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Is there a way for Windows to gain more relevance in the competitive browser market?

Microsoft seems to have woken up to a reality that many of us already felt at our fingertips when opening the task manager: Windows has become a resource hog. If 2025 was the year that Artificial Intelligence (AI) was pushed into every corner of the operating system, 2026 is proving to be the year of the "general cleanup." Satya Nadella, the man at the helm of the Redmond giant, finally admitted that it is necessary to regain the trust of the average user, putting performance and stability ahead of the futuristic promises of Copilot.

It's no secret that the last year has been turbulent for those using Windows 11. Between updates that caused system errors and the forced integration of AI tools that not everyone asked for, the user experience has degraded. The "running before you can walk" strategy with Copilot has left the system heavy and, at times, confusing.

Now, the order coming from the top is clear: prioritize quality. Nadella acknowledged, during the presentation of the company's financial results, that the fundamental work to "win back the fans" has already begun. This implies a paradigm shift, where the focus is no longer just on what AI can do for you, but on how fast and fluid your computer can perform basic day-to-day tasks.

One of the most interesting promises of this new guideline is the direct focus on RAM consumption. You know that moment when your laptop starts to overheat and the fan sounds like a jet engine just because you have your browser and a document open? Microsoft wants to put an end to that, especially on devices with fewer resources.

-Core optimization: Reducing the memory footprint of services running in the background.

- Efficiency on modest devices: Improve performance on machines with 8GB of RAM or less, which suffered considerably with the latest versions of Windows 11.

- Strategic retreat: Pause the release of experimental AI features to ensure that core functions do not break.

- Ecosystem improvement: In addition to Windows, Bing, Edge, and Xbox are under the same microscope for performance optimization.

The K2 project and the restructuring of fundamentals... Beyond the words of a CEO to investors, there is technical evidence that this change is happening. Internal reports point to an effort dubbed "K2," which serves as a kind of foundation to rectify the structural problems of Windows 11. This plan focuses on the "fundamentals"—a technical term for boot speed, interface latency, and update reliability.

By admitting that the system needs work, Microsoft is validating the complaints of millions of people who felt that Windows had become less user-focused and more of a vehicle for advertising and subscription services. The idea now is to simplify, cleaning up code that doesn't add value and ensuring that the processor isn't being occupied with useless processes.

Real impact on your daily work...What can you expect from this change of direction in the coming months? If Nadella's promise materializes, your screen will no longer be a battleground against sudden slowdowns. Optimizing RAM consumption means that heavy applications will have more room to maneuver and that multitasking will become linear again.

The message from this recent conference is that Microsoft realized that having the world's smartest assistant is useless if the user feels like turning off the computer out of frustration with the system's slowness. Returning to basics may not be as flashy as a new generative language model, but it's exactly what the vast majority of us need to maintain smooth productivity. Let's hope this intention to better serve core users doesn't just remain on paper and translates into efficient code.

Windows is known for being a memory hog, but it has several native tools and simple tweaks that help free up space for what really matters.

Here are the most effective ways to reduce RAM consumption:

1. Disable startup applications...Many programs (like Spotify, Steam, or Teams) start running as soon as you turn on your PC, even if you're not going to use them.

How to do it: Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, go to the Startup tab and disable everything that is not essential.

2. Control browser consumption...Chrome and Edge are the biggest RAM culprits.

Use efficiency mode: In Edge, enable "Inactive Tabs," which suspend tabs you are not using. In Chrome, enable "Memory Saver" in Performance settings.

Extensions: Each installed extension consumes some RAM. Remove the ones you don't use.

3. Adjust visual effects...Windows uses RAM to process animations, shadows, and transparencies.

How to: Search for "Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows" in the Start Menu. Select "Adjust for best performance" or manually uncheck items such as "Animate windows when minimizing and maximizing".

4. Close background processes...Some native Windows apps continue running unnecessarily.

How to: Go to Settings > Apps > Installed Apps. Click the three dots next to an app (such as Weather or Calculator), go to Advanced Options, and under "Background app permissions", select Never.

5. Clear the paging file (Virtual Memory)...Windows uses a portion of the hard drive/SSD as if it were RAM when real memory runs out. If this file is misconfigured, the system may become slow.

Generally, letting Windows manage it automatically is ideal, but restarting the PC clears this cache and often resolves memory hiccups. 

6. Check for malware...Some viruses mine cryptocurrencies or perform hidden processes that drain RAM. Run a full scan with Windows Defender.

Extra tip: If your computer has 4GB or 8GB of RAM, these tips help, but the system will always be at its limit by current standards. If RAM usage is high even with everything closed, it might be time to consider a physical upgrade.

See how to reduce RAM usage in Windows 11 in the video below:

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