Insane memory usage Steam Client Webhelper

[King Popo Donald Trump]

t's bad, now Steam client webhelper is using 600mb of my ram and there's no way to stop it. I tried hard stopping using task manager and then it pops up again. Also I changed it so Steam doesn't start when I start up my computer. Also under library I changed the settings to low memory usage. Still in idle, Steam is using 650mb of memory. I have plenty of memory (32 gb) and an i7 with GTX 1660s. The only time I ever had anything use that much memory is with the antivirus BitDefender.

Anyways, if anyone else is seeing this problem where Steam is hogging up tons of memory just idilng, post below.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Publicado originalmente por Deathpunkin:

\o
Just here to report, I also suffer 2-5GB ram usage from webhelper

Go to Steam > Settings, change the following settings to these:

Library: https://postimg.cc/svcF55JX
Interface: https://postimg.cc/pyKMXwhK

Close the settings, if asked to restart Steam, do so.
Once its up and running, now exit Steam fully with Exit, not the clickable X button.

Navigate to these folders and delete the contents.
Steam > UserData > YourID# > config > librarycache
%LocalAppData% > Steam

Now relaunch Steam and see how it does.

[Hambone263]

I believe I found a method to reduce RAM usuage by ~1-2 GB. Maybe a bit more. Hell Let Loose was stuttering with 16GB of RAM, but was reduced heavily after doing this.

Disable Hardware-Accelerated Rendering --> This seems to have had a large impact
Open Settings in Steam.
Go to Interface.
Find "Enable GPU accelerated rendering in web views" and make sure it's toggled OFF
Restart Steam (it may auto restart).

Enable Low-Performance Mode --> Not sure of impact, but easy change.
Open Settings in Steam.
Go to Library
Find "Low Performace Mode" and make sure it's toggled ON
Restart Steam (it may auto restart).

Even though task Manager will only say about ~600MB to 1 GB of RAM is used, the resource monitor will have multiple entries for steam web helper. For me, one has ~1 GB committed, and ~600MB used, and 3-4 others using slightly less. They probably totaled ~3 GB of RAM commited, 1-2 in use.

Source:
https://www.makeuseof.com/how-to-stop-steam-web-helper-use-all-ram/

[🦊Λℚ𝓤ΛƑΛᗯҜᔕ🦊]

Publicado originalmente por Hambone263:

I believe I found a method to reduce RAM usuage by ~1-2 GB. Maybe a bit more. Hell Let Loose was stuttering with 16GB of RAM, but was reduced heavily after doing this.

Disable Hardware-Accelerated Rendering --> This seems to have had a large impact
Open Settings in Steam.
Go to Interface.
Find "Enable GPU accelerated rendering in web views" and make sure it's toggled OFF
Restart Steam (it may auto restart).

Enable Low-Performance Mode --> Not sure of impact, but easy change.
Open Settings in Steam.
Go to Library
Find "Low Performace Mode" and make sure it's toggled ON
Restart Steam (it may auto restart).

Even though task Manager will only say about ~600MB to 1 GB of RAM is used, the resource monitor will have multiple entries for steam web helper. For me, one has ~1 GB committed, and ~600MB used, and 3-4 others using slightly less. They probably totaled ~3 GB of RAM commited, 1-2 in use.

Source:
https://www.makeuseof.com/how-to-stop-steam-web-helper-use-all-ram/

None of this is necessary. The "Steam excessive memory usage" bug was resolved a long time ago in a patch. The steam client always uses < 1GB of ram for everyone now. As long as you're using the current version of the steam client that is.

[MonkehMaster]

Publicado originalmente por 🦊Λℚ𝓤ΛƑΛᗯҜᔕ🦊:

Publicado originalmente por Hambone263:

I believe I found a method to reduce RAM usuage by ~1-2 GB. Maybe a bit more. Hell Let Loose was stuttering with 16GB of RAM, but was reduced heavily after doing this.

Disable Hardware-Accelerated Rendering --> This seems to have had a large impact
Open Settings in Steam.
Go to Interface.
Find "Enable GPU accelerated rendering in web views" and make sure it's toggled OFF
Restart Steam (it may auto restart).

Enable Low-Performance Mode --> Not sure of impact, but easy change.
Open Settings in Steam.
Go to Library
Find "Low Performace Mode" and make sure it's toggled ON
Restart Steam (it may auto restart).

Even though task Manager will only say about ~600MB to 1 GB of RAM is used, the resource monitor will have multiple entries for steam web helper. For me, one has ~1 GB committed, and ~600MB used, and 3-4 others using slightly less. They probably totaled ~3 GB of RAM commited, 1-2 in use.

Source:
https://www.makeuseof.com/how-to-stop-steam-web-helper-use-all-ram/

None of this is necessary. The "Steam excessive memory usage" bug was resolved a long time ago in a patch. The steam client always uses < 1GB of ram for everyone now. As long as you're using the current version of the steam client that is.

no it doesn't and we have told you this before, mine literally uses around 400mb and I can get it to use less.

the bug they fixed, was for it using 1GB or more (in excess of up to 5+ GB's).

there was literally whole threads on this topic stating as such and screenshots posted showing it's excessive usage and others showing how little ram it could use, including some from me, showing I had it running well under 1GB.

[Shaggin'Wagon]

Publicado originalmente por MonkehMaster:

Publicado originalmente por 🦊Λℚ𝓤ΛƑΛᗯҜᔕ🦊:

The steam client always uses < 1GB of ram for everyone now. As long as you're using the current version of the steam client that is.

mine literally uses around 400mb

400mb is < 1GB. Do you know how to read?

[yungzakaruchen]

Publicado originalmente por Overseer:

And those numbers are a problem because...?

I remember that at some point even a Valve employee said that its just allocated and not actually used RAM. Those numbers mean so little.

It's a problem I'm using Hotspot cuz I travel for work. It's soaking my data up!!!!

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Publicado originalmente por Horny Bob:

Publicado originalmente por Overseer:

And those numbers are a problem because...?

I remember that at some point even a Valve employee said that its just allocated and not actually used RAM. Those numbers mean so little.

It's a problem I'm using Hotspot cuz I travel for work. It's soaking my data up!!!!

WTF does RAM usage have to do with your Internet Data usage?

Steam doesn't use much data at all as long as you aren't surfing through Community all day long with loads of graphics or having it perform game updates while on such limited data. I had no problem running Steam for years while on a limited mobile data plan and using that for my PC via USB tethering or WiFi Hotspot.

[Supafly]

Publicado originalmente por Horny Bob:

Publicado originalmente por Overseer:

And those numbers are a problem because...?

I remember that at some point even a Valve employee said that its just allocated and not actually used RAM. Those numbers mean so little.

It's a problem I'm using Hotspot cuz I travel for work. It's soaking my data up!!!!

RAM is does NOT use your data. Learn what it is
https://www.howtogeek.com/697659/what-is-ram-everything-you-need-to-know/

[LuckyThePirate]

Publicado originalmente por 𝐎ᥣᑯ𝐑𝖾ᑯ𝐅ⱺ𝗑:

You can start Steam up without the browser. https://www.howtogeek.com/694531/how-to-reduce-steams-ram-usage-from-400-mb-to-60-mb/

i tried this and it only went down to 500 mb, barely a difference. any advice?

[Mad Scientist]

Publicado originalmente por LuckyThePirate:

Publicado originalmente por 𝐎ᥣᑯ𝐑𝖾ᑯ𝐅ⱺ𝗑:

You can start Steam up without the browser. https://www.howtogeek.com/694531/how-to-reduce-steams-ram-usage-from-400-mb-to-60-mb/

i tried this and it only went down to 500 mb, barely a difference. any advice?

500MBs is average use these days. That's an entirely acceptable, and very low use, of system memory.

[Agenda 2025]

Some games were not coded to need Steam. You can leave Steam off and run the game executable. Try that.

[Ontrix_Kitsune]

Publicado originalmente por LuckyThePirate:

Publicado originalmente por 𝐎ᥣᑯ𝐑𝖾ᑯ𝐅ⱺ𝗑:

You can start Steam up without the browser. https://www.howtogeek.com/694531/how-to-reduce-steams-ram-usage-from-400-mb-to-60-mb/

i tried this and it only went down to 500 mb, barely a difference. any advice?

This is normal. You're not going to get steam to use less than 500 MB.

[Lideln]

Publicado originalmente por Mad Scientist:

500MBs is average use these days. That's an entirely acceptable, and very low use, of system memory.

No, 500MB is absolutely not "very low use or RAM". Chrome uses 3GB, and I have hundreds (!!!) open tabs and two profiles running. And I think that's already excessive as it is (because I am using the Great Suspender so it should be keeping ram usage to a minimum... which it is not).

Steam uses 1.1GB of RAM and 3% CPU for its "client webhelper" whilst I have ZERO opened Steam windows (no, not even the friends list or anything)... And this is definitely NOT normal in any way, much less "very low use".

It's about the same usage of RAM than Left4Dead2 (1.4GB) while in-game (only 75MB in the main menu...), so that should speak for itself...

So NO, this is absolutely not normal to be using 1.1GB for an idle service/app that I am not using in any way and is not doing a single thing (not even a couple of notifications, as its either "Steam" or "Steam Client Service" that are responsible for that, and they are only using 5-30MB)

The problem is that the "Client WebHelper" is actually an embedded browser like Chromium (unless they are using an in-house browser), but still, it shouldn't be using 1.1GB when idle, it makes no sense.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

All it ever reaches is maybe 650MB-1GB and that's after running it for more then a full day.

What is the complaining about? Learn how to dump/compress your RAM.

[Mad Scientist]

Publicado originalmente por Lideln:

Publicado originalmente por Mad Scientist:

500MBs is average use these days. That's an entirely acceptable, and very low use, of system memory.

No, 500MB is absolutely not "very low use or RAM". Chrome uses 3GB, and I have hundreds (!!!) open tabs and two profiles running. And I think that's already excessive as it is (because I am using the Great Suspender so it should be keeping ram usage to a minimum... which it is not).

1. This is a 2023 thread
2. It's a low amount of RAM used.
3. YouTube tabs can take 1-2GBs easily.

Publicado originalmente por Lideln:

Steam uses 1.1GB of RAM and 3% CPU for its "client webhelper" whilst I have ZERO opened Steam windows (no, not even the friends list or anything)... And this is definitely NOT normal in any way, much less "very low use".

Steam uses 0.0 - 0.1% of my CPU and around 500MBs. This includes running for weeks or months without shutting down (sleep mode).

The hardware you have, the settings used etc determines the use of the CPU, but 3% "doing nothing" usually means something is still going on, likely GUI. You can use low performance mode, turn off community features, even use small mode. Also, turn off animated avatars&animated frames if 3% bothers you.

Publicado originalmente por Lideln:

It's about the same usage of RAM than Left4Dead2 (1.4GB) while in-game (only 75MB in the main menu...), so that should speak for itself...

So NO, this is absolutely not normal to be using 1.1GB for an idle service/app that I am not using in any way and is not doing a single thing (not even a couple of notifications, as its either "Steam" or "Steam Client Service" that are responsible for that, and they are only using 5-30MB)

You can get rid of cache and other temporary stuff. Most users only hit ~500MBs, which is seriously nothing compared to most modern apps.

Publicado originalmente por Lideln:

The problem is that the "Client WebHelper" is actually an embedded browser like Chromium (unless they are using an in-house browser), but still, it shouldn't be using 1.1GB when idle, it makes no sense.

Then contact google. google is great at bloating their own products, probably because they've largely outsourced a giant chunk of their workforce. Though even for the steam client, 500MBs is fairly normal, and fairly low. Most of you would be surprised by your extra apps like discord, antimalware service cpu/memory use etc, most people don't even pay attention to extra app resource usage.

Be sure you have more than enough memory for all tasks you want to do at the same time, ie, no 4GB or 8GB of RAM.