Microsoft PowerToys has long been a favorite among Windows 11 power users, offering a suite of utilities that enhance productivity through advanced window management and system-wide color picking. However, the convenience of having these tools readily available comes at a cost: significant memory usage. In response to this concern, developers are introducing a new feature designed to alleviate the idle memory drain associated with PowerToys.
How the new memory-saving feature in PowerToys works
This innovative solution, crafted by an independent contributor, proposes an optional low memory mode that addresses the issue of inactive background processes. When activated, this feature will close the helper process of a specific utility when it is not actively in use. Users can easily relaunch the process by pressing the designated activation hotkey, albeit with a minor trade-off: the initial launch may be slightly slower than usual.
The initial rollout of this memory-saving functionality will support four key tools within PowerToys:
- Text Extractor
- Color Picker
- Advanced Paste
- Peek
To facilitate this new behavior, a shared settings map and helper APIs have been introduced, allowing supported utilities to adopt the idle-close feature without complicating the existing schema. The PowerToys runner will manage the cached settings and apply the policy by restarting only the affected modules, utilizing a specific command (PTSettingsHelper::islowmemorymodeenabled) to determine whether a module should remain active or shut down after use.
Low memory mode in PowerToys is a community development masterpiece
Initially dubbed “Low memory mode,” the feature was renamed to “Close apps when inactive” during the code review process, a change suggested by Microsoft collaborators to enhance clarity for everyday users. The user interface aligns seamlessly with the native Windows 11 aesthetic, featuring a new section in the PowerToys General Settings tab marked by a leaf icon, reminiscent of the “Efficiency mode” icon found in the Windows 11 Task Manager.
Within this settings block, users can opt to enable the memory-saving behavior globally or toggle it for specific applications like Text Extractor or Peek. Each supported module will also feature this toggle on its dedicated settings page, accompanied by a description that reads: “Closes the app when not in use to save memory. It may open slower.”
Why freeing up RAM is critical for Windows 11
The introduction of this optimization comes at a crucial time as PowerToys continues to expand its capabilities. Recent tests have revealed enhancements such as the PowerToys Command Palette with a new Dock and advanced window resizing features. As the suite grows heavier, managing background RAM usage becomes increasingly vital.
This software optimization is particularly relevant in light of Microsoft’s recent hardware decisions. The launch of a ,300 Surface Laptop equipped with just 8GB of RAM raises questions about the feasibility of running demanding applications alongside PowerToys. For power users, the need to conserve every megabyte of RAM is paramount, especially when background utilities can consume over 200 MB of RAM while idling.
It is important to note that this feature is not yet available in PowerToys. The development team has confirmed that the default behavior will continue to keep the background processes running to maintain the instant-launch experience. Users eager to reclaim their system memory will need to navigate to the settings and opt into this new feature. The code has successfully passed initial validation checks and unit tests, and is now awaiting final confirmation from maintainers before it becomes publicly available.
