Microsoft has quietly removed the official support documents that recommended 32 GB of RAM for Windows 11. The deleted guides, first spotted by Windows Latest, described that amount of memory as the ideal option for demanding games and heavy multitasking. The original web addresses now redirect users to the main page of Microsoft’s official website.
The change comes as DRAM memory prices continue to rise. According to data from IDC, global PC shipments fell 4.9% year-over-year during the second quarter as higher memory costs affected the market.
To adapt to current market conditions, Microsoft has started selling Surface Pro 12 and Surface Laptop 13 models with 8 GB of RAM as their base configuration. A business version of the Surface Laptop is also available with the same amount of memory.
Microsoft No Longer Recommends 32 GB of RAM for Windows 11
The Copilot+ PC certification still requires at least 16 GB of RAM, meaning the 8 GB models do not qualify for the label. Microsoft now describes 8 GB of memory on its product pages as a suitable option for everyday tasks, web browsing, and productivity applications.
On July 31, Microsoft announced an official plan to reduce Windows 11’s memory usage. The goal is to lower the operating system’s memory footprint on PCs with 8 GB of RAM or more, with the planned improvements expected to arrive by the end of 2026.
Much of Windows 11’s current interface relies on web technologies such as WebView2 and React components, while several built-in applications also run on Electron. This design increases RAM usage during normal day-to-day use.
To reduce that impact, Microsoft is moving more system tools to the native WinUI 3 framework. The Print Management tool and Properties windows have already been updated as part of this effort. At the same time, the company is advising developers to avoid web-based wrappers in order to reduce memory usage.
