Problem

Working in large or complex models in SOLIDWORKS can strain the Computer's performance. This may sometimes cause a Low Resource warning to appear similar to the one shown here: "Available system memory is low".

When this message appears, there are a few possible system resources to check:

• Physical Memory: Random Access Memory (RAM) available on the computer is running low. Warnings start around 80%
• Virtual Memory/Page File: The amount of physical RAM plus the size of the paging file is running low. Warnings start around 80%
• GDI Objects: Resources reserved for supporting graphical objects and windows

We'll outline the steps to check and resolve each of these possible causes. Some of these steps require editing the Registry, so we recommend backing up the registry following the steps from Microsoft before making any changes.

When going into the Registry Editor, do not modify or delete anything except what is listed below. If you do not feel comfortable performing the steps listed below, please contact Technical Support.

Solution 1: Physical Memory

Physical Memory (RAM) stores data and code that is currently being used by the computer. If there are a lot of models open, or many different applications open, the computer is storing information in RAM even if it is an idle program or the models themselves are not active.

The steps below go over how to monitor RAM usage: 

1. Press CTRL + ALT + DELETE on the keyboard and start the Windows Task Manager

2. Click on the Performance Tab to view the total and free memory. If memory usage is high, you can select "..." and click "Resource Monitor"

   

3.  In the Resource Monitor, change to the Memory tab to see a more detailed breakdown and percentage of RAM use

   

4. Switch back to Task Manager and click the Details Tab
5. Click the Memory column heading to sort in descending order. Processes consuming the most memory will appear at the top. If this tab does not exist, right-click on a column header and click "Select Columns". For RAM, select "Memory - Private Working Set" and click "OK" to add the column.
   
6. This will show the resources available and in use. If the usage exceeds ~80%, it is recommended to close other programs that are not in use or not required at the moment. Other CAD or rendering programs along with internet browsers can be a source of high memory usage.

If SOLIDWORKS is the only open program and memory usage remains high, consider upgrading your hardware to increase the amount of RAM installed. SOLIDWORKS 2026 requires at least 16 GB of RAM, but complex assemblies or resource-heavy add-ins like Simulation may need 32 or 64 GB.

Solution 2: Virtual Memory and Page File Size

Windows establishes a Commit Charge limit, which is the amount of physical Random Access Memory (RAM) plus the size of the Paging File. If the computer has 32 GB of RAM and the paging file size is 8 GB, the Commit Charge limit is 40 GB. The Operating System (OS) does not commit available memory to running processes that it cannot fulfill. Once the OS nears the commit limit, any process can become unstable. SOLIDWORKS detects this condition and displays a series of warnings starting at 78% of the OS Commit Charge limit.

The steps below go over how to monitor Commit Size: 

1. Press CTRL + ALT + DELETE on the keyboard and start the Windows Task Manager
2. Click the Details Tab

3. Click the Commit (KB) column heading to sort in descending order. Processes consuming the most committed memory will appear at the top. If this tab does not exist, right-click on a column header, click "Select Columns", and select "Commit Size".

   

4. Use this information to understand and investigate the steps necessary to manage processes that consume the most committed memory.

With Page File size, there is one setting we recommend using called "Automatically manage paging file size for all drives". To verify and update the settings for the page file size, follow the steps below:

1. Go to Control Panel > System.
2. Click Advanced System Settings.
3. Change to the Advanced tab

4. In the Performance group, click "Settings"

   

5. Click on the Advanced tab

6. In the Virtual Memory group, click "Change"

   

7. Select the System managed size option "Automatically manage paging file size for all drives"

   

8. Click "OK" to accept the changes and close the windows

If SOLIDWORKS is the only open program and memory usage remains high, consider upgrading your hardware to increase the amount of RAM installed. SOLIDWORKS 2026 requires at least 16 GB of RAM, but complex assemblies or resource-heavy add-ins like Simulation may need 32 or 64 GB.

Solution 3: GDI Objects

Graphical Device Interfaces (GDI) are what Microsoft Windows uses to represent graphical objects to external devices such as Computer Monitors. Every element within any CAD system uses GDI objects. By default, Windows assigns only 10,000 GDI objects per process; however, the maximum amount allowable is 65,536. If SOLIDWORKS approaches this limit, you may want to try increasing the limit.

To monitor GDI Objects, follow the steps below:

The GDI Limit can be changed by editing the Registry. When going into the Registry Editor, do not modify or delete anything except what is listed below. If you do not feel comfortable performing the steps listed below, please contact Technical Support.

Follow the steps below to edit the Registry for GDI:

1. Close all applications, including SOLIDWORKS

2. Open Windows Search, search for REGEDIT, and then hit Enter to open the Registry Editor
    

   

3. Navigate to this location:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows

4. Locate the DWORD value GDIProcessHandleQuota and modify the value from "Hexadecimal" to "Decimal". We have found that setting a maximum of 20,000 for this key works best for most users. The maximum allowed is 65,536.

   

5. Click "OK" to save the change, and then close the Registry Editor
6. Launch SOLIDWORKS to retest the issue

For additional support, existing customers can submit a ticket or new customers can contact Hawk Ridge Systems.