FIX · MEMORY
What page file size should you use in Windows 11?
Search for a page file size and you will find a table for 8, 16 and 32 GB of RAM. Microsoft does not publish one. Its guidance is that page file sizing is unique to each system and cannot be generalized, because it depends on the crash dump setting and on how much memory your own workload commits at its peak. For most PCs the answer is to leave it system managed. If you want a fixed size, measure your peak first.
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TECHNICAL SUMMARY
| Usual choice | System managed |
|---|---|
| Commit limit | RAM plus all page files |
| What to measure | Peak committed memory under your heaviest workload |
| Setting | System Properties, Advanced, Virtual memory |
| PC Tweaker plan | No page file size control; Windows settings are free |
What the page file does
pagefile.sys is a hidden file that lets Windows move infrequently used modified memory out of RAM, leaving more room for what you are actively using. It does a second job that matters more when you size it: it raises the commit limit, the total amount of memory Windows can promise to programs. That limit is your RAM plus all page files. Without a page file it is slightly less than your RAM.
Why there is no size for 16 GB or 32 GB of RAM
Microsoft's article on sizing gives no multiple of RAM. Two PCs with identical hardware can need different sizes, because the size depends on two things that belong to the machine. The first is the peak commit charge of what you run on it. The second is the crash dump setting, since a page file or a dedicated dump file must be large enough to hold the dump Windows is set to write.
Why system managed is usually right
A system-managed page file grows when it needs to. Microsoft says it can grow up to three times physical memory or 4 GB, whichever is larger, but no more than one-eighth of the volume, once the commit charge reaches 90% of the commit limit and there is free disk space. It also follows the Automatic memory dump setting, enabled by default, which starts small and can raise the size to your RAM or 32 GB, whichever is smaller, if the PC crashes again within four weeks.
Why pagefile.sys looks so big
Windows can reserve far more than it is using. On our Windows 11 test PC with 31.1 GB of usable RAM and a system-managed page file, the file was 29.0 GB while 6.8 GB was in use, and the highest use Windows reported was 11.8 GB. That reserved space keeps the commit limit high.
What happens if you remove it
With a lot of RAM, Microsoft says a page file might not be needed to cover the commit charge at peak. The risks are still real, so measure before you commit to it.
- If the commit charge reaches the commit limit, Microsoft warns of freezing, crashing and other malfunctions
- Without a page file or a dedicated dump file, Windows cannot write the crash dump you would use to diagnose a blue screen
- Some programs require a page file, so check the documentation of what you run
- Do not delete pagefile.sys in File Explorer: change it from the Virtual Memory dialog
Do it by hand
Check the current size and use (read-only)
All three figures are in megabytes.
cmdpowershell -NoProfile -Command "Get-CimInstance Win32_PageFileUsage | Select-Object Name, AllocatedBaseSize, CurrentUsage, PeakUsage"Measure your peak
Open Task Manager, Performance, Memory, and run the heaviest thing you actually do. Committed shows the commit charge against the commit limit. Note the highest first number you see.
Leave it alone if the peak is well under the limit
That means the page file size is not your problem.
Change it only if you need to
Select Advanced, then Change under Virtual memory. Clear Automatically manage paging file size for all drives only if you want a custom size, and make sure RAM plus the page file stays above your measured peak. Windows tells you when a change needs a restart.
cmdSystemPropertiesPerformance.exeGo back to the default
In the same dialog, tick Automatically manage paging file size for all drives and select OK.
With PC Tweaker
PC Tweaker does not change the size of your page file. Its Keep the kernel and drivers in RAM control, Pro and needing administrator rights, is a different setting: it writes DisablePagingExecutive under Memory Management so that kernel and driver code stays resident, and Restore puts the previous value back.
Rather not edit the registry by hand?
PC Tweaker shows the exact change before it runs, records the value it replaces and puts it back with Restore. The Free plan needs no account. If a payment fails or a plan ends, Pro tools lock; changes already applied stay as they are and Restore still undoes them.
Common questions
What page file size should I use for 16 GB or 32 GB of RAM?
Microsoft does not give a size by amount of RAM, because sizing depends on your crash dump setting and your own peak commit charge. Leave it system managed unless you have measured a reason to change it.
Can I delete pagefile.sys?
You can turn it off from the Virtual Memory dialog, but the commit limit drops to slightly less than your RAM, and without a page file or a dedicated dump file Windows cannot write a crash dump. Don't delete the file in File Explorer.
Why is pagefile.sys so large?
Windows can reserve far more than it is using, which keeps the commit limit high. On our test PC with 31.1 GB of RAM the system-managed file was 29.0 GB, with 6.8 GB in use.
How do I check how much of the page file I use?
Run Get-CimInstance Win32_PageFileUsage in PowerShell to see the allocated size, current use and peak use in megabytes. Task Manager's Memory page shows the commit charge against the commit limit.
Is virtual memory the same as the page file?
Not exactly. In Windows, the Virtual memory dialog is where you set the page file. The total memory Windows can promise to programs is the commit limit, which is your RAM plus all page files.
Try PC Tweaker
Free download for Windows 10 and Windows 11.