How Much RAM Do You Have? Easily Check PC & Mac Memory

Co-authored by Spike Baron and Darlene Antonelli, MA

Last Updated: August 9, 2024 Fact Checked

Are you wondering how much RAM is installed on your PC or Mac? Random Access Memory (RAM) determines, in large part, how fast your computer runs and how well it performs multiple tasks. If your computer is running slowly or can't handle multitasking, you can upgrade your RAM or reduce the number of tasks you're running. This wikiHow article teaches you how to check your RAM and memory usage on Windows and macOS.

Things You Should Know

On Windows 10 and 11, you can see how much RAM you have in "About Your PC."^{[1]
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Microsoft Support
Technical support and product information from Microsoft.

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On a Mac, you can check your RAM in "About This Mac.^{[2]
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To see how much RAM is in use and how much is available, check the Task Manager on a PC or Activity Monitor on a Mac.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Windows 10 & 11

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It's the key on your keyboard that looks like the Windows logo. Alternatively, you can click the Start logo in the taskbar.
It will open in Settings and your RAM will be listed there.^{[3]
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You'll see how much RAM you have next to "Installed RAM."
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Press Ctrl+⇧ Shift+Esc to open Task Manager. Now that you know how much RAM you have, it might be helpful to see which applications are using the most of it. You can find this information in your Task Manager.^{[4]
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- Alternatively, right-click the taskbar and select Task Manager from the menu.
It's to the right of Processes, which may be the default when you open Task Manager.
The graphs on the right side of the window will change to show your memory usage. The numbers represent how much you're using, your RAM speed, and how much RAM you have left.^{[5]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

macOS

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It's usually towards the left side of your screen, near the top, and looks like an apple.^{[6]
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This is the first item in the menu and will open another window with more information about your Mac.^{[7]
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The amount of RAM installed in your Mac appears here.
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Open your Mac's Activity Monitor. Now that you know how much RAM is in your Mac, you can check to see which processes are using the most memory. To open Activity Monitor:^{[8]
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- Click the Go menu in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
- Click Utilities (or press Shift + Cmd + U).
- Double-click Activity Monitor. This app icon looks like a graph monitor with a green line.
You'll see all the open programs on your computer that are using memory as well as how much memory you have that's unused.^{[9]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Windows 7

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Alternatively, you can right-click the taskbar and select Task Manager from the menu.
It's to the right of Applications and Processes, which may be the default when you open Task Manager.
You'll see it under the "Physical Memory" header, listed in MB.

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How can I check storage on my Android cell phone?

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Go to “Settings” and tap to the “Storage,” then you will be able to see your device’s total available storage space. You can also see the storage which is used by other installed apps.

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I want to increase the RAM memory?

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Your question does not give me a lot to work with, but I'll answer the general question regarding RAM. Should you increase your ram memory? For basic email checking, website browsing, and general computer use, you'll need only 8 gigs of RAM. However, for PC gaming, 16-24 gigs is recommended. To increase your RAM memory, you will need to buy more RAM and make sure it works with your computer model. Open your computer up and insert them into the slots. Remember; it only goes in one way, so do not force it.

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If you're using a lot of your installed RAM, you might need to install more. Instead of that, you can close open programs or reduce animations to free up some RAM.

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Aside from checking your installed RAM and usage, you'll also want to check your computer's HD space, which is only a few clicks away.

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