How to fix Desktop Window Manager high memory usage in Windows 10
Windows runs a number of different processes and services in the background. They’re all set to run automatically and without them, Windows 10 and Windows 11 cannot function. These processes have to run all the time, so they’re designed to be efficient and not hog a system’s resources.
Fix Desktop Window Manager high memory usage
Desktop Window Manager—dwm.exe as it appears in Task Manager—is a critical system process that composites and manages visual effects (animations, transitions, wallpaper, transparency, HDR/DRR behavior, window thumbnails) using your GPU. It runs all the time and should normally consume a modest amount of memory relative to your display setup (resolution, refresh rate, number of monitors, and effects).
If the Desktop Window Manager process is consuming a lot of memory, try the fixes below.
1. Restart Explorer.exe
Problems with the dwm.exe process can be resolved by restarting Explorer.exe.
- Open Task Manager.
- Go to the Processes tab.
- Look for Windows Explorer and select it.
- Click the Restart button at the bottom right.
2. Check graphics driver
An outdated graphics driver can cause problems with dwm.exe. Likewise, a recent driver update can sometimes introduce issues. Update first; if the problem started after an update, roll it back.
- Open Device Manager.
- Expand Display adapters.
- Right-click your GPU (and integrated graphics, if present) and select Update driver.
- Search automatically for drivers and install anything available.
If you’ve recently updated the graphics driver, try rolling it back.
- Open Device Manager.
- Expand Display adapters.
- Double-click your graphics card.
- Go to the Driver tab.
- Click Roll Back Driver.
- Repeat for the iGPU/dGPU if you have both.
3. Scan the system with Microsoft Defender
A malicious app or file may cause dwm.exe to spike. Run a full scan from Windows Security.
- Open Windows Security.
- Go to Virus & threat protection.
- Click Scan options.
- Select Full scan or run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan if you suspect persistent malware (how it works).
- Click Scan now and remove any threats found.
4. Disable third-party UI modifiers
Apps that heavily change Windows’ visuals (e.g., Rainmeter, custom theming tools, overlay/OSD utilities) can increase composition overhead. Disable them and check if dwm.exe returns to normal. If it does, the app isn’t optimized for your setup.
5. Install the latest Windows updates
Windows updates often include graphics stack fixes that affect DWM behavior. Go to Settings > Windows Update and install available updates. You can review known/resolved issues for your version here: Windows 11 release health.
6. Adjust Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling (HAGS)
On some systems, toggling HAGS can stabilize DWM memory/GPU usage. Go to Settings > System > Display > Graphics > Default graphics settings and toggle Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling off or on (supported GPUs only). If you change it, restart the PC. (See Microsoft’s gaming graphics settings overview:
7. Reduce visual effects: transparency, HDR, DRR
- Turn off transparency effects: Settings > Personalization > Colors > toggle Transparency effects off (Microsoft guide).
- Toggle HDR (if using HDR displays): Settings > System > Display > your display > Use HDR off/on.
- Disable Dynamic Refresh Rate (DRR) or lower the Refresh rate: Settings > System > Display > Advanced display (how to change refresh rate).
8. Disable overlays and game capture temporarily
Game/overlay features can raise composition load (window thumbnails, capture pipelines, HUDs). Temporarily disable overlays (Xbox Game Bar, GeForce Experience, Discord in-game overlay, browser video enhancements) and test. See Microsoft’s Xbox Game Bar guidance: recording and widgets overview.
9. Turn off Fast Startup
On some devices, Fast Startup can preserve problematic driver state across boots. Disable it via Control Panel > Power Options > Choose what the power buttons do > Change settings that are currently unavailable > uncheck Turn on fast startup. Reboot and re-test. (Background: Microsoft community guidance frequently recommends testing without Fast Startup.)
10. Restart the DWM process directly (advanced)
If usage won’t drop, you can restart dwm.exe and let Windows relaunch it:
- Open Task Manager > Details.
- Right-click dwm.exe > End task. It will respawn automatically. (Save work first; windows may briefly flicker.)
FAQs
It’s the compositor that builds the desktop you see—handling animations, thumbnails, and effects with GPU acceleration. More on DWM from Microsoft: DWM overview.
dwm.exe a virus? No—dwm.exe is a legitimate Windows component. If you’re worried about tampering, run a full Microsoft Defender scan (scan options).
On modern Windows versions, no. Disabling composition can break the desktop. You can reduce its workload by turning off transparency, HDR, DRR, and overlays.
It varies by resolution, monitor count, refresh rate, and effects. Brief spikes while moving/resizing windows or playing video are expected. Persistent growth that never drops back usually indicates a driver/app issue—work through the steps above.
Conclusion
Animations, wallpaper, and transition effects are standard OS functions. You can’t disable the dwm.exe process because Windows relies on it, but you can reduce its workload (transparency/HDR/DRR, overlays) and resolve driver or state issues using the steps above. Keeping graphics drivers and Windows up to date is the most reliable long-term fix.
