Adjust Page File Windows 10 (2024)

A page file can significantly impact the way your Windows operating system performs. If you adjust it correctly, you can get the best performance that your hard drive and other components can deliver.

Note: If you have a modern SSD, and there is enough space left free on it, you shouldn’t need to adjust the size of the page file, and letting Windows handle everything should work well.

How To Adjust Page File Windows 10

1. Open Advanced System Settings

Right-click on the ‘This PC’ icon on the desktop and left-click on ‘Properties’. Then left-click on ‘Advanced system settings’.

Alternatively, if you don’t have a ‘This PC’ icon on your desktop, hold down the Windows key on your keyboard and tap the ‘R’ key.

Then type ‘sysdm.cpl’ (without the quotes) into the Run box and click on the ‘OK’ button.

Then type in ‘sysdm.cpl’ (without the quotes) and click on the ‘OK’ button.

2. Open Performance Settings

Left-click on the ‘Advanced’ tab then click on the ‘Settings’ button in the ‘Performance’ box. Next, click on the ‘Advanced’ tab and on the ‘Change’ button in the ‘Virtual memory’ box.

3. Change the virtual memory settings

You must uncheck the ‘Automatically manage paging file size for all drives’ checkbox. This will allow access to adjust the settings.

Select the drive you’d like to change for the paging file.

You can then select a ‘Custom size’ to enter your amount, let the system manage it, or turn the paging file off completely.

If you set a custom amount, multiply your total RAM amount by 1.5 (under Initial size). Set the maximum size to 3 times your total RAM amount.

You can see how much RAM you have from your ‘System Properties’ window. (Right-click ‘This PC’ icon and left-click ‘Properties’.)

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