{"id":200,"date":"2024-10-07T21:13:28","date_gmt":"2024-10-07T21:13:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/auslogics.my\/en\/articles\/?p=200"},"modified":"2025-05-13T19:41:19","modified_gmt":"2025-05-13T19:41:19","slug":"virtual-memory-too-low","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.auslogics.com\/en\/articles\/virtual-memory-too-low\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Windows Virtual Memory, and Do You Need to Increase It?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The story of virtual memory began when RAM in the early computers was very small and counted literally in kilobytes. Besides that, the cost was high, the access time was slow, and the physical size was so large and bulky. This massive physical size made it difficult to add more memory to a computer.<\/p>\n

That was when Tom Kilburn and his team came up with the idea of virtual memory.\u00a0 I\u2019ll show you what virtual memory really is, what it does, and how it works. Then, chip in ways to improve its capacity to hold more data.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s begin.<\/p>\n

What Is Windows Virtual Memory?<\/h2>\n

Virtual memory allows your computer to use more memory than what\u2019s currently available in your PC\u2019s RAM <\/a>. Here\u2019s how it works.\u00a0 When your physical memory gets full, virtual RAM transfers data from your RAM to your hard disk. It does this repeatedly with the hardware and software working together to make the exchange possible.<\/p>\n

For example, 8GB RAM isn\u2019t enough to run multiple programs at once, especially if you play high demanding games <\/a> and run other apps. It just won\u2019t work.\u00a0 That\u2019s where virtual memory comes in. It moves non-active data to your hard drive or solid-state drive to get more space in RAM.<\/p>\n

It essentially acts like a backup for when your RAM gets full.<\/p>\n

What Is the Purpose of Virtual RAM?<\/h2>\n

The main goal of virtual memory on Windows 10 or 11 is to prevent your computer from slowing down or even crashing when you\u2019re out of memory.<\/p>\n

Without it, your system could grind to a halt once your RAM is full. That\u2019s where you get an error message like insufficient memory.<\/p>\n

However, because of virtual RAM, most users will likely not experience the error message in the entire computer lifespan, especially in today\u2019s modern PCs.<\/p>\n

How Does Virtual Memory on Windows 11\/10 Work?<\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s break down how virtual RAM works further:<\/p>\n

\r\n
\r\n
\r\n \"IMG\"\r\n <\/div>\r\n
How RAM manages your data<\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n
<\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/strong><\/p>\n

When you\u2019re using a program, the physical memory stores its data, managed by the memory management unit (MMU). Its goal is to make sure that the data is correctly mapped to RAM so that your system can easily access it.<\/p>\n

\r\n
\r\n
\r\n \"IMG\"\r\n <\/div>\r\n
So, what happens when RAM is full?<\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n
<\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/strong><\/p>\n

Your computer will move the data that is less active out of RAM and store it in virtual memory.<\/p>\n

At that moment, the operating system will keep track of all the data that gets sent to virtual RAM. That way, it can send it back to RAM when the program needs it again.<\/p>\n

The MMU then helps your computer to pick up where it left off with the currently running program without you noticing any disruption.<\/p>\n

\r\n
\r\n
\r\n \"IMG\"\r\n <\/div>\r\n
The OS turns data into pages<\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n
<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now, there has to be some sort of organization to make the whole process work seamlessly. This is where pages come in.<\/p>\n

Your OS splits the data into chunks called pages. It then saves these pages on your hard drive. And when the program needs it, the system copies it back to RAM and converts virtual memory address to a real one.<\/p>\n

\r\n\t
<\/p>\n

Virtual RAM is much slower than RAM because it uses your hard drive or SSD. These drives are not designed for the same high-speed data access as RAM, and that\u2019s why it slows your PC down.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why computers with more RAM usually perform better because they don\u2019t have to rely on virtual memory. And even if they do, it\u2019s usually minute. <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n

That said, how your operating system manages the exchanges between your storage and RAM depends on the type of virtual memory. I\u2019ll briefly go over the types of virtual RAM in the next section.<\/p>\n

Types of Virtual Memory<\/h2>\n

There are essentially two main types of virtual RAM. Let\u2019s quickly go over them and see what each of them does:<\/p>\n

1. Page file (Paging)<\/h3>\n

Paging is a widely used form of virtual memory on Windows 10 and 11, and it\u2019s used in modern operating systems. In terms of how it works, it uses the same process I talked about previously:<\/p>\n