What is pagefile.sys?
Short answer: pagefile.sys is Windows virtual memory: it holds memory pages when RAM is busy. Do not delete or turn it off; some apps crash without it. You can let Windows manage its size, or move it to another drive.
By hand, with Windows' own tools
- Open System Properties (press Win+R, type
sysdm.cpl), then Advanced, Performance Settings, Advanced, Virtual memory, Change. - To move it, choose another drive there and set "System managed size", then set the C: drive to a small size or none.
- Restart for the change to take effect.
With Sparewise
- Shows how big the page file is and that it is part of Windows.
- Never removes it.
Questions
Is it safe to disable pagefile.sys?
Not recommended. Programs that need more memory than you have can crash, and Windows cannot save crash information.
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Get it from the Microsoft Store or download the installer
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