Share this article

Improve this guide

Fix a Memory Leak on Windows 10 with These 7 Methods

You should start with a simple device reboot

5 min. read

Updated onOctober 4, 2023

updated onOctober 4, 2023

Share this article

Improve this guide

Read our disclosure page to find out how can you help Windows Report sustain the editorial teamRead more

Key notes

The biggest foe of every PC’s memory is a memory leak. There are many reasons for leaking memory, but the most common one is a programming oversight.

We’ve prepared a high variety of solutions that will help you to prevent memory leaks from occurring again. There could be various factors involved, and we’re going to address most of them.

What causes memory leaks in Windows 10?

Memory leaks simply mean more memory is being used up than is necessary. Unlike many computer programs that have many triggers, these leaks are primarily caused by one of the following:

We will address how these can be resolved below. You should know that programs store data in RAM temporarily, only while running. So, when you restart your PC, RAM is emptied. Each program stores its information about running in RAM.

As programs are different, the more-demanding ones and the programs that actually do more complex action store more data in RAM, requiring more memory, while the simpler programs use less memory.

How can I fix a memory leak in Windows 10?

Before you go into any of these solutions:

1. End specific processes

2. Use theWindows 10 built-in tools

Windows 10has built-in diagnostic tools that are often enough for providing accurate analysis that will help you determine the cause of your problem.

This type of tool scans your PC for potential memory issues, including memory leaks, and gives you precise diagnostics about all detected problems.

3. Check for driver updates

Keep in mind that updating your drivers is an advanced procedure. If you’re not careful, you can cause permanent damage to your system by downloading the wrong driver versions.

However, we recommend you download this driver updater tool (100% safe and tested by us) to do it automatically. Thus, you will prevent memory leaks and even permanent damage to your PC.

Outbyte Driver Updater

4. Remove malware

We recommend you use third-party antivirus software. Dedicated tools can typically detect a lot more threats and remove them before they get a chance to impact your system in any way.

Thankfully, manyWindows 10 compatible antivirus softwarecan fully protect your system without using too many system resources or placing unnecessary restrictions.

Most antivirus software has a quick scan feature, so after you install your tool, just run the quick scan and let the software remove any threat it detects.

5. Disable programs running at Startup

6. Defrag hard drives

It is recommended to defrag yourhard drivenow and then. Besidesoptimizing your hard disk, it could also benefit your PC, including better memory management.

7. Disable Superfetch

Superfetch is another Windows service whose goal is to optimize theperformance of the system. This process allows Windows to manage the amount of RAM, decrease boot time, and make application loading more efficient.

Disabling Superfetch is not recommended, but you can experiment with it to determine if it makes your PC slower.

That’s about it for our article about memory leaks in Windows 10. We hope that this info was helpful to you and that we managed to solve the problem.

In case you have some comments, questions, or suggestions, feel free to let us know in the comments section below.

Fix a Memory Leak on Windows 10 with These 7 Methods#

What causes memory leaks in Windows 10?#

How can I fix a memory leak in Windows 10?#

1. End specific processes#

2. Use theWindows 10 built-in tools#

3. Check for driver updates#

Outbyte Driver Updater#

4. Remove malware#

5. Disable programs running at Startup#

6. Defrag hard drives#

7. Disable Superfetch#