Windows 11 26H2 cuts RAM use through an unannounced performance upgrade
Windows 11 26H2 enables the Low Latency Profile by default on most devices. In a Windows Latest test, RAM use on a 16GB laptop fell from more than 10GB to 7GB after rebooting.
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Windows 11 26H2 has gained an unannounced performance optimization that can reduce RAM use. The Low Latency Profile is now enabled by default on most devices.
When users open the Start menu, search or the notification center, the processor runs at maximum frequency for one to three seconds, completes the task faster and returns to an idle state. Engineers refer to this approach as “race to sleep.”
Windows Latest laptop test
Windows Latest tested the update on a three-year-old laptop with 16GB of RAM. After rebooting, the system used 7GB of RAM, while the previous figure had consistently exceeded 10GB with no applications running.
The result could have been lower without programs that start with Windows, including Lenovo Smart Connect, Plex, Quick Share, PowerToys, WhatsApp and Teams.
Results vary by configuration
A Reddit user with a 32GB PC reported that memory use fell from 9.1GB to 7.5GB after moving from Windows 11 25H2 to 26H2. Another user, running a system with 48GB of RAM, reported a reduction of about 2GB.
By contrast, a PC owner with 8GB of RAM said they noticed no change. The reports indicate that the optimization does not work uniformly across configurations.
Formally, Windows 11 26H2 activates features that were already added and updates the support cycle. Microsoft had tested Low Latency Profile for shell elements since June and for launching applications since August.
What we know
- Windows 11 26H2 enables Low Latency Profile by default on most devices.
- Windows Latest recorded 7GB of RAM use on a laptop with 16GB of memory.
- One PC user reported a drop from 9.1GB to 7.5GB after upgrading from 25H2.
- A computer owner with 8GB of RAM reported no noticeable change.
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