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Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc, choose Processes, and compare the Memory column to see the RAM use reported for each listed app or process. For the overall memory picture, open Performance > Memory.
Find memory use for individual apps and processes
- Open Task Manager: Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc. You can also right-click Start and select Task Manager, as described in Microsoft’s guide to system configuration tools in Windows.
- Choose Processes: Find the Memory column to review the memory use shown for each listed app and process. Select the Memory column heading to sort the entries and bring higher reported use into view. Microsoft recommends reviewing Processes when checking resource use in its Windows performance guidance.
This view helps you locate visible consumers; it does not, by itself, explain why an app is using that amount of memory or whether the use is a problem.
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Check memory use across the whole PC
In Task Manager, select Performance, then Memory. This shows the broader system-level memory picture, rather than the reported use of one process. Microsoft describes Task Manager as providing insights into device performance and resource consumption in its overview of Windows system configuration tools.
| Task Manager view | Scope | Useful for | What to do next |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processes > Memory | Individual listed apps and processes | Comparing the memory use Task Manager reports for entries | Inspect a familiar app; close it normally if you are not using it. |
| Performance > Memory | Memory use across the system | Understanding overall memory status, rather than identifying one entry | Use the system-level view when you want to investigate broader memory pressure. |
What to do when an app appears to use a lot of memory
Treat a high reading as a clue to investigate, not proof that the app is faulty. If you recognize the app and are not using it, close it normally. Microsoft recommends closing apps that are not in use as a performance troubleshooting step in its PC performance tips.
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- 1.1 GHz (boost up to 2.4GHz) Intel Celeron N5030 Quad-Core
Do not end an unfamiliar Windows process just because its Memory value is high. The guidance cited here supports closing unused apps, not stopping arbitrary processes as a general fix.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.App diagnostics is a separate Windows privacy setting
Settings > Privacy & security > App diagnostics controls whether apps can access diagnostic information about other running apps. That information can include app names and process-level memory use; this is a privacy control, not the Task Manager view for checking your own running processes. A work-managed device may restrict the setting. See Microsoft’s explanation of Windows app diagnostics and privacy.
Quick Recap
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Rank #2
- 256 GB SSD of storage.
- Multitasking is easy with 16GB of RAM
- Equipped with a blazing fast Core i5 2.00 GHz processor.
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