Windows 11's built-in Weather app wastes more than 1 GB of RAM - Notebookcheck

ⓘ MicrosoftThe Windows 11 logo. Microsoft has recently been working to improve the operating system's performance.A new report shows Windows 11's built-in Weather app can consume more than 1 GB of RAM. By comparison, Apple's native Weather app on macOS uses roughly five times less memory under similar conditions.Andrew Sozinov, Published 08/09/2026 🇩🇪 Windows Microsoft var loading_1880722 = false; var loading_num_1880722 = 0; function ajaxReload_1880722(tt_content_uid,page,items_per_page,no_url_change) { loading_1880722 = true; items_per_page = typeof items_per_page !== "undefined" ? items_per_page : 4; document.getElementById("introa_ajax_"+tt_content_uid).innerHTML = "loading ..."; document.getElementById("introa_ajax_"+tt_content_uid).style.display="block"; document.getElementById("introa_loading_info_"+tt_content_uid).innerHTML = "loading ..."; document.getElementById("introa_loading_info_"+tt_content_uid).style.display="block"; if (document.getElementById("introa_content_"+tt_content_uid)) document.getElementById("introa_content_"+tt_content_uid).style.opacity="0.2"; // set default to 0 for the page page = typeof page !== "undefined" ? page : 0; var tagArray = new Array(); // get checkbox value for the tags container = document.getElementById("introa_cbox_tag_surround_"+tt_content_uid); // get container div of the checkboxes if (container) { inputs = container.getElementsByTagName("input"); // get all input fields in the images div for (index = 0; index < inputs.length; ++index) { if(inputs.checked) tagArray.push(inputs.value); } // for } // if container var typeArray = new Array(); // get checkbox value for the pagetypes container = document.getElementById("introa_cbox_type_surround_"+tt_content_uid); // get container div of the checkboxes if (container) { inputs = container.getElementsByTagName("input"); // get all input fields in the images div for (index = 0; index < inputs.length; ++index) { if(inputs.checked) typeArray.push(inputs.value); } // for } // if container var subTypeArray = new Array(); // get checkbox value for the pagetypes container = document.getElementById("introa_cbox_subtype_surround_"+tt_content_uid); // get container div of the checkboxes if (container) { inputs = container.getElementsByTagName("input"); // get all input fields in the images div for (index = 0; index < inputs.length; ++index) { if(inputs.checked) subTypeArray.push(inputs.value); } // for } // if container loading_num_1880722++; var paraArray = {"id":98933,"ns_ajax":1,"language":2 ,"loading_num":loading_num_1880722,"ns_json":1 ,"ns_tt_content_uid":1880722}; if (items_per_page != 50) paraArray.items_per_page=items_per_page if(document.getElementById("introa_cbox_ticker_"+tt_content_uid) && document.getElementById("introa_cbox_ticker_"+tt_content_uid).checked) paraArray.ticker=1; if(document.getElementById("introa_cbox_tag_or_"+tt_content_uid) && document.getElementById("introa_cbox_tag_or_"+tt_content_uid).checked) paraArray.tag_or=1; if(document.getElementById("introa_cbox_excludeTypes_"+tt_content_uid) && document.getElementById("introa_cbox_excludeTypes_"+tt_content_uid).checked) paraArray.ns_excludeTypes=1; if(document.getElementById("introa_cbox_excludeTags_"+tt_content_uid) && document.getElementById("introa_cbox_excludeTags_"+tt_content_uid).checked) paraArray.ns_excludeTags=1; if (1>0) paraArray.hide_date=1; if (1>0) paraArray.ns_hide_restrictions=1; if (1001>0) paraArray.ns_layout=1001; if (1>0) paraArray.hide_youtube=1; if ("") paraArray.youtube_playlist_id=""; if (0>0) paraArray.order_by_sorting=0; if (0>0) paraArray.ns_show_hr=0; if (0>0) paraArray.ns_featured_articles_only=0; if (0>0) paraArray.ns_hide_navigation_buttons=0; if (0>0) paraArray.ns_show_num_normal=0; if (1>0) paraArray.hide_external_reviews=1; if (0>0) paraArray.ns_article_pid=0; if ("//www.notebookcheck.net/") paraArray.ns_img_domain="//www.notebookcheck.net/"; if (0>0) paraArray.clear_news_stream_image_caches=1; if (0>0) paraArray.showHighlightedTags=1; if (page>0) paraArray.ns_page=page; if (document.getElementById("introa_search_title_"+tt_content_uid)) var title = document.getElementById("introa_search_title_"+tt_content_uid).value; else var title = ""; if (title) paraArray.introa_search_title=title; var paraString=""; for (var key in paraArray) { paraString += "&"+key+"="+encodeURIComponent(paraArray); } if (tagArray.length>0) paraArray.tagArray=tagArray; for (var key in tagArray) { paraString += "&tagArray="+encodeURIComponent(tagArray); } if (typeArray.length>0) paraArray.typeArray=typeArray; for (var key in typeArray) { paraString += "&typeArray="+encodeURIComponent(typeArray); } if (subTypeArray.length>0) paraArray.subTypeArray=subTypeArray; for (var key in subTypeArray) { paraString += "&subTypeArray="+encodeURIComponent(subTypeArray); } document.getElementById("introa_ajax_"+tt_content_uid).innerHTML = "loading ..."; document.getElementById("introa_ajax_"+tt_content_uid).style.display="block"; var xhttp1880722 = new XMLHttpRequest(); xhttp1880722.onreadystatechange = function() { if (this.readyState == 4 && this.status == 200) { var data = xhttp1880722.responseText; document.getElementById("introa_currently_loaded_1880722").innerHTML = items_per_page; try { obj = JSON.parse(data); } catch(e){ console.log(e); document.getElementById("introa_ajax_1880722").innerHTML = "loading failed!"; document.getElementById("introa_loading_info_1880722").innerHTML = "loading failed!"; return 0; } if (obj.loading_num != loading_num_1880722) { console.log("discarded loading #"+obj.loading_num+" as a newer request #"+loading_num_1880722+" is under way"); document.getElementById("introa_ajax_1880722").innerHTML = "loading failed!"; document.getElementById("introa_loading_info_1880722").innerHTML = "loading failed!"; return 0; } document.getElementById("introa_ajax_"+tt_content_uid).innerHTML = ""; document.getElementById("introa_ajax_"+tt_content_uid).style.display="";document.getElementById("introa_content_"+tt_content_uid).innerHTML = obj.data; document.getElementById("introa_loading_info_"+tt_content_uid).style.display=""; if (document.getElementById("introa_content_"+tt_content_uid)) document.getElementById("introa_content_"+tt_content_uid).style.opacity="1"; convertAllTimes(); // get query string with parameters (ignore ajax parameters) var queryString = ""; for (var key in paraArray) { if (key != "id" && key != "ns_ajax" && key != "language" && key != "tagArray" && key != "tagArray" && key != "typeArray" && key != "typeArray" && key != "subTypeArray" && key != "subTypeArray" && key != "loading_num" && key != "ns_json" && key != "ns_page_uid" && key != "ns_tt_content_uid") { if (paraArray) queryString += "&"+key+"="+paraArray; } } for (var key in tagArray) { // add tagArray if (tagArray>0) queryString += "&tagArray="+tagArray; } for (var key in typeArray) { // add typeArray if (typeArray>0) queryString += "&typeArray="+typeArray; } for (var key in subTypeArray) { // add subTypeArray if (subTypeArray>0) queryString += "&subTypeArray="+subTypeArray; } // change url var stateObj = { foo: "bar" };queryString += "&id=1364205";loading = false; } else if (this.status != 200 && this.status != 0){ document.getElementById("introa_ajax_1880722").innerHTML = "loading failed!"; document.getElementById("introa_loading_info_1880722").innerHTML = "loading failed!"; loading = false; } }; // onreadychange xhttp1880722.onerror = function() { document.getElementById("introa_ajax_1880722").innerHTML = "loading failed!"; document.getElementById("introa_loading_info_1880722").innerHTML = "loading failed!"; loading = false; }; // onerror xhttp1880722.open("GET", "//dev1.notebook-check.com/index.php?"+paraString, true);xhttp1880722.send();} // function ajaxReload 4 Reviews     ← exclude selected types     ← exclude selected tags ajaxReload_1880722(1880722,0); Microsoft has been working to make Windows 11 more efficient on PCs with limited RAM, but one of its own built-in applications appears to be working against that goal. According to tests published by Windows Latest, the operating system's Weather app can consume more than 1 GB of memory despite performing a relatively simple task. Windows Latest reports that the app exceeded 1.2 GB of RAM while displaying a weather forecast, with no intensive interaction from the user. Wccftech observed similar behavior, noting that memory usage typically starts at around 1 GB, drops to roughly 500–600 MB when idle, and can climb to 1.5–1.6 GB during basic actions such as zooming or navigating the interface. On a PC equipped with 8 GB of RAM, that means the application alone may occupy nearly 20% of the system's memory. ⓘ Windows LatestWindows 11's Weather app consumes more than 1 GB of RAM. By comparison, Apple's native Weather app on macOS reportedly uses less than 250 MB of RAM under similar conditions, giving Microsoft's implementation a memory footprint roughly five times larger. ⓘ Windows LatestApple's Weather app on macOS uses less than 250 MB of RAM. var loading_1880721 = false; var loading_num_1880721 = 0; function ajaxReload_1880721(tt_content_uid,page,items_per_page,no_url_change) { loading_1880721 = true; items_per_page = typeof items_per_page !== "undefined" ? items_per_page : 4; document.getElementById("introa_ajax_"+tt_content_uid).innerHTML = "loading ..."; document.getElementById("introa_ajax_"+tt_content_uid).style.display="block"; document.getElementById("introa_loading_info_"+tt_content_uid).innerHTML = "loading ..."; document.getElementById("introa_loading_info_"+tt_content_uid).style.display="block"; if (document.getElementById("introa_content_"+tt_content_uid)) document.getElementById("introa_content_"+tt_content_uid).style.opacity="0.2"; // set default to 0 for the page page = typeof page !== "undefined" ? page : 0; var tagArray = new Array(); // get checkbox value for the tags container = document.getElementById("introa_cbox_tag_surround_"+tt_content_uid); // get container div of the checkboxes if (container) { inputs = container.getElementsByTagName("input"); // get all input fields in the images div for (index = 0; index < inputs.length; ++index) { if(inputs.checked) tagArray.push(inputs.value); } // for } // if container var typeArray = new Array(); // get checkbox value for the pagetypes container = document.getElementById("introa_cbox_type_surround_"+tt_content_uid); // get container div of the checkboxes if (container) { inputs = container.getElementsByTagName("input"); // get all input fields in the images div for (index = 0; index < inputs.length; ++index) { if(inputs.checked) typeArray.push(inputs.value); } // for } // if container var subTypeArray = new Array(); // get checkbox value for the pagetypes container = document.getElementById("introa_cbox_subtype_surround_"+tt_content_uid); // get container div of the checkboxes if (container) { inputs = container.getElementsByTagName("input"); // get all input fields in the images div for (index = 0; index < inputs.length; ++index) { if(inputs.checked) subTypeArray.push(inputs.value); } // for } // if container loading_num_1880721++; var paraArray = {"id":98933,"ns_ajax":1,"language":2 ,"loading_num":loading_num_1880721,"ns_json":1 ,"ns_tt_content_uid":1880721}; if (items_per_page != 50) paraArray.items_per_page=items_per_page if(document.getElementById("introa_cbox_ticker_"+tt_content_uid) && document.getElementById("introa_cbox_ticker_"+tt_content_uid).checked) paraArray.ticker=1; if(document.getElementById("introa_cbox_tag_or_"+tt_content_uid) && document.getElementById("introa_cbox_tag_or_"+tt_content_uid).checked) paraArray.tag_or=1; if(document.getElementById("introa_cbox_excludeTypes_"+tt_content_uid) && document.getElementById("introa_cbox_excludeTypes_"+tt_content_uid).checked) paraArray.ns_excludeTypes=1; if(document.getElementById("introa_cbox_excludeTags_"+tt_content_uid) && document.getElementById("introa_cbox_excludeTags_"+tt_content_uid).checked) paraArray.ns_excludeTags=1; if (1>0) paraArray.hide_date=1; if (1>0) paraArray.ns_hide_restrictions=1; if (1001>0) paraArray.ns_layout=1001; if (1>0) paraArray.hide_youtube=1; if ("") paraArray.youtube_playlist_id=""; if (0>0) paraArray.order_by_sorting=0; if (0>0) paraArray.ns_show_hr=0; if (0>0) paraArray.ns_featured_articles_only=0; if (0>0) paraArray.ns_hide_navigation_buttons=0; if (0>0) paraArray.ns_show_num_normal=0; if (1>0) paraArray.hide_external_reviews=1; if (0>0) paraArray.ns_article_pid=0; if ("//www.notebookcheck.net/") paraArray.ns_img_domain="//www.notebookcheck.net/"; if (0>0) paraArray.clear_news_stream_image_caches=1; if (0>0) paraArray.showHighlightedTags=1; if (page>0) paraArray.ns_page=page; if (document.getElementById("introa_search_title_"+tt_content_uid)) var title = document.getElementById("introa_search_title_"+tt_content_uid).value; else var title = ""; if (title) paraArray.introa_search_title=title; var paraString=""; for (var key in paraArray) { paraString += "&"+key+"="+encodeURIComponent(paraArray); } if (tagArray.length>0) paraArray.tagArray=tagArray; for (var key in tagArray) { paraString += "&tagArray="+encodeURIComponent(tagArray); } if (typeArray.length>0) paraArray.typeArray=typeArray; for (var key in typeArray) { paraString += "&typeArray="+encodeURIComponent(typeArray); } if (subTypeArray.length>0) paraArray.subTypeArray=subTypeArray; for (var key in subTypeArray) { paraString += "&subTypeArray="+encodeURIComponent(subTypeArray); } document.getElementById("introa_ajax_"+tt_content_uid).innerHTML = "loading ..."; document.getElementById("introa_ajax_"+tt_content_uid).style.display="block"; var xhttp1880721 = new XMLHttpRequest(); xhttp1880721.onreadystatechange = function() { if (this.readyState == 4 && this.status == 200) { var data = xhttp1880721.responseText; document.getElementById("introa_currently_loaded_1880721").innerHTML = items_per_page; try { obj = JSON.parse(data); } catch(e){ console.log(e); document.getElementById("introa_ajax_1880721").innerHTML = "loading failed!"; document.getElementById("introa_loading_info_1880721").innerHTML = "loading failed!"; return 0; } if (obj.loading_num != loading_num_1880721) { console.log("discarded loading #"+obj.loading_num+" as a newer request #"+loading_num_1880721+" is under way"); document.getElementById("introa_ajax_1880721").innerHTML = "loading failed!"; document.getElementById("introa_loading_info_1880721").innerHTML = "loading failed!"; return 0; } document.getElementById("introa_ajax_"+tt_content_uid).innerHTML = ""; document.getElementById("introa_ajax_"+tt_content_uid).style.display="";document.getElementById("introa_content_"+tt_content_uid).innerHTML = obj.data; document.getElementById("introa_loading_info_"+tt_content_uid).style.display=""; if (document.getElementById("introa_content_"+tt_content_uid)) document.getElementById("introa_content_"+tt_content_uid).style.opacity="1"; convertAllTimes(); // get query string with parameters (ignore ajax parameters) var queryString = ""; for (var key in paraArray) { if (key != "id" && key != "ns_ajax" && key != "language" && key != "tagArray" && key != "tagArray" && key != "typeArray" && key != "typeArray" && key != "subTypeArray" && key != "subTypeArray" && key != "loading_num" && key != "ns_json" && key != "ns_page_uid" && key != "ns_tt_content_uid") { if (paraArray) queryString += "&"+key+"="+paraArray; } } for (var key in tagArray) { // add tagArray if (tagArray>0) queryString += "&tagArray="+tagArray; } for (var key in typeArray) { // add typeArray if (typeArray>0) queryString += "&typeArray="+typeArray; } for (var key in subTypeArray) { // add subTypeArray if (subTypeArray>0) queryString += "&subTypeArray="+subTypeArray; } // change url var stateObj = { foo: "bar" };queryString += "&id=1364205";loading = false; } else if (this.status != 200 && this.status != 0){ document.getElementById("introa_ajax_1880721").innerHTML = "loading failed!"; document.getElementById("introa_loading_info_1880721").innerHTML = "loading failed!"; loading = false; } }; // onreadychange xhttp1880721.onerror = function() { document.getElementById("introa_ajax_1880721").innerHTML = "loading failed!"; document.getElementById("introa_loading_info_1880721").innerHTML = "loading failed!"; loading = false; }; // onerror xhttp1880721.open("GET", "//dev1.notebook-check.com/index.php?"+paraString, true);xhttp1880721.send();} // function ajaxReload function convertAllTimes() { elements = document.querySelectorAll(".itemdate"); .forEach.call(elements, function(el) { convertTime(el.getAttribute("data-crdate"),el); }); } function convertTime(utctimetoconvert, field = undefined) { userDate = new Date(); var utcTime = userDate.getTime(); utcTime = Math.round(utcTime/1000); timeDiff = utcTime-utctimetoconvert; if (timeDiff0) { if (days==1) result_str = days + " day"; else result_str = days + " days"; } if (days0) { if (result_str) result_str += ", "; if (hours==1) result_str += hours + " hour"; else result_str += hours + " hours"; } if (mins>0 && hours The issue is unlikely to affect high-end PCs with 32 GB or more of RAM, but it could have a noticeable impact on entry-level systems. On computers with 8 GB or even 16 GB of memory, launching the Weather app may increase memory pressure enough for Windows to rely more heavily on the page file, potentially making the system feel less responsive. The application also includes advertising within its interface. According to Windows Latest, sponsored content is embedded directly into the forecast feed, appearing alongside weather cards in a similar visual style. While Microsoft licenses weather data from multiple providers — including Foreca, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), and other regional meteorological services — the presence of ads in a built-in Windows application has attracted criticism. The findings also appear to contradict Microsoft's recent efforts to improve Windows 11's efficiency. The company has been updating several built-in applications and has repeatedly said it wants the operating system to perform better on lower-end hardware. Microsoft executive Rudy Huyn has also stated that the company intends to develop more fully native Windows applications in the future, although it remains unclear whether MSN-branded applications such as Weather will eventually be rebuilt using WinUI.