I stopped guessing about my RAM usage after finding this hidden Windows diagnostic tool

RAMMap, a free Sysinternals utility for Windows, provides a detailed breakdown of RAM usage beyond what Task Manager shows. It categorizes memory into process memory, standby lists, cached files, driver allocations, and system-level usage. The standby list reveals memory Windows holds for recently accessed data, explaining why RAM appears consumed even when apps are closed. The file summary view shows which files are cached in memory. RAMMap is best used as a diagnostic tool when a system feels sluggish, helping identify memory leaks, poorly coded apps, or drivers that fail to release memory — rather than as an optimization tool.