Windows Explorer Using High Memory. Built with performance in mind using Tauri and React. Oct 8, 2021
Built with performance in mind using Tauri and React. Oct 8, 2021 · There have been reports that the new File Explorer is causing high memory usage on Windows 11, as well as using the CPU more than usual which is causing a de This Tutorial Helps to Fix Explorer. Looking at Process Explorer by Sysinternals, it uses 170Mb and I can see all the children process. Feb 2, 2021 · The windows explorer starts using an increasing amount of RAM. exe (Windows Explorer) incrementally increasing its RAM usage upwards of 5GB's and constant cpu usage around 10%. I've had this be over a gigabyte after several days without restarting Explorer. This detailed article examines the causes, consequences, and solutions for high memory or CPU usage by explorer. So, high RAM usage doesn't necessarily mean a problem unless it causes system slowdown or crashes. exe, to manage it. Oct 2, 2021 · Why does my Windows Explorer consumes about 160-300 MB even in the background from the point of booting my computer to shutting it down. Jul 26, 2024 · How to Fix Explorer. Frequently, while I'm navigating through folders in a Windows Explorer window (Explorer. Windows 11 Explorer High Memory Usage (Big Issue) Oct 25, 2023 · Whenever I'm connected to the internet through WiFi, Windows explorer eats up 2. To boost response times, the OS now preloads the Jun 12, 2025 · File Explorer "explorer. exe slowly increases its memory usage, at a rate of roughly 1Mb every 4-5 seconds, as long as the File Explorer is open. That might be a reason for the high ram usage. Sometimes explorer. The norm is a steady 49mb's when it's acting right. Restarting the laptop helps sometimes but doing that all the time is a hassle. 7653 (KB5074157) to the Beta Channel, a focused quality update that mixes a small set of user-facing improvements with a batch of bug fixes and a few active known issues that Insiders and IT professionals should evaluate before 6 days ago · Microsoft's security advisory for CVE-2026-20808 confirms a race-condition vulnerability in Windows File Explorer’s printer-related code — the Printer Association Object — that can allow an authorized local user or local malware to escalate privileges on an affected system, and administrators 6 days ago · Microsoft has recorded an information‑disclosure vulnerability in Windows File Explorer under the identifier CVE-2026-20939, and the vendor’s terse advisory in the Microsoft Security Update Guide confirms the defect while withholding exploit-level detail; operators must therefore treat this as a credible, high‑value reconnaissance WSL UI - A Modern WSL Distribution Manager Easily manage your Windows Subsystem for Linux distributions with a clean, modern interface. Oct 27, 2024 · Explorer. Your theme and (high resolution) wallpaper might also contribute to a higher memory usage. Apr 24, 2025 · Windows uses free RAM for caching to speed up access. Jul 17, 2023 · If your Windows File Explorer displays High Memory, Disk or CPU usage in Task Manager, then apart from the addons, take a look at these points. Jun 24, 2022 · The process "explorer. exe High Memory and CPU Usage in Windows 11 If you wish to Explorer exe High Memory & CPU usage in Windows, then please watch this video. I tried clearing my temp files, clearing the indexed files,… 6 days ago · Microsoft’s OneDrive folder‑backup behavior has quietly shifted in a way that will matter to almost every Windows 11 user: when OneDrive Backup (the Known Folder Move for Documents, Pictures and Desktop) is active, those folders are relocated under your OneDrive profile and sync to the cloud — 4 days ago · Changed your desktop wallpaper but the lock screen still shows the old image? Windows 11 handles these separately. Here's how to fix both in under 60 seconds. My question: is there any way to prevent Explorer to try to load on RAM all of my files' thumbnails? Because that's the only thing I can think of that's happening. Mar 21, 2021 · Amount of memory it uses? Max memory consumption you've seen? There are two different versions of explorer. Sep 21, 2022 · Update: I don't know if this is normal - but when it was running hot / high power usage, in Process Explorer, under the explorer. Nov 19, 2018 · 19 Nov 2018 #1 Windows Explorer High CPU and Increasing Memory Usage Hi, I have an issue with my clean 1809 install (and also it happened before the clean install, and i decided to try a clean one due to it). . My Windows Explorer is always consuming about 150-200 mb of memory, I've heard the normal usage is around 40-60 mb's, also the folder opening speed is wayyy slow. Aug 28, 2024 · When you open multiple folders and files, Windows Explorer needs to maintain a list of recently accessed files and folders, which can increase memory usage. I noticed that the explorer. Windows Explorer generates thumbnail previews for images and other files, which can consume additional memory. exe high resources usage in Windows 11 Mar 16, 2023 · So it appears it might be something in Explorer. The problem has been there since I purchased the laptop (HP-15 2019 version). exe immediately starts using more and more of the available memory. Right-click on the app and choose Disable. Have you found any fixes or work arounds? Sometimes (after I close Firefox & Chrome) I restart Windows Explorer, and it seems to help for a bit. KEY FEATURES Distribution Management • View all installed WSL distributions at a glance • Filter by status, source, or WSL version • Start, stop, restart, and force stop distributions • Set default 6 days ago · Windows users and administrators should treat the newly recorded CVE‑2026‑20937 as a serious information‑disclosure issue in Windows File Explorer: Microsoft’s Security Update Guide lists the identifier and classifies it as an Explorer‑level information leak, but the vendor’s initial entry is 6 days ago · Microsoft’s OneDrive folder‑backup behavior has quietly shifted in a way that will matter to almost every Windows 11 user: when OneDrive Backup (the Known Folder Move for Documents, Pictures and Desktop) is active, those folders are relocated under your OneDrive profile and sync to the cloud — 4 days ago · Changed your desktop wallpaper but the lock screen still shows the old image? Windows 11 handles these separately. To do this, start by opening the Resource Monitor app in Windows 11. 5 GB only, meanwhile disk usage goes to 100%. If you’re having this issue on your PC, run a full system anti-virus scan. By using process explorer I found a thread that seems to be causing the problem 'iaStorAfsServiceApi. exe can consume large amounts of memory and CPU in Windows 10, affecting system performance. when i restart the proccess it's ok for a while but it's starting again. Other applications can be dragged down - "shut off"… Nov 29, 2025 · Just a week ago, we discussed Microsoft's efforts to enhance File Explorer performance by preloading the application at startup. Nov 27, 2021 · File Explorer consumes about 160-400 MB in the background from the point of booting my computer to shutting it down. Apr 20, 2021 · Basically, explorer. Sep 18, 2024 · Additionally, background processes and startup programs can significantly contribute to high memory usage. exe from running so that you can enable - Microsoft Community) Jun 13, 2021 · I'm experiencing explorer. 3 days ago · The good news: most “mystery” memory use comes from a handful of common causes—one or two runaway apps, too many background starters, browser tab bloat, or a memory leak from a driver/app. Jul 31, 2025 · Your device will start to freeze from receiving high memory usage on Windows 11/10. Reply reply more replyMore repliesMore repliesMore replies Dom1252 • Oct 15, 2023 · Windows Explorer High Power Usage [Fixed]Windows Explorer is the file manager application on Windows to view the data and also access the Control Panel optio Looking at the embedded Task Manager, my Windows explorer currently use 37Mb of memory. Is the memory usage of Windows Explorer within a normal range? Hello, Lately, I've observed that Windows Explorer seems to be consuming a significant amount of RAM. Check installed Add-ons. Mostly this problem occurs if Windows system files are corrupted or the system is infected with viruses or malware. Welcome to the largest community for Windows 11, Microsoft's latest computer operating system! This is not a tech support subreddit, use r/WindowsHelp or r/TechSupport to get help with your PC Sep 4, 2024 · Fix High Memory/Ram usage in windows 10/ Windows 11In this video, I'll show you guys a quick guide to fix your high memory or fix high ram usage in windows 1 Dec 21, 2016 · The memory usage is only sticking around 2 to 2. exe uses a massive amount of CPU (~50%) and memory (~up to 3 GB). 7K subscribers Subscribed I suspect it's related to folders with lots of files / thumbnails. Upon bootup, explorer. more Nov 8, 2024 · Explorer. It has also effected navigating the file explorer, deleting, opening and moving in it often results in it becoming non-responsive and when I close the… Oct 6, 2023 · I'm on an Acer Nitro 5 AN515-44 running Windows 11, the OS is all updated and stuff, the laptop recently went through an OS reset and since then it felt a lot more sluggish for some reason, turns out Windows Explorer keeps taking a lot of my memory out… Jan 3, 2024 · We'll walk you through six ways to solve the problem of Windows Explorer using too much CPU in Windows 10. Jan 5, 2026 · Here's how to reduce high memory usage Windows 11 by disabling the startup apps or services: Right-click on Taskbar or Start menu button to choose Task Manager. I access it normally with remote desktop. Here is what you should do to troubleshoot this issue. " What Is RAM and Why Is It Important? Random Access Memory (RAM) is the short-term memory your computer uses to store data temporarily for active processes. It is reported by many Microsoft users that Windows Explorer is constantly using over 15% CPU for some unknown reason, resulting in CPU is being overused. Oct 3, 2023 · Hi, I have a laptop with Windows 10 installed. Dec 23, 2025 · Is your Windows 11/10 computer slow down and even stuck due to a high memory usage issue? 10 fixes are available here to help you fix Windows 11/10 high RAM/CPU memory usage problems, making your computer back to work smoothly again. Windows Explorer high CPU usage is a common issue in Windows 11 that can slow down your computer’s performance. File Explorer randomly closes if the RAM allocation exceeds 150MB. exe causing high cpu usage. Oct 7, 2021 · As users have noted, File Explorer’s memory usage goes up each time they open File Explorer. Microsoft to fix explorer. I tried clearing my temp files,… Things like using network storage drives which is something directly built into windows Explorer cause it to act out a lot. exe High CPU and RAM Memory Usage. Since you're experiencing high memory usage (65-70% when idle), your system is already pushing the limits of the installed RAM. exe instance) and if running Steps 1 - 6 don't fix it, it's third-party application related. Oct 16, 2024 · #fix Windows Explorer high memory usage Oct 16, 2024 · #fix Windows Explorer high memory usage Windows Explorer Very High CPU Usage Fixed - 80% CPU USAGE Ditech Gaming 81. I have checked the virtual memory and it is set to system default. Another common issue that can slow down Windows 11 performance is temporary files. The processes system and svchost is also taking high usage. 5GB of RAM (that's 30% of my memory, I have 8GB of RAM installed) and If I do manage to clean it up (by restarting the process), it builds up to 2. I have learned to open the Task manager immediately on bootup, to RESTART or END TASK explorer. exe high CPU and memory usage when copying files I recently upgraded both my PC to Windows 10, and whenever I copy large amount of files (or analyzing large amount of files before copying), with explorer. exe sometimes starts using ridiculous amounts of memory. exe in Windows 11 and Windows 10. This guide walks you through finding the memory hogs, reducing background usage safely, and spotting the signs of leaks in Windows 10 and Windows 11. exe properties, I see "shcore. Also i've noticed that it's using Jun 6, 2022 · file explorer is taking 3300mb ram for no reason, normally it takes 60mbs, but 3gb is a lot, i normally play minecraft at 500fps, now whenever file explorer takes 3gb ram it goes to 20, thats literally in any game not just minecraft, but file explorer… Dec 27, 2025 · A new Windows 11 Insider update optimises File Explorer search by removing redundant indexing operations, promising faster searches, lower memory use, and a cleaner context menu. It takes about 90 seconds for it to get to 100%, at which point my PC locks up. These freezes will tend to occur when you're running another high-memory program, like a game. Feb 28, 2024 · You can see it in the Task Manager. At times, I've seen it surpassing the 700MB mark. Usually, it takes up a few system resources but sometimes, you will find it causing high memory and CPU usage. Dec 1, 2024 · This post offers 6 methods on how to fix explorer. Jun 19, 2024 · High memory usage on Windows 10 and 11 PC running slow Google Chrome high RAM usage Fix slow Google Chrome Apps taking longer to load PC freezing after sleep and many more. Unlinking your OneDrive account can also help reduce File Explorer’s CPU usage on Windows. sadly, even after closing all those windows, it keeps its high ram usage until you restart explorer. Use this article to fix Windows Explorer high CPU usage problems. Nov 10, 2023 · This issue started when I just updated to Windows 22h2 for "Cumulative Update Preview for Windows 11 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems (KB5031455)" and I found Windows Explorer is not running properly. Feb 26, 2022 · This issue indicates when you open Task Manager in to check CPU/Memory health conditions, you may experience high CPU or Memory usage by File Explorer/Windows Explorer or Explorer. exe high memory, disk or CPU usage issue. exe" builds up memory usage over time. Run a malware scan. In this case, you can try to fix the issue by initiating a ChkDsk scan. exe high CPU usage can be problematic and impact your performance, and in today’s article we’ll show you how to fix this problem on Windows 10. Apr 7, 2025 · Struggling with slow performance? Discover why Windows Explorer is using so much memory on your PC and get quick solutions to speed things up. Run CHKDSK. comJoin our Di Feb 2, 2021 · The windows explorer starts using an increasing amount of RAM. It appears that the usage keeps increasing after it's opened, and even after a while, it doesn't decrease. May 28, 2024 · Windows Explorer high CPU usage is a common issue on Windows 11. Nov 8, 2024 · Explorer. 5GB in just 2-3 minutes if my WiFi is still connected but if it's not connected the RAM usage will remain normal. dll" using quite a bit more CPU than the others. Rebooting explorer. Oct 23, 2023 · Explorer memory usage and Explorer memory leak (can't post images yet since i just created this account). Thinking about upgrading to 32 GB of RAM, but I'd rather get a s/w fix. windows performance hard-drive windows-explorer Share Improve this question asked Dec 21, 2016 at 10:37 Vineet 12 Sep 10, 2015 · Windows 10 Explorer. exe High CPU and RAM Memory Usage In Windows 11/1000:00 Intro00:12 Step 1 - Change System Configuration01:03 Step 2 - Mem May 19, 2021 · In this video I will show you how to Fix: explorer. Are you encountering memory leaks on your PC? Plug those leaks with these methods to fix high memory usage in Windows. (using this advice: How do you disable SearchApp. If I wait long enough it can sometimes increase up to 18GB (I have 8GB of RAM total but it Aug 28, 2024 · As is clearly evident, the memory usage doesn't go down when you close the Explorer windows as it logically should. This is causing their PC to run slower, especially when doing Jun 6, 2020 · For a while now I have the problem that explorer. exe that run, one is the Windows Shell and the other is Explorer (the Shell always runs and opening Explorer will open a second explorer. Windows Explorer High Power Usage Error on Windows 11/10 [Solution] Windows Explorer is a file management utility in Windows operating systems. Run System File Checker. Jul 5, 2025 · Here in this article, we provide 8 methods to fix Windows Explorer High CPU usage in Windows 11. Upon starting the computer, I have monitored abnormally high temperature readings from my CPU along with the aforementioned high (100%) usage of threads on the CPU during idle operation. Installed Add-ons are usually the culprit! Check if you have installed any helpers or add-ons to your explorer. Jan 7, 2010 · Also, I found Explorer doesn't release memory well after large operations. Fortunately, there are a few simple solutions you can use to address high RAM usage on your Windows 11/10 computer. Jan 24, 2022 · Stats: 8GB ram, Windows 10 Pro, version 21H1. You can use the above ways to fix the issue and optimize your computer’s performance. Recent testing by Windows Latest suggests that this approach results in diminishing returns, as the application uses more RAM while offering only marginal performance impr Jan 2, 2019 · windows explorer. The System File Checker will on reboot, replace corrupt system files if any are found. The RAM allocation is not automatically released. When an application releases memory, Windows may keep it cached for future use. exe high memory, disk or CPU usage issue can significantly affect the performance of your Windows 10 PC. Windows 11 Explorer Memory Usage Leak (Big Issue)Upvote in the Feedback Hub: https://aka. The explorer. For example, I used to copy large files (or large number of files) using Explorer, but now I use Robocopy. I think that help Explorer be more responsive and prevent memory leaks. Uninstall or disable them. exe process uses about 20-50% cpu all the time. The high CPU, Memory, Disk usage problem can also occur due to disk errors or corruption. exe resets the memory to normal but it starts to grow as soon as I open it again. The memory usage leaks, when I open and… Dec 1, 2025 · Microsoft's solution for the sluggish Windows 11 File Explorer is more of a workaround than a proper fix. Check those settings if you feel it's using too much. Jan 10, 2025 · Although it is integral to Windows functionality, many users experience high memory or CPU usage caused by this process. Its resources usage will depend on screen resolution, screen scaling, refresh rate, number of windows, dimensions of each window, what's happening in those windows, whether the app is using hardware acceleration etc. The possible troubleshooting procedures Jun 19, 2025 · If your Windows computer take ages to complete processes, it could be as a result of a high CPU usage. exe" is using extremely high CPU resources on select threads continuously. This will tell you how much RAM is being used by different processes. Jul 15, 2022 · A lot of people have reported that while they were looking inside the Task Manager at the processes that are running on their Windows computer, they discovered that the Windows File Explorer is causing high or very high CPU power usage. Monitoring RAM Usage on Windows 11/10 To identify the cause of high RAM usage, you can monitor your system's memory usage using built-in tools like Task Manager and Resource Monitor. Oct 11, 2021 · Windows 11 memory leak problem causes File Explorer to eat much RAM after an update. Here are some solutions to help you fix the same. Jun 13, 2021 · I'm experiencing explorer. Can you help me understand why? Jun 27, 2025 · Understanding Memory Usage in Windows 11 Before diving into solutions, it’s vital to understand how Windows manages system memory and what constitutes "high memory usage. Other times, it seems to destabilize Windows. If you let Windows choose the best settings of visual effects for your Windows PC, it may lead to high memory usage. After a few minutes, the Windows Explorer process starts increasing its memory usage and also CPU is around 10%; i'm up to 2gb usage Jun 25, 2023 · This post explains the reasons why Windows Explorer starts consuming high CPU Usage, and the seven fixes that might resolve this issue. Run sfc /scannow and at the end, reboot if the system file checker asks for it. exe, not to be confused with Internet Explorer), suddenly I'll hear my hard disk start to thrash and my system becomes unresponsive. exe. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Most of the time it's when it's expecting a file/folder and when it can't find it or can't access something it throws a big fit. It keeps runnimore Sep 16, 2025 · If your Windows 11 has a constant high RAM usage, this article will show you why it happens and how to deal with it in 6 easy ways. exe high CPU usage issue can occur if your Windows 10 PC is infected by malware, which can cause certain processes to be running in the background without your knowledge, and that can cause high CPU usage on your PC. Jan 4, 2014 · Task manager encountered a virtual memory flood reaching from 1,55 gb (normal start up virtual memory usage) to 6 gb (maximum virtual memory). But how fast is the ‘faster’ File Apr 18, 2022 · Recently on my windows 10 pc the windows explorer app has been taking up to 16% on my CPU. Windows Explorer Very High CPU Usage Fixed - 80% CPU USAGE Ditech Gaming 81. How To Fix Windows 11 File Explorer Memory Leak The first thing to do is establish whether you are indeed suffering from a memory leak. ms/AAdbw8hPartnerships/Business: itstechbased@outlook. Jan 19, 2022 · Let's get into it. dll!OptaneRegisterListener+0x5a88'. After an hour it dropped down (periodically) until it reached about 1,55 gb of memory usage without doing anything on my pc and remained constant. Oct 25, 2023 · Whenever I'm connected to the internet through WiFi, Windows explorer eats up 2. exe process. Run the application “ Autoruns ” by Sysinternals and look in the Explorer tab to see which 3th party plugins are loaded. exe lol Reply reply gyrohan269 • Nov 28, 2025 · Microsoft is testing a “fix” to Windows 11’s File Explorer, which is supposed to improve its launch performance by preloading it in the background. May 28, 2024 · Run the System Maintenance troubleshooter and clear temporary files on your PC to see if that helps. When opening additional applications, it's likely why you see the memory usage quickly escalate to 80-85%. When I close the File Explorer, memory remains stable but it does not go back to normal levels. 3 days ago · Microsoft has pushed Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220. 7K subscribers Subscribed Jul 26, 2024 · How to Fix Explorer.