Windows Explorer memory usage normal?

Good morning,
I have noticed in the recent days (it may be nothing) but Windows Explorer is using a fair bit of RAM. I noticed the usage will continue to grow when opened. I guess this is normal behaviour, the issues I am seeing is the usage does not seem to go back down. I have had it sitting at over 700MB usage. I can get this to go down manually by resetting the task but surely I shouldn't need to do this? Again this may or may not be a lot, this is why I am here to ask this question. Is this normal behaviour?

Windows 11, chipset etc are all up to date.
CPU - 7800X3D
GPU - 4090
RAM - 64GB @ 6000mhz
Windows is installed on a 1TB M.2 SSD

Thanks for taking the time to read through.
Dan.

How is the memory usage at Safe Mode?

FreeBooter said:

How is the memory usage at Safe Mode?

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Thank you for your comment, I haven't checked. I will make sure to check when I get home. If the usage does go down in safe mode is it safe to assume I may have an issue?

If the memory usage drops down then perform clean boot.

Should the memory usage go back down instantly? Or does it take time to do so? I could potentially be worrying over nothing. The overall PC performance is perfect. Just something I noticed and thought was odd.

The 700MB is too much memory usage if you are not doing anything, my File Explorer memory usage about 60 MB.

I had the same kind of issue where I was watching my Windows Explorer going from 100mb to 800mb+ if you open and close the File Explorer, I'd close all windows but it never seemed to release the RAM from Windows Explorer.

I've only started using Windows 11 in the past 3 days and it was something that was annoying me, I ended up removing the "widgets" ( Win + W ) with a regedit and it seems to have solved the issue for me at least. Might be worth a try.

Silvkai said:

I have noticed in the recent days (it may be nothing) but Windows Explorer is using a fair bit of RAM. I noticed the usage will continue to grow when opened. I guess this is normal behaviour, the issues I am seeing is the usage does not seem to go back down. I have had it sitting at over 700MB usage.

Click to expand...

Have you noticed any problems?

Winuser said:

Have you noticed any problems?

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Since removing the widgets?

None at all

Windows Explorer RAM usage seems better, it doesn't seem to stack RAM usage and hold it there like it used to. Running on an average of about 200mb - 300mbs depending on usage. RAM usage drops after 30 seconds to 1 minute after closing File Explorer instead of sitting at 700mb.

Not sure if this is actually a fix and it may have been something completely different on my system but I wasn't planning on using the widgets anyway and I'm comfortable with it being removed through regedit.

FWIW, the memory leak in Windows Explorer still exists, it's alive and well! I checked it yesterday and it was over 800MB, and that's not changing. Every time I open a new explorer window, either a new one, or one that's just been opened, the usage goes up. It goes back to around 65MB if you restart Explorer. This is on a fully updated Windows 11 Pro system 24H2. I have a second system that was just installed, and the same problem exists with a fresh installation.

Here it is right after restarting Explorer.



Opened one Explorer window.



Opened a second Explorer Window



Opened a 3rd Explorer Windows



All previously opened Explorer Windows closed



As is clearly evident, the memory usage doesn't go down when you close the Explorer windows as it logically should. I've had this be over a gigabyte after several days without restarting Explorer. For me it hasn't been a big deal yet as this machine has 64GB, so I can open a lot of Explorer windows before it gets to be a problem. However, this is a long standing issue that was around for Windows 10 and maybe before, I think it's about time that Microsoft finally gets off their butts and addresses this one!

I'm interested to see if others are seeing the same thing, and also if someone has an installation that doesn't exhibit this issue. I first saw this issue with Windows 10, but other events overtook the urgency and I forgot about it. :)

gunrunnerjohn said:

As is clearly evident, the memory usage doesn't go down when you close the Explorer windows as it logically should.

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I have been reporting memory issues to MS since Vista, but the only answer I always got was: It supposed to work like that. No, it is not, that is the reason 11 defragmented SSD, because MS was like: No, no it is not defragmenting SSD, it is trimming. MS fails and fails again at basic tasks. Memory leaks are a known issue since forever, yet quick fix memory cleaners are supposedly no longer needed.

gunrunnerjohn said:

I'm interested to see if others are seeing the same thing,

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Yes, every time I open Explorer, it grabs +10MB and it keeps piling up and stays up, even when all windows are closed.



After clearing Working Sets, it goes back to normal.

What exactly are "working sets"?

I figured is was something like that. Of course, the basic issue remains, Explorer is broken!

Maybe it's time for a total replacement of Windows Explorer...