How to monitor memory usage in Windows using Performance Monitor

Effective memory management in Windows ensures stable performance when running multiple processes. Because RAM is a finite resource, efficient allocation is critical to prevent slowdowns and system instability. Monitoring memory utilization reveals how resources are consumed, helping identify potential bottlenecks and providing data for troubleshooting.

Performance Monitor (PerfMon) offers in-depth metrics on memory consumption beyond the capabilities of basic tools like Task Manager or Resource Monitor. Its advanced logging and reporting features enable precise analysis of memory allocation patterns, paging activity, and overall resource demands. Technical users benefit from a granular view of performance that highlights potential issues before they escalate.

Through real-time graphs and historical data collection, PerfMon allows system administrators and power users to evaluate detailed memory usage trends. By tracking metrics such as available memory, committed bytes, and page faults, it becomes easier to diagnose memory leaks or heavy workloads. In turn, this data supports informed decisions about optimizing resource usage across applications and services.

1. Open the Run dialog by pressing Win + R.

   This step opens the Run dialog, a quick way to access various Windows tools, including PerfMon.

2. Type perfmon and press Enter to launch Performance Monitor.

   Typing perfmon in the Run dialog directly opens Performance Monitor.

3. In the left pane, expand Monitoring Tools and select Performance Monitor.
4. Click the green + icon to add counters.
5. From the list of counters, expand Memory.
6. Select specific memory metrics such as Available MBytes, Committed Bytes, or Pages/sec.
7. Click Add to add the selected counters.
8. Click OK to start monitoring real-time memory usage.

   Real-time memory usage will now be visible in the Performance Monitor window, displaying graphs and data for the selected counters.

9. To save data for analysis, expand Data Collector Sets.
10. Right-click User Defined and select New > Data Collector Set.
11. Follow the prompts to configure and start logging memory data.

    You can specify the location where the performance logs will be saved and configure the intervals at which data is recorded.

12. Review the logged data by navigating to Reports under Performance Monitor.

    The logged data can be viewed later under Reports, where you can analyze trends and detailed memory performance.