How to fix “Out of Virtual Memory” error in Windows 11

In this article we are going to explain everything you need to know to deal with the “Out of Virtual Memory” error in Windows 11. When this message appears, it means that the system does not have enough space on the hard disk, specifically the part assigned to virtual memory. This makes it impossible to run applications or processes.

In addition to this, we may encounter other associated problems, such as unexpected closures, blue screens of error and a general underperformance. It is an uncomfortable situation, but one that there are solutions.

Although most users already know What is virtual memory?, here we briefly remind you once again: it is an extension of the RAM memory that uses a certain space on the hard disk (or an SSD). Its function is to contain the non-priority data that the system transfers to it to free up the RAM memory when it is saturated.

This handy system resource can fail due to a wrong configuration or because of lack of sufficient space. This is when the “Insufficient virtual memory” message appears. The problem is more common on devices that have limited physical RAM or whose storage capacity is at its limit.

Causes of the “Out of Virtual Memory” error in Windows 11

Expanding a little further on what was outlined in the previous paragraph, these are the most common reasons why this error occurs:

• Improper paging file configuration, which turns out to be insufficient for the needs of the system.
• Lack of disk space.
• Insufficient physical RAM, especially on computers with 4 GB or less.
• Poorly optimized programs that consume too much memory and do not free up resources properly.

Solutions for “Out of Virtual Memory” Error in Windows 11

Detecting the source of the error is essential to be able to apply the most effective solution. Below we present some of them:

Free disk space

It is the most appropriate solution When the error has to do with lack of space on the hard diskThere are three methods that can serve us very well for our purpose of eliminating the “Insufficient virtual memory” message:

• Disk Cleanup: We use the shortcut Windows + S to open the search box, where we type “Disk Cleanup”, selecting said tool.
  Then we select the C: drive and choose the files we want to delete. To finish, we simply click OK.
• File Browser. This is the most suitable tool to identify and delete large files.
• Uninstall programs. It is another way to free up disk space by removing applications that we no longer use. To do this, we have to go to the Settings menu, then select “Applications” and finally go to “Applications and features”.

Increase the size of virtual memory

It is the most direct solution to end the "Insufficient virtual memory" error, which consists of Manually adjust the paging file sizeTo achieve this, we must do the following:

1. First we access the setup menu from our computer.
2. Then we will "System".
3. There we select "About" and, on the right side of the screen, we click on «Advanced system settings».
4. Now we go to the tab "Advanced Options", specifically to the section of "Performance", where we click "Setting". 
5. In the new window that opens, we select the tab again "Advanced Options" and click on «Change in the Virtual Memory section».
6. The next step is to uncheck the “Automatically manage paging file size for all drives” option.
7. Next we select the drive where Windows is located (usually C:) and choose "Custom Size".
8. We introduce an initial value and a maximum value (it is recommended to double the installed RAM for the first and triple the installed RAM for the second).
9. To finish, we click on "Establish" and then "To accept". For the changes to take effect, you need to restart your PC.

Increase RAM size

While this option is not available on all devices, it is really effective. It is upgrade physical ram so that it has a greater capacity. This significantly reduces the dependency on virtual memory, decreasing the chances of the “Out of Virtual Memory” error appearing again.

Other solutions

In addition to the direct solutions, to deal with the “Insufficient virtual memory” error we must also consider other methods such as driver update, the optimization of installed applications or even repair system files with the tools offered by the Command Prompt.

As a last resort, we can always try more drastic solutions such as restoring the system to a previous point or reinstalling it from scratch.

However, as in so many other aspects of life, to avoid the error "Insufficient virtual memory", it is best to act before it appears. Prevention. For this, it is important perform regular system maintenance, uninstalling obsolete applications and cleaning the disk from time to time. It is also worth considering the possibility of use some external storage system, such as the cloud.