How to Fix High Memory Usage by Microsoft.Photos.exe in Windows 11

Microsoft.Photos.exe—the core process powering the Photos app in Windows 11—can sometimes consume excessive memory. This can slow down your system, delay image opening, and even interfere with file management. The problem often appears after major Windows updates or when the app performs background tasks like photo indexing or thumbnail generation. The good news is that several practical solutions can restore normal memory usage and keep your system running smoothly.

1. Re-Register Microsoft Photos

Re-registering the Photos app can fix corrupted files or configuration issues that cause high memory usage.

Steps:

1- Press Start, type Windows PowerShell, right-click it, and select Run as administrator.

2- Enter the following command to re-register all apps for your user account:

Get-AppXPackage | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}

3- To re-register for all users, use:

Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}

4- Restart your PC.

This often restores default app files and resolves persistent memory issues.

2. Change Your Default Photo Viewer

Switching from Microsoft Photos to another image viewer prevents the app from launching unnecessarily in the background.

Steps:

1- Open Start and search for Default app settings.

2- Under Photo viewer, click Photos or Choose a default.

3- Select an alternative, such as Windows Photo Viewer or a third-party viewer.

This reduces memory usage by preventing Microsoft.Photos.exe from running automatically.

3. Remove Folders from Photos App Indexing

The Photos app scans and indexes folders for images and videos, which can increase memory consumption.

Steps:

1- Open Microsoft Photos.

2- Click the three-dot menu > Settings (gear icon).

3- In Sources, click the X next to each folder to remove it.

4- Optionally, disable OneDrive sync if you don’t use cloud backup.

5- Restart your PC and monitor memory usage to see improvement.

4. Disable Thumbnails in File Explorer

Thumbnail generation can trigger high Photos app activity. Disabling it prevents Microsoft.Photos.exe from consuming memory unnecessarily.

Steps:

1- Open File Explorer and click the three-dot menu > Options.

2- Go to the View tab.

3- Check Always show icons, never thumbnails and click OK.

This stops background thumbnail creation and reduces memory load.

5. Uninstall and Reinstall Microsoft Photos

If the app continues to misbehave, a fresh installation often fixes persistent memory leaks.

Steps:

1- Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.

2- Find Microsoft Photos, click the three-dot menu, and select Uninstall.

3- Reinstall the app from the Microsoft Store.

This clears corrupted files and restores normal performance.

6. End the Microsoft.Photos.exe Process Manually

For immediate relief from high memory usage, you can stop the process temporarily.

Steps:

1- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.

2- Locate Microsoft.Photos.exe or Photos.exe under Processes.

3- Right-click and select End task.

Note: The process will restart if the Photos app is launched again.

Additional Tips

• Keep Windows 11 and device drivers updated to patch known memory issues.
• Check for third-party software conflicts, especially after updates.
• Consider using a lightweight alternative image viewer if the Photos app consistently uses high memory.

Conclusion

High memory usage by Microsoft.Photos.exe in Windows 11 can cause noticeable slowdowns, but these steps—re-registering the app, adjusting indexing, changing default viewers, and updating drivers—effectively restore system performance. Following these solutions keeps your system responsive and ensures smoother photo management, even after Windows updates.