Download Mem Reduct 3.5.2 — Free RAM Optimizer

Yes, Mem Reduct is completely free to download and use. It is open-source software released under the GNU General Public License v3 (GPL-3.0), which means the full source code is publicly available on GitHub. There are no premium tiers, no trial limitations, and no hidden costs. Both the installer and portable versions are free, and the developer does not charge for any functionality.

Yes, Mem Reduct is safe. The application is open-source, meaning anyone can review the code on GitHub to verify that it contains no malware or unwanted behavior. All release binaries are GPG-signed (key ID 0x5635B5FD) for authenticity verification. The project has over 8,800 GitHub stars and 33 contributors, reflecting strong community trust. Some antivirus software may flag it as a false positive because it uses undocumented Windows Native API calls — this is normal for system-level memory tools and not a security concern.

Yes, Mem Reduct fully supports Windows 11, including both 64-bit (x64) and ARM64 editions. It also works on Windows 10, 8.1, 8, and 7. For the best experience, use the latest version (3.5.2) which includes improved dark theme support that matches the Windows 11 visual style. The application integrates with the Windows 11 system tray and respects per-monitor DPI settings on multi-display setups.

Mem Reduct typically frees 10–50% of your total RAM, depending on how much cached data your system has accumulated. Systems with more RAM and heavier workloads tend to see larger reductions. For example, on a 16 GB system using 12 GB (75%), a cleanup might bring usage down to 6–8 GB. The actual amount varies based on which memory areas are being cached and which cleaning options are enabled in your settings.

Mem Reduct can help free up memory before launching a game, which may reduce stuttering and improve load times on systems with limited RAM (8 GB or less). However, for systems with 16 GB or more, the benefit is minimal since Windows manages memory effectively for gaming. Cleaning standby memory before launching a game can prevent the system from running low mid-session. Do not run auto-clean during gameplay, as the brief CPU spike from a memory cleanup could cause a momentary frame drop.

Under normal use, Mem Reduct does not cause instability. By default, it excludes cleaning the Standby List and Modified Page List to prevent potential issues. However, if you enable aggressive cleaning of all eight memory areas, there is a small chance of momentary system slowness as Windows rebuilds its caches. This is temporary and self-correcting. The application has been used safely by thousands of users since 2012 without widespread reports of crashes or data loss.

Both versions are functionally identical. The installer (memreduct-3.5.2-setup.exe, 382 KB) runs a standard setup wizard that places the application in Program Files and creates a Start Menu shortcut. The portable version (memreduct-3.5.2-bin.7z, 395 KB) is a compressed archive you extract and run directly — no installation needed. The portable edition stores settings in a local .ini file when you create one, making it ideal for USB drives or systems where you cannot install software.

Right-click the Mem Reduct tray icon and select Settings. Navigate to the Auto clean tab. Enable “Clean every” and set an interval (10–90 minutes), or enable “Clean when above” and set a threshold percentage (for example, 80%). The threshold mode is recommended for most users because it only cleans when necessary, reducing unnecessary CPU activity. Click Apply to save your settings. Enable “Start with Windows” in the General tab to ensure Mem Reduct runs automatically at boot.

Mem Reduct does not include an auto-update feature. To update, download the latest version from our download section or from the official GitHub Releases page. Close the running instance from the system tray, then run the new installer over the existing installation. Your settings will be preserved. For the portable version, extract the new archive over your existing folder, replacing the old executable. Your memreduct.ini settings file will not be overwritten.

No, Mem Reduct is a Windows-only application. It relies on Windows-specific Native API calls to clean system memory, which do not have equivalents on macOS or Linux. The source code is written in C targeting the Windows API. For macOS, you can look into tools like Memory Clean 3. For Linux, the operating system kernel handles memory management efficiently, and manual intervention is rarely needed — though you can use the drop_caches system command if necessary.

Some antivirus programs flag Mem Reduct as a Potentially Unwanted Program (PUP) or heuristic threat because it accesses undocumented Windows Native API calls to manage system memory. This is a false positive. The application is open-source and its code is fully auditable on GitHub. Release binaries are GPG-signed by the developer. If your antivirus blocks the download or execution, add an exception for the Mem Reduct executable or temporarily disable real-time protection during installation.

Mem Reduct is more powerful and customizable. It cleans eight distinct memory areas using Native API calls, offers both interval and threshold auto-clean modes, supports CLI automation, and is fully open-source. Wise Memory Optimizer is simpler with a one-click optimization approach and fewer settings, making it easier for beginners but less effective at deep memory cleaning. Mem Reduct is the better choice if you want precise control, advanced automation, and the transparency of open-source code. Both tools are free.

No, Mem Reduct does not interact with game processes or modify game memory, so it will not trigger a VAC (Valve Anti-Cheat) ban. It works exclusively at the system level, cleaning Windows cache and standby memory. It does not inject code into running applications or access process-specific memory. Many gamers use Mem Reduct alongside Steam without any issues. That said, avoid running a memory cleanup during an active multiplayer session to prevent any momentary performance disruption.

Windows manages memory automatically by caching frequently used data in standby memory to speed up future access. This is by design and generally works well. Mem Reduct goes further by aggressively clearing cached data that Windows would normally hold in reserve, which can be helpful when you need free RAM immediately — for example, before running a memory-intensive application. Think of it as a manual override for situations where Windows caching strategy does not match your current needs. For everyday use on systems with 16 GB or more, Windows built-in management is usually sufficient.