If you've been noticing a strange process named 'VmmemWSA' in your task manager, well, it's not that strange a process. The Vmmem process in Windows 11 is used to display the resources used by virtual machines on your PC.

What is VmmemWSA Process? Now, the VmmemWSA process, specifically, is for the Windows Subsystem for Android. Microsoft released the WSA for Windows 11 a few years back, which allows you to run and install Android apps on your PC. It is responsible for managing memory allocation for running Android apps on your Windows 11 device through the Amazon Appstore or other sideloaded applications.

Note: While users can no longer install the Amazon app store from the Microsoft Store on their systems as of March 2024, but if you already have it installed on your PC, you can continue to use it till Microsoft completely phases it out.

While it's a valid process, if you see it consuming unusually high memory or other resources on your system causing your system to slow down, it becomes crucial to tame it. Let's get going.

Why is VmmemWSA Consuming So Much Memory?

The memory consumed by VmmemWSA will depend on the Android apps you're running. If you're running resource-intensive apps, such as games, or have multiple Android apps open simultaneously, the memory consumption of the process will be high since it shows the memory being used by the complete virtual-environment for the WSA instead of individual Android apps.

In these cases, it's easy to manage the memory used by VmmemWSA. But many users have observed that VmmemWSA is taking up memory even when it shouldn't.

How to Manage the Memory Consumed by VmmemWSA

Here's how you can manage and stop the excessive memory use by VmmemWSA in Windows 11.

1. Close any Unnecessary Android Apps

The simplest way you can manage the high memory consumption by VmmemWSA on your system is by closing any Android apps you're not currently using. This will free up the memory the apps were using, which is completely normal behavior.

2. Change How WSA Consumes Resources

WSA can be configured to use resources on your Windows 11 system either continuously or as needed. If WSA is set to consume resources continuously, it won't shut down even when there are no Android apps running. Changing this behavior will free the high memory that VmmemWSA is using.

  1. Open the WSA app on your Windows 11 PC from the Start menu or using Windows Search.
  1. Then, navigate to 'Advanced Settings' from the left menu.
  1. Expand the option for 'Memory and performance' and select the radio button for 'As needed'.

When the WSA is set to consume resources as needed, the memory usage still won't drop right away when you close all Android apps. Since booting Android is a relatively expensive task, WSA is not shut down right away but after a few minutes of inactivity.

So wait for a few minutes (at least 10 minutes) after closing all Android apps. If the memory is still not released by WSA, there might be a problem after all.

3. Restart Windows Subsystem for Android

If VmmemWSA is hogging excessive memory on your Windows 11 system even when it shouldn't, try restarting the WSA app.

  1. Open the Windows Subsystem for Android app on your system from the Start menu or using Search.
  2. Then, click the 'Turn off' button next to the 'Turn off Windows Subsystem for Android' tile.
  1. Once WSA window closes, you can restart it by either opening an Android app or relaunching the WSA app itself.

4. Update Windows Subsystem for Android

If Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) is not updated, it can also cause issues with the VmmemWSA process using excessive memory.

  1. Open the Microsoft Store on your PC.
  2. Then, switch to the 'Library' tab from the left menu.
  1. Make sure that there are no pending updates for Windows Subsystem for Android.
Note: As Microsoft is ending support for Windows Subsystem for Android, there might be no new updates for it. WSA and Amazon AppStore won't be available in the Microsoft Store completely after March 5, 2025.

While VmmemWSA naturally consumes memory for Android apps to function, there are usually ways to manage it. With these tips, you can ensure that your Windows 11 system runs smoothly even when running Android apps through WSA. Of course, as Microsoft phases out support for WSA, relying on it less may help avoid potential issues down the line that might pop up more now.