It is possible to do without this file without any type of risk to our system, although in computers with little RAM memory we could notice slowdowns when the device is using all the available RAM on the device. For this reason, we configure this paging file to be deleted, we will be able to save some space on our hard drive, in exchange for slightly prolonging the system shutdown time. It is also possible to change its size in our operating system to reduce its impact or change it to another storage unit that we have available.
We should not be afraid to do without this file, although depending on the amount of RAM that we have on our computer, we can notice slowdowns when the computer is using all the available memory, in the event that we have 8 GB or less of RAM. If we have 16 or 32 GB available, we generally shouldn’t notice any difference, unless we are able to use all of the system memory.
Ways to delete pagefile.sys file in Windows 10 and Windows 11
If we want to remove the pagefile.sys file from our Windows 10 or Windows 11 computer, we have several ways to do it. The simplest, from the Control Panel we will have quick access. For the more advanced it is also possible to delete it using the Group Policy Editor and the Registry Editor. The method is exactly the same in the latest versions of Windows available at the moment, and the only thing that changes is the graphical interface, since the options to get there, that is, the menus, are exactly the same.
Use the Settings menu
It is possible to delete the pagefile.sys file from the system properties, from where we can access the Configuration menu, by pressing the keyboard shortcut Windows + I. Once inside, click on the “System” tab.
Later, in the left column, at the bottom, click on “About”, and on the right side we click on “Advanced system settings”.
This will open a small window for us. Here, within the “Performance” section, click on “Settings” and a new window will appear.
In this new window we will go to the “Advanced options” tab and within the “Virtual memory” section, click on the “Change” button.
This will make another window appear again, where at the top we have the box “Automatically manage the size of the paging file for all units” checked. We uncheck this so that the rest of the options are enabled. Now we mark all the hard drives that we have connected to the computer and within the section “Without paging file” click on “Set”. This will delete the pagefile.sys file and will leave it taking up 0KB of space.
The steps to follow to carry out this process in Windows 11 are exactly the same, the user interface being the only change from the configuration options.
Use the Local Group Policy Editor
In the event that we use a Pro, Education or Enterprise version of Windows 10 or Windows 11, we can use the Local Group Policy Editor to delete the Pagefile.sys file automatically. To do this, we use the keyboard shortcut “Windows + R”, to launch the Run command, where we must write gpedit.msc and click on “OK”. But, if our computer is managed by Windows 10 or Windows 11 in the Home version, we can already forget to use this function.
Once we have accessed the “Local Group Policy Editor”, in the left column click on “Computer Configuration” and display the Windows Configuration folder. Later we click on “Security settings”. Then, in the right column, we double-click on “Local policies” and then double-click on “Security options”. Now in the right panel, we must look for and double click on the section of “Off: Clear virtual memory paging file«.
This will open a new configuration window within the Local Group Policy Editor, where we must mark the option of “enabled” and click “OK” to save the changes. We only have to restart the system for the changes to take effect. If at any time, we want to go back, we simply have to follow the same steps and click on the Disabled button.
In the end, the result is exactly the same as carrying out the process using the first method that we have explained to you. Group policies are designed to establish limitations on company computers, where the system administrator has to ensure the integrity and security of all computers and one of the methods available to them is by using this application, an application that it does not make any sense that it is available in the Home version.
From the Registry Editor
Finally, we can also use the Windows 10 and Windows 11 Registry Editor to remove the pagefile.sys paging file. To do this, we will press the Windows + R keyboard shortcut to launch the Run command. Here we must write regedit and click OK. We can also use the Windows 10 and Windows 11 search box to find and run the registry editor. As it is one of the most important parts of the system, it is recommended, before making any changes, to make a backup copy of the registry through the File – Export menu. If after the change, the equipment presents operating problems, we can easily revert the changes by importing the registry again without the last modification we have made.
Once the Windows Registry Editor appears, we must navigate to the following path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/CurrentControlSet/Control/Session Manager/Memory Management
Once we see the content of this folder in the panel on the right, we must double click on the file ClearPageFileAtShutDown. This will open a new window, where we must set 1 as value data and click “OK” to save the changes. Finally, we restart the PC for the changes to take effect. From now on, every time we turn off the computer, the paging file will be deleted.
Remove pagefile.sys file with PrivaZer
Another option that we have available to delete the pagefile.sys file is to use an application like PrivaZer developed to safely clean our computer.
It is a tool that will help us clean up our PC, cleaning unwanted traces of both the operating system as of the programs that we have used. To do this, it is responsible for deleting old files that have been stored on our hard drive. This application has more than 100 analysis and cleaning functions, among which is the possibility of removing the Pagefile.sys file. We can download it for free and in a portable version
Once we execute it, its main menu appears, where we must click on “Advanced Options” in the left column.
A new window will appear, where we must click on the “Memory” tab. Here we see the Pagefile.sys section where it gives us the option of deleting it in three different ways: “After each cleaning with PrivaZer”; “Only at the next PC shutdown” and “Every time the PC shuts down”.
Resize pagefile.sys or move it to another drive
We may not consider it necessary to delete the pegafile.sys file, so we can also use other solutions such as the possibility of changing its size or moving it to another drive, in case we have more than one hard drive, and we have of more storage space. Before moving it, we must take into account that the unit where we want to move it is of the SSD type, if the main unit of our equipment is SSD, since, otherwise, we will notice a brutal drop in performance when the equipment have to use hard drive space as memory, because the read speed of HDDs is much slower than SSDs.
Change file size
If we want, we can choose to change the size of the pagefile.sys file manually. To do this we must access the “Advanced system settings”, from the “Settings” and “System” menu. Within the “Performance Options” and “Virtual Memory” section we have the possibility of changing the size of this system file. Here we must have deactivated the “Automatically manage paging file size for all drives” option. Next, we can choose between the option of deactivating the option to Automatically manage the size or opt for the “Custom Size”which will allow us to choose a desired size to our liking, establishing an initial size (in MB) and a maximum size.
When establishing these values we must take into account a differential factor such as the amount of RAM that we have in our computer. Currently, it is to have at least 8 GB of RAM, to be able to move Windows 10 freely, so in this case we can assign 4000 MB for the initial size and 8000 MB as the maximum size. It is not something that we assign in a mandatory way since each user can establish the value that they consider necessary.
Move the file to a different drive
If the pagefile.sys file takes up too much space, we may find it interesting to change it storage space within our system. This is something that we also do within the Virtual memory section belonging to the advanced system configuration. Here, at the top, we find a table with the different storage units that we have available. We select the “C drive” and click on the “No allocation file” box and finally click on the “Set” button.
Next, we are going to select the drive where we want to move the data from the pagefile.sys file. Later we will select the “Size managed by the system” option and finally, click on the Set button and OK to save the changes. Now we only have to restart the PC so that the changes are applied.
Windows does not recommend moving the paging file to a drive other than the drive where the operating system is installed. The reason is not other the speed of access. If the unit where the operating system is installed is SSD and we move the paging file to an HDD, the functionality will be considerably reduced, affecting the integrity of the equipment. If we move the paging file to a drive other than the primary drive and the computer begins to show signs of instability, it is recommended that you reverse the change and reconfigure so that the free space on the computer’s primary drive is used.
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