diff --git a/packages/react/src/PageLayout/PageLayout.test.tsx b/packages/react/src/PageLayout/PageLayout.test.tsx
index 5d841b799de..2bdf5136539 100644
--- a/packages/react/src/PageLayout/PageLayout.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/react/src/PageLayout/PageLayout.test.tsx
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ describe('PageLayout', async () => {
       expect(content!.style.getPropertyValue('contain')).toBe('')
     })
 
-    it('should add will-change during drag for optimized updates', async () => {
+    it('should apply containment optimizations during drag', async () => {
       const {container} = render(
         <PageLayout>
           <PageLayout.Pane resizable>
@@ -249,15 +249,89 @@ describe('PageLayout', async () => {
       const pane = container.querySelector<HTMLElement>('[class*="Pane"][data-resizable]')
       const divider = await screen.findByRole('slider')
 
-      // Before drag - no will-change
-      expect(pane!.style.willChange).toBe('')
+      // Before drag - no containment
+      expect(pane!.style.contain).toBe('')
+      expect(pane!.style.pointerEvents).toBe('')
 
-      // Start drag - will-change is added
+      // Start drag - containment is added
       fireEvent.pointerDown(divider, {clientX: 300, clientY: 200, pointerId: 1})
-      expect(pane!.style.willChange).toBe('width')
-      // End drag - will-change is removed
+      expect(pane!.style.contain).toBe('layout style paint')
+      expect(pane!.style.pointerEvents).toBe('none')
+
+      // End drag - containment is removed
+      fireEvent.lostPointerCapture(divider, {pointerId: 1})
+      expect(pane!.style.contain).toBe('')
+      expect(pane!.style.pointerEvents).toBe('')
+    })
+
+    it('should apply content-visibility only for tall content during drag', async () => {
+      const {container} = render(
+        <PageLayout>
+          <PageLayout.Pane resizable>
+            <Placeholder height={320} label="Pane" />
+          </PageLayout.Pane>
+          <PageLayout.Content>
+            <Placeholder height={1200} label="Content" />
+          </PageLayout.Content>
+        </PageLayout>,
+      )
+
+      const content = container.querySelector<HTMLElement>('[class*="Content"]')
+      const divider = await screen.findByRole('slider')
+
+      // Mock offsetHeight for tall content (>1000px threshold)
+      Object.defineProperty(content, 'offsetHeight', {
+        configurable: true,
+        value: 1200,
+      })
+
+      // Before drag - no content-visibility
+      expect(content!.style.contentVisibility).toBe('')
+      expect(content!.style.containIntrinsicSize).toBe('')
+
+      // Start drag - content-visibility is added for tall content
+      fireEvent.pointerDown(divider, {clientX: 300, clientY: 200, pointerId: 1})
+      expect(content!.style.contentVisibility).toBe('auto')
+      expect(content!.style.containIntrinsicSize).toBe('auto 1200px')
+
+      // End drag - content-visibility is removed
+      fireEvent.lostPointerCapture(divider, {pointerId: 1})
+      expect(content!.style.contentVisibility).toBe('')
+      expect(content!.style.containIntrinsicSize).toBe('')
+    })
+
+    it('should not apply content-visibility for short content during drag', async () => {
+      const {container} = render(
+        <PageLayout>
+          <PageLayout.Pane resizable>
+            <Placeholder height={320} label="Pane" />
+          </PageLayout.Pane>
+          <PageLayout.Content>
+            <Placeholder height={640} label="Content" />
+          </PageLayout.Content>
+        </PageLayout>,
+      )
+
+      const content = container.querySelector<HTMLElement>('[class*="Content"]')
+      const divider = await screen.findByRole('slider')
+
+      // Mock offsetHeight for short content (<1000px threshold)
+      Object.defineProperty(content, 'offsetHeight', {
+        configurable: true,
+        value: 640,
+      })
+
+      // Start drag
+      fireEvent.pointerDown(divider, {clientX: 300, clientY: 200, pointerId: 1})
+
+      // content-visibility should NOT be applied for short content
+      expect(content!.style.contentVisibility).toBe('')
+      expect(content!.style.containIntrinsicSize).toBe('')
+      // But basic containment should still be applied
+      expect(content!.style.contain).toBe('layout style paint')
+
+      // End drag
       fireEvent.lostPointerCapture(divider, {pointerId: 1})
-      expect(pane!.style.willChange).toBe('')
     })
   })
 
diff --git a/packages/react/src/PageLayout/paneUtils.ts b/packages/react/src/PageLayout/paneUtils.ts
index 4ac2ebca89b..9ebfa8483dd 100644
--- a/packages/react/src/PageLayout/paneUtils.ts
+++ b/packages/react/src/PageLayout/paneUtils.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+/**
+ * Height threshold (in pixels) above which content-visibility optimizations are applied.
+ * Avoids overhead on small content that doesn't benefit from rendering optimizations.
+ */
+const TALL_CONTENT_THRESHOLD = 1000
+
 /**
  * Apply CSS containment optimizations to isolate an element during resize/drag.
  * - contain: limits layout/paint recalc to this subtree
@@ -8,9 +14,14 @@
 export function setContainmentOptimizations(element: HTMLElement | null) {
   if (!element) return
   element.style.contain = 'layout style paint'
-  element.style.contentVisibility = 'auto'
-  element.style.containIntrinsicSize = 'auto 500px'
   element.style.pointerEvents = 'none'
+
+  // Only apply content-visibility for tall content to avoid overhead on small elements
+  const height = element.offsetHeight
+  if (height > TALL_CONTENT_THRESHOLD) {
+    element.style.contentVisibility = 'auto'
+    element.style.containIntrinsicSize = `auto ${height}px`
+  }
 }
 
 /**
@@ -32,13 +43,29 @@ type DraggingStylesParams = {
 
 /** Apply visual feedback and performance optimizations during drag */
 export function setDraggingStyles({handle, pane, content}: DraggingStylesParams) {
+  // Handle visual feedback
   handle?.style.setProperty('background-color', 'var(--bgColor-accent-emphasis)')
   handle?.style.setProperty('--draggable-handle--drag-opacity', '1')
   // Disable transition for instant visual feedback during drag
   handle?.style.setProperty('--draggable-handle--transition', 'none')
-  pane?.style.setProperty('will-change', 'width')
-  setContainmentOptimizations(content)
-  setContainmentOptimizations(pane)
+
+  // Pane: minimal containment (always visible during drag)
+  if (pane) {
+    pane.style.contain = 'layout style paint'
+    pane.style.pointerEvents = 'none'
+  }
+
+  // Content: containment + conditional content-visibility for tall content
+  if (content) {
+    content.style.contain = 'layout style paint'
+    content.style.pointerEvents = 'none'
+
+    const height = content.offsetHeight
+    if (height > TALL_CONTENT_THRESHOLD) {
+      content.style.contentVisibility = 'auto'
+      content.style.containIntrinsicSize = `auto ${height}px`
+    }
+  }
 }
 
 /** Remove drag styles and restore normal state */
@@ -46,7 +73,16 @@ export function removeDraggingStyles({handle, pane, content}: DraggingStylesPara
   handle?.style.removeProperty('background-color')
   handle?.style.removeProperty('--draggable-handle--drag-opacity')
   handle?.style.removeProperty('--draggable-handle--transition')
-  pane?.style.removeProperty('will-change')
-  removeContainmentOptimizations(content)
-  removeContainmentOptimizations(pane)
+
+  if (pane) {
+    pane.style.contain = ''
+    pane.style.pointerEvents = ''
+  }
+
+  if (content) {
+    content.style.contain = ''
+    content.style.pointerEvents = ''
+    content.style.contentVisibility = ''
+    content.style.containIntrinsicSize = ''
+  }
 }