RAM Optimization

Windows 11 High RAM Usage: Which Startup Apps Should You Disable?

Have you ever turned on your PC only to hear the fans spin up and feel sluggish system response before launching a single app? On systems with 8 GB or 16 GB of RAM, apps that boot up automatically can drastically slow down your PC. How many system resources are running apps eating up in the background without your consent?

Quick Summary
Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), go to ‘Startup apps’, and disable messengers, game launchers, and auto-updaters.
In startup impact ratings, apps using under 300 ms of CPU time and under 292 KB of disk I/O are considered ‘Low impact’. Start by disabling high-impact third-party apps.
Keep Windows Defender and graphics/audio drivers set to ‘Enabled’ for system security and stability.
For Microsoft Store apps, go to Settings (Win + I) > ‘Installed apps’ > Advanced options and set background permissions to ‘Never’.

How to Check Startup Impact and Disable Apps in Task Manager

The quickest way to stop apps from launching automatically at boot is through Task Manager. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc or right-click the Start button and select Task Manager.

Navigate to the Startup apps tab in the left sidebar to see the list of registered programs and their ‘Startup impact’. According to Microsoft’s criteria, an app has a ‘Low impact’ rating if it uses less than 300 milliseconds (ms) of CPU time and less than 292 KB of disk I/O during boot.

It is like walking out the door carrying a backpack stuffed with unnecessary weight. Right-click any third-party app with a high impact rating and select Disable to ease the boot burden.

Which Programs to Disable and Which to Keep

Disabling every startup app indiscriminately can cause issues with essential security functions or peripheral devices. You need to distinguish between critical system utilities that must launch on boot and everyday apps you can open manually.

Category	Recommended Setting	Examples
Disable	`Disabled`	Messengers (Discord, Slack), game launchers (Steam), updaters (Chrome Updater, third-party software updaters), cloud sync services
Keep Enabled (Essential)	`Enabled`	Windows Security (Windows Defender), real-time antivirus, audio/graphics drivers, dedicated mouse/keyboard software

Messengers and gaming clients run perfectly fine when you launch them manually from an icon, even if they do not boot up with Windows. Hardware drivers and security tools like Windows Defender, on the other hand, should stay enabled to ensure background protection.

Managing Background Permissions for Store Apps in Settings

You can also press Win + I to open Windows Settings and go to Apps > Startup to toggle off apps that start with Windows. In Windows 11, it is equally important to manage individual background app permissions for Microsoft Store apps.

Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps, click the three-dot menu (…) next to the target app, and select Advanced options. Look for the Background apps permissions section.

From the three available options—Always, Power optimized (recommended), and Never—selecting Never prevents the app from consuming resources in the background once you close its window. Keep in mind that this advanced option primarily applies to Microsoft Store apps; traditional desktop programs (Win32) require toggling off startup and background options within their own in-app settings.

The 50% Memory Reduction Myth and Caution with Services

Claims that cleaning up startup programs will automatically cut your memory usage in half (a 50% reduction) have no official basis. The actual amount of RAM freed depends on how many third-party programs you have installed and your system specifications.

Some internet guides also suggest opening the services.msc console and disabling the SysMain service (formerly Superfetch). However, Microsoft’s official performance optimization documentation does not recommend disabling SysMain as a standard performance fix.

Disabling critical Windows services without proper verification impairs file caching and can actually make your system feel slower and less responsive. It is far safer to start by disabling verified startup programs and background apps.

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc right now and switch off the messengers and game launchers you don’t need running every time your PC boots up.

References

support.microsoft.com

1-Minute Video Summary

2026년 10월 11일

How to Reduce Chrome Memory Usage and Fix Tab Lag (Save Up to 40% RAM)

When browsing the web, it is easy to end up with dozens of open tabs. Eventually, the computer fans roar and the mouse cursor starts lagging. Why does Chrome become so resource-heavy with just a few extra tabs?

Quick Summary
Official Google metrics: Free up to 40% and up to 10GB of RAM using Memory Saver
How to set up: Enter chrome://settings/performance in the address bar and select the recommended ‘Balanced’ mode
Prevent data loss: Add your essential work websites to the exception list so unsaved forms do not disappear
Extra tip: Disable running background apps after closing Chrome at chrome://settings/system

h2>Why Does Chrome Slow Down Your Computer with Every Tab?

For security and stability, Chrome assigns a separate process—an isolated workspace—to every single tab. This ensures that if one tab crashes, it does not take down other tabs or the entire browser.

Think of it like occupying an entire new desk in a library for each book you open. When you keep 20 to 30 tabs open on a system with 8GB or 16GB of RAM, memory quickly fills up, causing the entire PC to stutter and freeze.

h2>The 3 Memory Saver Modes: Which One Fits Your Setup?

Google Chrome includes a Memory Saver feature that frees up memory from inactive tabs and redirects resources to active tasks. According to Google, this feature can reduce browser memory usage by up to 40% and 10GB.

Enter chrome://settings/performance into your address bar to jump directly to the Performance settings. Memory Saver provides three tiers. Google designed the deactivation timer to adapt dynamically to your system state rather than using a rigid minute threshold.

Saving Level	How It Works	Recommended For
Moderate	Reclaims memory after extended inactivity based on system needs	High-RAM systems, light browsing
Balanced	Deactivates tabs based on usage patterns and system state (Recommended)	Standard office work and multitasking
Maximum	Reclaims memory quickly as soon as you switch away from tabs	Low-memory systems (8GB RAM or less)

h2>How to Protect Tab Data and Stop Background RAM Leaks

When you click back on a discarded tab, the page will automatically reload. To keep draft posts or filled forms from disappearing, click Add next to “Always keep these sites active” and register the domains you work on regularly (such as notion.so).

You do not have to worry about tabs playing audio, running calls, sharing screens, or downloading files—Chrome automatically detects active media and processes and will not deactivate them.

Finally, prevent Chrome from secretly consuming RAM after closing the window. Enter chrome://settings/system in your address bar and toggle off “Continue running background apps when Google Chrome is closed” to completely stop unnecessary memory drain. (Note: These performance settings are supported on Windows, macOS, and ChromeOS desktop environments.)

Open chrome://settings/performance in Chrome right now and set Memory Saver to ‘Balanced’ for a much smoother PC experience.

h2>References

h2>1-Minute Video Summary

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2026년 9월 6일