A page file can significantly impact the way your Windows operating system performs. If you adjust the page file in Windows 10 correctly, you can ensure you get the best performance that your hard drive and other components can deliver.

Table Of Contents

How to adjust the paging file size in Windows 10
Related questions
- What should I set my paging file size to (Optimal pagefile size)?
- How do I reduce page file size?
Conclusion

Other factors can affect your computer’s performance, but the paging file or swap file also contributes to this. It’s something that you cannot ignore.

For most circumstances, the default setting of letting Windows handle it is fine. But when you own some older hardware or have a unique hard drive configuration, you want something more specific.

How to adjust the paging file size in Windows 10

1. Open Advanced System Settings

Right-click on the ‘This PC’ icon on the desktop and left-click on ‘Properties’. Then left-click on ‘Advanced system settings’.

Alternatively, if you don’t have a ‘This PC’ icon on your desktop, hold down the Windows key on your keyboard and tap the ‘R’ key.

Then type ‘sysdm.cpl’ (without the quotes) into the Run box and click on the ‘OK’ button.

Then type in ‘sysdm.cpl’ (without the quotes) and click on the ‘OK’ button.

2. Open Performance Settings

Left-click on the ‘Advanced’ tab then click on the ‘Settings’ button in the ‘Performance’ box. Next, click on the ‘Advanced’ tab and on the ‘Change’ button in the ‘Virtual memory’ box.

3. Change the virtual memory settings

You will have to uncheck the ‘Automatically manage paging file size for all drives’ checkbox. This will allow access to adjusting or changing the paging file size settings.

Select the drive you’d like to make the changes on for the paging file.

You then have the option for selecting a ‘Custom size’ to enter in your own amount, let the system manage the size, or turn the paging file off completely.

If you are choosing to set a custom amount, you need to take your total RAM amount and multiply it by 1.5 (under initial size). Set the maximum size to 3 times your total RAM amount.

You can see how much RAM you have from your ‘System Properties’ window. (Right-click ‘This PC’ icon and left-click ‘Properties’.)

What should I set my paging file size to (Optimal pagefile size)?

One and a half times the total amount of RAM for initial size (MB). And three times the amount of RAM for Maximum size (MB).

How do I reduce page file size?

Follow the steps above to add a custom amount you want if the automatic amounts are too high.

Conclusion

Out of all the various reasons you want to set pagefile size, achieving something that works well might involve some trial and error.

But in my experience, the system default has worked fine in most cases. So consider carefully the reason you might have before you change settings.