Vmmem.exe High Memory Usage? 3 Efficient Ways To Fix It

The processor built for Windows 10 has been hindering the power of a PC’s processor and internal memory due to the extremely taxing VM configuration. This article will explain to you what the vmmem process of Windows is, why it lags the memory, and how to fix the vmmem.exe high memory usage problem.

So, let’s start. But first, let’s understand what this vmmem process is. 

What Is Windows 10’s Vmmem Process?

Before proceeding with why vmmem.exe memory usage is high and how to counter it, it is crucial to understand what vmmem is. 

Computer memory is one of the more critical aspects of the computer. There are three components under computer memory. ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), and the Cache. 

In layman’s terms, when the device is turned on, the CPU sends data that needs to be acted on to the memory, which then notifies when the process is completed. 

Even when it is not needed, WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) reserves a huge amount of RAM. It can use up to 80% of your available RAM on current Windows releases. 

Recent editions have reduced this to 50%, up to a maximum of 8GB.

Most users, however, reveal that the dynamic between the Windows 10’s vmmem and Dock is not very favorable. Some of the more complaints are that Docker occupies up to 70% of the total memory available. Docker occupying this much space has resulted in a considerable increase in lag. 

Vmmem is the entity in place to run and execute virtual machine processes and memories. This process is one of the core processes of the virtual machine. This core is where all the vmmem functions and applications get executed. 

Microsoft itself states, “The vmmem process is a virtual process that the system synthesizes to represent the memory and CPU resources consumed by your virtual machines. In other words, if you see vmmem consuming a lot of memory and CPU resources, then that means your virtual machines are consuming a lot of memory and CPU resources.”

Why Does It Use All Of The Available System Memory?

Virtual Machines and their usage have found themselves increasingly in our day-to-day lives. Machines require core functions such as a CPU, network, and memory disk. 

The memory and the Central Processing Unit (CPU) are one of the most important functions used to an overwhelmingly large extent. 

Users setting virtual machines with a large amount of memory and CPU are the primary reason vmmem requires a lot of memory. Since this frequently leads to their using all of the resources available, which boosts the vmmem process’s needs.

How To Fix Vmmem.exe High Memory Usage?

1. Restart WSL From CMD 
2. Adjust the Allotted Memory of Your Virtual Machine 
3. Disable The Virtual Machine

Now that we’ve figured out what exactly vmmem is and why it eats so much storage, we can now finally take steps to reduce the drain and demand of storage vmmem creates. 

There are three primary ways we can fix vmmem.exe high memory usage. 

1. Restart WSL From CMD 

The WSL is a vital aspect of the Windows 10 Operating System. It is dedicated to offering virtualization solutions for Windows users, but it can also be the cause of vmmem excessive use owing to inefficient functioning. 

Restarting it is an efficient technique to restore it to its original condition. To restart it, all you need to do is follow the given steps. 

1. Open your Search bar and type. cmd.

2. You will be able to see the Command Prompt. Right-click it and select the Run as Administrator option from the open menu.  

3. Copy and paste this text into the Command Prompt- wsl –shutdown
4. Press Enter to shutdown WSL. 
5. If this does not work, head to C:\Users\your-username\.wslconfig by pasting it into File Explorer. 

Open your Notepad, add the following code and save it-[wsl2]                                                                           

guiApplications=false.

2. Adjust the Allotted Memory of Your Virtual Machine 

A reason behind vmmem.exe high memory usage is that the Virtual Machine might allocate a significant proportion of your PC’s RAM without your knowledge. 

To rectify this, you must adjust the RAM allotted to your Virtual Machine to avoid draining excess storage space. 

3. Disable The Virtual Machine

If the methods mentioned earlier do not pan out, you will need to disable the Virtual Machine. You can do so by following these steps. 

1. Type PowerShell in your Windows search bar. 

2. Right-click on Windows Powershell and Run as Administrator. 

3. To see the list of Virtual Machines running on Windows 10, type the following code string in the command line and press Enter- wsl -l -v
4. To close the virtual machines that are running, type in the following code string and press Enter- wsl -t kali-linux

Can I Shut Down Vmmem.exe?

Yes, it is possible to shutdown vmmem on Windows 10 Operating System. To do so, follow the given instructions. 

1. Search cmd in the Windows Search bar.
2. Right-click on Command Prompt and Run as Administrator. 
3. Type the following string of code and press Enter-wsl --shutdown

There you go. 

How Can I Prevent High Memory & CPU Usage?

To prevent high memory and CPU usage associated with vmmem, it is recommended to download third-party software. A highly recommended software for this purpose is Restoro. 

This software works to fix a variety of errors. Restoro is fit to repair common PC issues, protect you from malware, file loss, and hardware failure, and for optimizing your PC to achieve its maximum potential. 

The way you can do that is:

1. Install Restoro PC Repair Tool. 
2. Click Start Scan. The scan will identify any Windows 10 issues responsible for causing PC issues. 
3. Click Repair All to rectify any issues plaguing your computer, whether it be its security or performance. 

It is relatively simple to resolve Windows’ excessive memory utilization. In truth, there are several approaches to resolving the problem. You may repair the excessive memory utilization by shutting unwanted background running apps, stopping starting applications, defragmenting the hard drive, and altering the registry settings.

So, here’s everything you must know about vmmem and vmmem.exe high memory usage in Windows. 

Conclusion 

No one is fond of a slow, laggy and clunky PC. Storage is one of the main parameters determining how well and smoothly a PC performs. As it is known that vmmem eats up your storage and makes your PC slow, it is important to know how to manage it to keep your PC running smoothly. 

This guide should give you everything from an introduction to what vmmem is, its functions, how it compromises storage space, and how to rectify it. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)