence causes the memory leak.

It can have more RAM memory than it should. However, Microsoft has made automated driver upgrades available for every known hardware. It hasn’t been adequately optimized for optimal performance.

The most fundamental drivers are sound, graphics, and network drivers. According to multiple afflicted customers, they are frequently the source of memory leaks.

• To open device manager, press Windows + R, type devmgmt.msc, and click OK. It will reveal the list of all installed drivers. Check for any device with a yellow tingle mark. Simply right-click and select uninstall if you find one.

• Restarting Windows and opening Device Manager again will install the device’s primary driver.
• If not, you can use the action button to look for new hardware.

13. Disable Programs Running on Startup

A software may cause memory leaks at startup. You’ll simply get stuck in a loop, with the problem reappearing no matter how many times you temporarily solve it.

To prevent memory leaks, we simply need to disable the irritating software upon startup. It will no longer give us problems.

• To open Task Manager, press CTRL + SHIFT + ESC.
• Select the Startup option from the drop-down menu.
• Select Disable from the drop-down menu for the program you want to disable.

• Restart your computer.

If the Task Manager has already shown you which software is leaking RAM. If the program also runs on startup, simply disable it.

14. Defrag Hard Disk

Windows is concerned about the health of your system, so it defrags the hard drives on its own. Manually defragment hard drives, on the other hand, is one step ahead of the game in terms of avoiding inconsistencies and bad performance.

It’s important to note that defragmenting the hard drive has nothing to do with a RAM memory leak. It speeds up the process of reading files from the hard drive, helping your programs operate faster.

• Go to “This PC”(Windows 10) or My Computer to perform Disk Defragment.
• Now, right-click on the system’s hard drive and select properties (usually C: drive).
• Select Properties from the drop-down menu. Go to the Tools tab once you’re in Properties.
• Select Optimize from the Tools tab.

• Defragmenting Drive Optimization
• Now click on Analyze after selecting the drive you wish to defrag.
• Examine The Defragmentation Drive
• Restart the computer once you’ve finished.

Conclusion 

I hope you found this helpful information. Every system is configured differently. The specific cause determines the system’s response to a problem or how it is resolved. Try all the methods and check which one worked for you.

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