Microsoft has released an optimization update for Windows 11 that speeds up desktop performance on PCs with 8GB of RAM. The update improves multitasking speeds by up to 40% by overhauling how the system compresses background data. The performance changes are available now for users running Windows 11 version 26H2 build 26300.9818 or newer.
Microsoft altered the internal memory compression engine to keep up to 2GB more data inside active RAM. This change stops the operating system from constantly swapping memory contents onto slower physical storage drives. Background applications and open browser sessions remain resident in memory, so users do not have to wait for them to reload.
Internal testing showed interface responsiveness gains of up to 20% alongside the 40% multitasking boost. Microsoft tested an 8GB RAM machine running 20 open Edge tabs, a 4K video stream, File Explorer, and heavy office files inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. The operating system maintained stable responsiveness under this load compared to earlier system builds.
Individual software components inside the operating system now demand less memory. Windows widgets no longer load into RAM at system startup on 8GB machines, which immediately frees up 200MB of memory until the user manually clicks the widget panel. Microsoft also altered the background rules for the Edge browser, forcing inactive tabs to enter sleep mode after 15 minutes instead of the older 2 hour rule.
Future updates will continue targeting memory efficiency across budget hardware. Microsoft plans to merge shared background processes between Windows and Microsoft 365 applications, while collaborating with PC manufacturers to decrease the amount of RAM reserved strictly for integrated hardware. Accessing the current speed gains requires installing the latest build of Windows 11 along with matching updates for Edge and Microsoft 365 packages.
