Microsoft has added four new priorities to its Windows 11 quality improvement plan, including efforts to optimise memory usage for machines with 8GB of RAM. The move, detailed by Windows and Devices executive VP Pavan Davuluri, suggests Microsoft is quietly stepping back from pushing high-memory Copilot+ PCs, possibly because customers have shown little enthusiasm for paying extra for AI-capable hardware, or because memory prices have risen sharply.

The list was originally launched in March 2026 after users complained Windows 11 had become unreliable and resource-hungry, and Davuluri's latest post reviewed progress so far, citing a more efficient memory allocator, tuning of WinUI 3 and improvements to Chromium and Webview2 components. Windows 11's official minimum requirement is 4GB, while Copilot+ PCs need 16GB of DDR5/LPDDR5 memory. The other three new priorities are a faster out-of-box setup experience, quicker configuration with easier access to parental controls, and more natural voice interaction across apps; analyst firm IDC has also forecast an 11.3 percent drop in PC shipments in 2026 due to a persistent memory shortage.