Windows 10 Memory management?

Windows 10 Pro, 32 GB memory, 24GB paging file, AMD 5700 XT graphics

In my normal workflow I have Lightroom and Photoshop open, each of which uses a lot of memory, and each of which is a PITA to shut down and restart when I'm working.
I also regularly use Helicon Focus and Topaz Denoise AI.

Frequently, when I have Lightroom and Photoshop open, and use Helicon, it fails, sometimes telling me it couldn't allocate some amount of memory. Other times it fails telling me it couldn't convert images in the Adobe DNG converter. Exiting from Photoshop "fixes" this, but...

I've always been under the impression that Windows 10 would manage memory and use the paging file when needed. Windows is recommending 4GB of paging, so I've got a LOT more (24GB) set. Shouldn't Windows be pushing some of what Photoshop is using off so Helicon Focus can use it? When this happens and I've looked in the Task Manager it usually seems to think there are still 4 - 5 GB of memory available.

Does anyone know if what's happening is what should be, and if not, how to improve how Windows handles memory? At the moment, things are just coasting, so Lightroom is only using about 4GB, Photoshop 8GB, Topaz Denoise 2GB. Total usage is about 21GB according to the Task manager...

Any ideas about getting things to shuffle in and out as needed so new things will run?

The reference for this information was not saved:

The maximum size Windows sets for paging file is three times of total RAM installed.
So if you’re receiving such warnings, then programs you’re using is utilizing more than three times of installed RAM on your computer.

When paging occurs it uses the drive so freeing up drive space may also be useful.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...f-bcf27de46d34

zbook said:

The reference for this information was not saved:

The maximum size Windows sets for paging file is three times of total RAM installed.
So if you’re receiving such warnings, then programs you’re using is utilizing more than three times of installed RAM on your computer.

Except for when the user has put in their own limits like @GracieAllen has. They have 32GB installed RAM and limited the paging file to 24GB.

If you are receiving out of memory warnings or errors this is caused by the commit charge reaching the commit limit. This has nothing to do with how much RAM might be available. Windows doesn't even have a message for that. Windows memory management will try very hard to maintain a reasonable value for available memory. Zero memory available would be reached only under extreme memory pressure. The pagefile is used to offload memory that hasn't been used recently and thus leaving more for more important purposes. This will happen even when there is a good amount of memory available. The pagefile is not some kind of overflow used only when RAM fills up. There is nothing in Task Manager that will tell you how much of the pagefile is being used.

I suspect that your problems are due to the restricted pagefile. Preferably set it to System Managed. Contrary to many misinformed Internet articles, this is not inefficient.

Edit: Windows memory management is far more complex than most people imagine.

I'll set it so the System manages the size and see what happens...

As for Photoshop... On my system, given the size of the images (46 megapixels, Photoshop wants a minimum of 17+ GB and a max of around 22 GB. I generally set it to about 21 GB. I basic image optimized in Photoshop will generally run somewhere between 1 and 2 GB, sometimes larger. Usually there are between 2 and 4 open at any time. Lightroom doesn't have a memory range that I know of, but it'll routinely hit anywhere from 11 to 15 GB when in use. When it's sitting, waiting for some other program to return an image it may go down to 7GB.

As for only using EITHER Lightroom or Photoshop, I'm not sure what your image processing workflow is, but no. That idea is unproductive and makes no sense. Not only do both these program stay open all the time, but I routinely go round-trip from Photoshop to ACR and back.

Again, I'll set it so the system manages size and see how it does.