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OS & Software August 10, 2026 Source: The Verge

Windows 11 Weather App Memory Leak Debacle Triggers Outrage Over Web Components

Windows 11 Weather App Memory Leak Debacle Triggers Outrage Over Web Components

A detailed system analysis published by desktop performance researchers revealed that Windows 11's pre-installed Weather application can leak upwards of 1.2 GB of RAM while running passively in the system tray. The leak was traced to unmanaged DOM node allocations and persistent ad-tracking scripts within the app's WebView2 browser instance. Users on community forums voiced growing frustration over Microsoft's reliance on web wrappers for native OS utilities. In heavy multitasking scenarios, the background process triggered thermal throttling on thin-and-light laptops.

In response to user feedback, Microsoft announced an upcoming patch to refactor native system utilities and enforce strict RAM usage caps on background widgets.

By Dillip Chowdary Published on August 10, 2026