“Virtual RAM” in Windows is the paging file (pagefile.sys): space on your drive that Windows uses as extra memory when your physical RAM fills up. Windows manages it automatically, but increasing it manually can stop “Your system is low on memory” warnings and crashes in memory-hungry apps and games. It won’t make your PC as fast as real RAM, though. This guide shows how to add virtual memory in Windows 10 (the steps are the same in Windows 11), what sizes to use, and when adding real RAM is the better fix.
Quick Answer
Press Windows key + R, type sysdm.cpl, and go to Advanced > Performance Settings > Advanced > Virtual memory > Change. Uncheck Automatically manage paging file size, select your drive, choose Custom size, enter an initial and maximum size in MB, click Set, then OK, and restart.
How to Increase Virtual Memory in Windows 10
- Press Windows key + R, type sysdm.cpl, and press Enter. (Or search Start for Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows.)
- Open the Advanced tab and click Settings under Performance.
- In Performance Options, open the Advanced tab and click Change under Virtual memory.
- Uncheck Automatically manage paging file size for all drives.
- Select the drive (usually C:, or a faster SSD if you have more than one).
- Choose Custom size and enter the Initial size and Maximum size in MB.
- Click Set, then OK in each window.
- Restart your PC when prompted.
What Size Should You Use?
A common rule of thumb is an initial size of about 1.5 times your RAM and a maximum of about 3 times your RAM. For example, with 8 GB (8,192 MB) of RAM:
- Initial size: 12,288 MB
- Maximum size: 24,576 MB
Check your RAM in Settings > System > About (Installed RAM). Make sure the drive has enough free space for the maximum size. On PCs with 16 GB or more, the default System managed size is usually fine unless a specific app recommends more.
Tips
- Use an SSD: a paging file on an SSD is much faster than on a hard drive.
- Don’t disable the paging file, even with lots of RAM. Some apps and crash dumps need it.
- Go back to automatic by checking Automatically manage paging file size for all drives if you have problems.
Virtual Memory vs. Real RAM
Virtual memory prevents out-of-memory crashes, but your drive is far slower than RAM, so heavy paging makes the PC feel sluggish. If you often run out of memory, the best fixes are:
- Close unused apps and browser tabs, and remove startup programs in Task Manager > Startup.
- Check memory use in Task Manager > Performance > Memory.
- Add physical RAM if your PC supports it; see how to get more memory on Windows 10.
Before changing virtual memory, see how to free up RAM in Windows 11.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will more virtual memory speed up my PC?
Only if you were running out of memory. It prevents slowdowns and crashes from low memory but doesn’t make a PC faster than its RAM allows.
Where is the paging file stored?
It’s a hidden system file named pagefile.sys at the root of the drive (for example C:\pagefile.sys). Don’t delete it manually.
Do I have to restart?
Yes, for size decreases and most changes. Increases may apply immediately, but restarting is recommended.
Summary
- Open sysdm.cpl > Advanced > Performance Settings > Advanced.
- Click Change under Virtual memory.
- Uncheck automatic, choose Custom size and enter values.
- Click Set, OK, and restart.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.