At times, certain applications on Windows 10 start using more than the usual system RAM. This causes the abnormality in the device, and it becomes sluggish and started to hang. Under such conditions, computer users are unable to open even basic applications. This irregularity generally happens because of the Memory Leak in Windows 10.
In this post, we would discuss what a memory leak is and how to fix it.
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What is Memory Leak in Windows 10?
In Windows 10, a memory leak is caused when an application consumes so much RAM that other applications cannot run because of no RAM availability.
Every application on Windows 10 requires a certain amount of RAM to launch and run properly. Generally, applications take a few amounts of RAM so that multiple apps can run simultaneously; some other applications like Chrome or Photoshop are demanding and consume more RAM than other typical applications.
When an application consumes more than the required amount of RAM, it is termed a memory leak.
How do I find Memory Leak in Windows 10?
If your computer is misbehaving and becoming sluggish, then there is a total possibility that it might be because of a memory leak. To find a memory leak in Windows 10, follow these steps:
Right-click on the Windows taskbar, and choose Task Manager.
Click on the Memory tab to arrange applications in ascending order of the memory use.
Analyze which applications are using a large amount of system RAM, thus causing the Memory Leak.
You can select those applications one by one and click on End Task to close them.
How to fix Memory Leak in Windows 10?
There are several ways you can apply to fix memory leaks in Windows 10. Here is the list:
Use Task Manager to End Process
The first and most common fix is to end the processes that are abnormally consuming the RAM.
- Right-click on the Windows taskbar, and choose Task Manager.
- Click on the Memory tab to arrange applications in ascending order of the memory use.
- Analyze which applications are using a large amount of system RAM, thus causing the Memory Leak.
- Select the high RAM-consuming applications one by one and click on End Task.
- Restart the system
Use Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool
Windows 10 comes with an in-built tool to diagnose memory problems. Here are the steps to use Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool.
- Click on the Start button, and on the windows search box, type Windows Memory Diagnostic.
- Click on Restart now and check for problems.
Use Resource Monitor
Resource Manager is another useful Windows utility tool that can provide an accurate analysis of memory usage. To use it, follow these steps:
- Again go to the windows search box, type Resource Monitor, and click on its icon to launch it.
- Analyze the system performance and find out the memory problem by checking the real-time data.
Update Processors Driver
Outdated drivers are one of the major causes of various problems in Windows 10. The memory leak in Windows 10 can also cause by outdated Processor Drivers. To update the Processors Drivers follow these steps:
- Right-click on the start button, and launch the Device Manager.
- Expand the Processors tab.
- One by one, right-click on the processor and select Update driver.
- Follow the on-screen steps and finish the update.
If you don’t want to take the trouble of updating the drivers manually, you can get a dedicated driver updater application to do the work.
Disable Startup Programs
Some Startup programs might consume a lot of RAM on computer boot, causing the memory leak in Windows 10 and computer to respond slowly. Follow these steps to disable the Startup Programs:
- Right-click on the taskbar and select Task Manager.
- Switch to the Startup tab.
- Select the program, which is causing the memory leak, and click on Disable.
Defrag the Hard Drive
Windows defragging can make your memory management better and also optimize the hard disk. To defrag a disk, follow these steps:
- Open This PC
- Right-click on the drive that you want to defrag, and choose Properties.
- Switch to the Tools tab and click on Optimize.
- Select the drive you want to defrag and click on Analyze.
Bottom Line
Memory Leak in Windows 10 can be very frustrating, especially on low-end systems. However, by following the fixes listed in this post, you can solve the memory leak problem. If the problem persists and your computer is still slow, the problem might be because of low RAM. So it is advised to increase the system RAM.
Peter is an Electrical Engineer whose primary interest is tinkering with his computer. He is passionate about Windows 10 Platform and enjoys writing tips and tutorials about it.
