Memory leaks are one of the most frustrating performance issues—your PC gets slower the longer it runs, programs eat up RAM endlessly, and eventually, everything grinds to a halt. But here’s the catch: you don’t need third-party software to find the source.
Windows has built-in tools that can help you spot, diagnose, and eliminate memory leaks if you know where to look.
What Is a Memory Leak?
A memory leak occurs when a program reserves RAM but fails to release it properly. Over time, the unused memory accumulates, slowing down your system and forcing restarts.
Common symptoms:
-
Gradually increasing RAM usage without closing apps
-
Sluggish performance after long uptime
-
Restarting solves it temporarily
-
“Out of Memory” errors despite available RAM
Step-by-Step Diagnosis
1. Use Resource Monitor
-
Press
Win + R, typeresmon, press Enter -
Go to the Memory tab
-
Sort by Working Set and Commit
-
Identify processes with unusually high or constantly growing values
2. Use Task Manager for Real-Time Monitoring
-
Open Task Manager
-
Add the Commit size column under “Details” tab
-
Check which processes grow over time, especially when idle
3. Use PoolMon for Driver-Level Leaks (Advanced)
-
Open CMD as Admin
-
Type:
poolmon.exe(part of Windows Driver Kit) -
Look for tags with high “Bytes” values
-
Cross-reference tags with drivers using:
Common Culprits
-
Printer spoolers
-
Audio drivers (e.g., Realtek, ASIO interfaces)
-
Chrome or Electron-based apps
-
NVIDIA/AMD overlays
-
Buggy Windows services (e.g., SysMain or Windows Search)
Fixes
-
Update or rollback drivers
-
Disable unused services in
services.msc -
Restart problematic apps daily (e.g., browsers)
-
Set scheduled restarts if using always-on setups
Real Example
A user with 32GB RAM found Chrome ballooning to 12GB overnight. A rogue extension caused the leak. Removing it dropped usage back to 2GB, instantly stabilizing the system.
You don’t need expensive monitoring tools. Windows gives you all you need to expose hidden memory leaks—if you know where to look.