Safe to Delete

MEMORY.DMP File (Windows Crash Dump)

Space: 500 MB – 16 GB+ logs Windows 10, Windows 11
Quick Answer: MEMORY.DMP is created by Windows after a system crash or Blue Screen of Death. It is completely safe to delete and frees up several gigabytes of space.

Bottom Line: It is completely safe to delete MEMORY.DMP. It is an old crash log that is no longer needed once your computer has restarted. Deleting it can free up anywhere from 500 MB to over 16 GB of disk space.

What is the MEMORY.DMP File?

Located at C:\Windows\MEMORY.DMP, MEMORY.DMP is a system memory dump file generated by Windows whenever your computer encounters a fatal error, commonly known as a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD).

When a crash happens, Windows copies the exact state of your RAM memory into this file before restarting. Software developers and IT professionals use this dump file with diagnostic tools like WinDbg to analyze which driver or hardware failed.

Can You Delete MEMORY.DMP?

✅ Yes, it is 100% safe to delete.

  • No impact on performance: Removing MEMORY.DMP does not harm Windows or any installed programs.
  • Purely diagnostic: Unless you are actively troubleshooting a recurring BSOD with a tech technician, you do not need this file.
  • Large file size: Because it matches a portion of your RAM size, MEMORY.DMP can take up 4 GB, 8 GB, 16 GB, or more.

How to Safely Delete MEMORY.DMP

Method 1: Using Windows Disk Cleanup (Easiest)

  1. Press Win + S, type Disk Cleanup, and press Enter.
  2. Select your C: drive and click OK.
  3. Click the Clean up system files button.
  4. Scroll down and check System error memory dump files and System error minidump files.
  5. Click OK > Delete Files.

Method 2: Manual Deletion via Command Prompt

  1. Open Start, search for cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and choose Run as administrator.
  2. Run the command: 
    del /f /q C:\Windows\MEMORY.DMP

How to Stop Windows from Creating Huge Dump Files

If your drive keeps filling up with dump files after every crash:

  1. Press Win + R, type sysdm.cpl, and press Enter.
  2. Go to the Advanced tab and click Settings under Startup and Recovery.
  3. Under Write debugging information, change the dropdown from Complete memory dump to Small memory dump (256 KB).
  4. Click OK. This ensures future crashes only create tiny minidump files instead of multi-gigabyte files.

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