vmmem

Windows ProcessMicrosoft Corporation

Also called vmmem, vmmem.exe, utility vm memory

WindowsSystem Component

Guest memory of a utility VM or Hyper-V VM as seen on the host. It is not a file you delete and it is not wsl.exe.

What you need to know

vmmem is guest memory on the host, not wsl.exe.

vmmem is how Task Manager shows a utility VM or Hyper-V guest working set on the host. wsl.exe is only the launcher. There is no supported vmmem.exe you browse in System32 and delete. WSL2 often labels the same idea vmmemWSL.

Safe?: Yes. It is guest RAM on the host
Can I delete it?: No. It is not a cleanup exe
Same as wsl.exe?: No. wsl.exe is the CLI

Feex says

If vmmem is huge, I shut down the VM or run wsl --shutdown. I do not hunt wsl.exe for those gigabytes, and I do not delete a vmmem file from Explorer.

What is vmmem?

vmmem is guest memory on the host, not wsl.exe. The CLI does not hold those gigabytes. vmmemWSL is the WSL2-specific label of the same kind of working set. A Hyper-V guest can show vmmem next to vmwp.exe.

What does it do?

It accounts for RAM the guest committed. It does not list distros and it does not accept `wsl -l -v`.

Why is it running?

A utility VM, WSL2, Docker, or a Hyper-V VM is running. The row shrinks when that VM shuts down, not when you close one unused wsl.exe.

Why are there multiple copies?

More than one vmmem can be more than one utility VM or guest. That is not extra wsl.exe launchers.

Is it safe?

Usually safe

The Task Manager row is guest memory. A vmmem.exe in Downloads is not that row. Do not run it, and do not treat wsl.exe as this working set.

A legitimate copy normally runs from:

Utility VM working set (no delete-safe image)

Not a System32 file you should delete
WSL2 may show vmmemWSL instead
CLI sibling: wsl.exe, not this row

Can I end it?

Shut down the VM, do not delete a file

Windows may not offer a clean End task. Use Hyper-V shutdown, Docker quit, or `wsl --shutdown`. Ending wsl.exe only closes the CLI. Do not delete a vmmem.exe from disk.

Can I remove it?

You cannot uninstall vmmem. Cap WSL2 with .wslconfig memory=, or turn the VM off. Do not delete System32. Removing wsl.exe is not a memory wipe.

Should it start with Windows?

A running VM creates the row. This is not Startup Apps.

Normal resource behavior

These are contextual labels, not universal averages.

CPU: Follows guest CPU
Memory: The guest working set. This is the point of the row
Disk: Guest paging and VHDX, not a vmmem file you manage
Network: Guest traffic, not the RDP client

File information

vmmem file information
Executable name	vmmem
Common legitimate path	Utility VM working set (no delete-safe image)
Publisher	Microsoft Corporation
Signature expectation	Signed by Microsoft Windows

Common problems

People download vmmem.exe to "remove the process"

There is no official cleaner. The real row has no folder. Treat that download as unwanted software.

RAM stays after they closed the Ubuntu window

The utility VM can idle. wsl --shutdown from wsl.exe releases it. Closing the CLI window is not enough.

Troubleshooting

Diagnose before you change anything destructive.

Identify the guest, then shut that stack down

WSL: wsl -l -v then wsl --shutdown. Hyper-V: Hyper-V Manager. Docker: quit Docker Desktop. Do not end wsl.exe as a RAM tool.

If you found vmmem.exe under Downloads, do not run it

Delete that dropped file as unwanted software. The Task Manager working set is not in that folder.

Technical details

vmmem technical details
Display name	vmmem
Role	Host view of guest / utility-VM memory

Sources and verification

Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. How we research.

Microsoft Learn: WSL configuration · Limit WSL2 VM memory with .wslconfig, then wsl --shutdown
Microsoft Learn: WSL basic commands · wsl.exe controls distros, it is not the memory row
Foxhole process map · First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.

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