Optimize Pagefile.sys safely (resize, move, but better NOT delete)

The Pagefile.sys is something like the hidden heroine of Windows 11 / 10 / 7.

This system file, which is often tens of gigabytes in size, is also called a swap file and acts as a virtual working memory: it steps in when the physical working memory (RAM) of your PC reaches its limits.

If you don't have a page file or it is too small, Windows can become unstable and crash more frequently. Especially if you use many programs at the same time or have memory-intensive applications running.

Windows usually manages the Pagefile.sys reliably automatically and adjusts its size dynamically based on the needs of your system.

Delete, reduce, enlarge, adjust:

Where can I find the Pagefile.sys under Windows 11/10/8/7/XP anyway?

Windows stores them in the root directory of your system partition on which the Windows operating system has been installed. Normally this is drive "C:".

But you won't necessarily see it there immediately. This is because this file is hidden by default to prevent accidental changes.

How to display the file in Explorer:

PS: You will find two other very large, hidden system files there - read our instructions on swapfile.sys and hiberfil.sys and find out what function they have and how you can optimize them.

Many users wonder whether they should delete or deactivate Pagefile.sys to save memory or improve performance.

We explain why deleting the page file is not a good idea.

And what alternative solutions there are for common problems.

Well, first of all: You cannot simply delete Pagefile.sys.

At least not in Explorer.

It is an important and therefore specially protected system file.

If you try to delete or remove the page file directly in Explorer, Windows prevents this to ensure system stability.

You can only delete or deactivate Pagefile.sys in a roundabout way (see instructions below) - but there are risks involved.

Disabling can lead to system instability and crashes, not only if your system is under high memory usage.

Because according to Microsoft, the Windows system and many applications continuously use your virtual memory, which means this file.

Do you want to disable your Pagefile.sys despite risks?

For example, temporarily in order to subsequently specify a different, larger or faster drive for the location of the virtual memory?

Then you can do it like this:

Remember that this is risky and not recommended.

The automatic deletion of Pagefile.sys at every shutdown can increase security on systems on which sensitive data is processed.

Sensitive data that was temporarily stored in virtual memory could remain in the file for a long time.

The automatic deletion at each shutdown ensures that this data is no longer accessible at the next startup.

Please note the following effects:

Setting the size of the Pagefile.sys correctly can be crucial to maximize the performance and stability of your PC.

Windows normally sets the size of your file automatically. But there are cases where a user-defined size can be useful.

Problems with the size of the Pagefile.sys file often occur when the available hard disk space is small. And at the same time the file is huge.

Not infrequently it grows to many gigabytes, sometimes even 40 GB or more.

Or vice versa: It is too small - which leads to performance problems or even Windows blue screens and crashes.

And Windows no longer runs smoothly because the physical RAM is overused by computing-intensive applications - now an enlarged Pagefile.sys file provides a remedy.

In these scenarios, a manually defined, user-defined size can help.

But be careful: reducing the size is usually not a good idea. It is better to move Pagefile.sys to a larger drive instead of shrinking it to avoid performance problems.

How to reduce and enlarge Pagefile.sys without unnecessarily burdening your hard disk:

Remember that the correct size of the Pagefile.sys depends on many factors, such as your RAM, your hard disk size and your type of use.

We recommend not having the system manage the size of the Pagefile.sys only in exceptional cases (see above).

If you set a custom size, the following recommendations will help.

For everyday Windows use with Office, videos and surfing, it is often sufficient if the Pagefile.sys is around 1.5 to 3 times the size of your RAM.

When used intensively, such as for video editing or gaming, it can be useful to make the Pagefile.sys larger in order to absorb peaks in memory requirements. It is better not to deactivate the pagefile.

For example, if you edit 4K videos with Adobe Premiere, you may struggle with crashes or a jerky Windows even with 64GB RAM.

The way out:

Set the page file size to 40GB or even 100GB as a test and check whether the performance improves.

Scaling up could also help with resource-hungry high-end games. Important: Check in advance whether the drive on which the file is located has enough free disk space.

Setting a Pagefile.sys that is too small carries the risk of system instability. A minimum size due to a lack of hard disk space should only be selected if there is sufficient physical RAM and the system load is low.

Moving the Pagefile.sys can be a clever move to optimize the performance of your PC.

However, please note the following 3 points before changing or moving the file:

With these instructions, you can move the Pagefile.sys - safely and effectively. This will not only improve the performance of your PC, but also make optimum use of your memory resources.

Moving the Pagefile.sys is particularly useful if you notice that your current configuration is not optimal - be it because of slower access times on an HDD or because of a lack of space on one of your Windows system partitions (usually "C") or an SSD that is too small.

Examples:

If you have an SSD, it's a good idea to move the Pagefile.sys to it. SSDs are faster than HDDs, which means that your Windows system can access the data on them faster.

This can make a noticeable difference, especially under load.

Frequent write operations can theoretically affect the service life of an SSD. And this file is often written to. However, modern SSDs are usually robust enough to cope with this without significant impact.

The only important thing is: Always set the same values for the initial size and maximum size of the file. Dynamic enlargement and reduction results in unnecessary load and increased SSD wear.

However:

Do you only have a small SSD with little free space, but a larger HDD? Then it may make sense to move Pagefile.sys to the HDD to save valuable SSD storage space.

And above all, to avoid having to set the size of the page file too small - because this could cause performance problems and, in the worst case, Windows crashes.

Therefore, always make sure that the target drive - whether SSD or HDD - has enough free space to accommodate a sufficiently sized Pagefile.sys.

The Pagefile.sys acts as an extension of your physical RAM:

Imagine you are working on many applications at the same time in Windows 11, 10 or 7 and your RAM is almost full. Windows then uses Pagefile.sys, which provides additional memory.

You can continue working without your PC slowing down or crashing.

Because Windows swaps data from RAM to this file - which is why it is also called a swap file.

Without this system file, your operating system or individual apps would crash or slow down. Especially with many parallel or computing-intensive processes.

The Windows system management automatically controls the page file and dynamically adjusts its size depending on your system load.

Normally, you don't have to worry about it taking up too much memory or not being used efficiently enough.

But in some cases it can help if you manually change, optimize and adapt the Pagefile.sys to your user-defined needs as described in the instructions above.

In this article, we have taken an in-depth look at the Pagefile.sys file in Windows. Our mission was not only to show you what this file does, but also how you can use it to your advantage.

Here are the most important points we have covered: