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Enable the Lock pages in memory option (Windows)

Applies to: SQL Server

This Windows policy determines which accounts can use a process to keep data in physical memory, preventing the system from paging the data to virtual memory on disk.

Note

Locking pages in memory might boost performance when paging memory to disk is expected. For more information, see Lock pages in memory (LPIM).

A system administrator can enable this policy for the SQL Server service account with the Windows Group Policy tool (gpedit.msc), or with SQL Server Configuration Manager in SQL Server 2019 (15.x) and later versions.

Enable the Lock pages in memory option

  1. On the Start menu, select Run. In the Open box, type gpedit.msc. The Group Policy dialog box opens.

  2. On the Local Group Group Policy console, expand Computer Configuration.

  3. Expand Windows Settings.

  4. Expand Security Settings.

  5. Expand Local Policies.

  6. Select the User Rights Assignment folder. The policies are displayed in the details pane.

  7. In the pane, scroll to and double-click the Lock pages in memory policy.

  8. In the Local Security Policy Setting dialog box, select Add User or Group.... Add the Database Engine service account or its service security identifier (SID). To determine the service account or the service SID for an instance of SQL Server, refer to the SQL Server Configuration Manager or use the service_account column in sys.dm_server_services. For more information, see sys.dm_server_services.

  9. Select OK.

  10. Restart the instance for this setting to take effect.

We recommend that you assign the Lock pages in memory policy to the service SID of the Database Engine service. This ensures that the grant remains even if you change the service account of the Database Engine service. For more information, see Using Service SIDs to grant permissions to services in SQL Server.

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