The “There is not enough free memory to run this program” error can appear when opening apps, running installers, launching games, or executing older programs in Windows 11 (and Windows 10). It may show up even when your PC appears to have plenty of RAM available.
In most cases, this error is caused by insufficient available RAM or virtual memory, too many background processes, memory leaks, corrupted system files, or compatibility issues with older apps, not a physical RAM failure. Follow the steps below to fix the issue step by step.
How to Fix “There Is Not Enough Free Memory to Run This Program”
Follow the steps in order. After each step, try running the program again.
1. Restart Your PC
A restart clears memory leaks and frees locked RAM.
- Save all open work
- Click Start > Power > Restart
- After reboot, try launching the program again
This is often enough if the error appeared suddenly.
2. Close Unnecessary Background Apps
High memory usage can block new programs.
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager
- Go to the Processes tab
- Sort by Memory
- Select apps you don’t need
- Click End task
Leave system processes running.
3. Check Available Memory in Task Manager
Confirm whether RAM is actually low.
- Open Task Manager > Performance > Memory
- Check:
- Total memory
- Available memory
- Memory in use
If available memory is very low, continue with the next steps.
4. Increase Virtual Memory (Page File) — Very Important
Windows uses virtual memory when RAM is insufficient.
- Press Windows + R, type
sysdm.cpl, and press Enter - Open the Advanced tab
- Under Performance, click Settings
- Go to the Advanced tab
- Click Change under Virtual memory
- Enable Automatically manage paging file size for all drives
– OR –
Manually set:
- Initial size: 1.5× your RAM
- Maximum size: 3× your RAM
- Click OK and restart your PC
Insufficient or disabled page files are a top cause of this error.
5. Run the Program as Administrator
Permission and memory allocation issues can block apps.
- Right-click the program or installer
- Select Run as administrator
- Confirm the UAC prompt
This is especially helpful for installers and legacy apps.
6. Run the Program in Compatibility Mode (Older Apps)
Older software may mis-handle modern memory limits.
- Right-click the program’s
.exefile - Select Properties > Compatibility
- Check Run this program in compatibility mode
- Choose:
- Windows 7 or Windows XP (if applicable)
- Click Apply and OK
This is very effective for legacy 16-bit or 32-bit apps.
7. Check System Type (32-bit vs 64-bit)
Some apps cannot run on certain architectures.
- Open Settings > System > About
- Check System type
- Make sure:
- 32-bit apps aren’t exceeding 32-bit limits
- You’re using 64-bit Windows for memory-heavy apps
32-bit apps are limited to ~4 GB memory.
8. Scan for Memory Leaks or Faulty Apps
Some apps consume memory endlessly.
- Open Task Manager
- Monitor memory usage over time
- Identify apps whose memory keeps increasing
- Update or uninstall problematic apps
Browser extensions are common offenders.
9. Run System File Checker and DISM
Corrupted system files can cause memory allocation failures.
- Right-click Start and open Windows Terminal (Admin)
- Run:
sfc /scannow
- After it completes, run:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
- Restart your PC
This repairs Windows memory management components.
10. Check Available Disk Space
Low disk space can break virtual memory.
- Open File Explorer > This PC
- Make sure drive C: has at least:
- 10–20 GB free space
If the disk is full, Windows cannot expand the page file.
11. Disable Startup Apps
Too many startup apps reduce available memory.
- Open Task Manager > Startup
- Disable non-essential apps
- Restart your PC
This frees memory immediately after boot.
12. Test Physical RAM (Advanced)
If the error happens frequently:
- Press Windows + R, type
mdsched.exe, and press Enter - Choose Restart now and check for problems
Faulty RAM can cause false “out of memory” errors.
Final Thoughts
The “There is not enough free memory to run this program” error is almost always caused by virtual memory settings, background app usage, or compatibility issues, not defective RAM. In most cases, increasing the page file and closing unused apps resolves the issue immediately.For long-term stability, keep enough free disk space, limit startup apps, and use 64-bit software on 64-bit Windows whenever possible.
