To clear RAM on Mac, you will have to keep Chrome's task manager in check. It can be used to force quit the heavy processes in the browser which uses the RAM. It will directly reduce CPU usage. Just open the Chrome settings, click on More Tools and you will find the Task Manager there. Mac has provided a very convenient method to delete files from any storage device. But you will have to access the files first. When you want to delete SD card files on Mac, it is an elegant and clean method. You only have to move the files to Trash, and the card will be empty and ready for use. ICleanMemory has proven very helpful - especially while editing video or other demanding memory tasks. Even with 8GB of RAM in my 1 year old MacBook Pro, Final Cut Pro X starts eating through it pretty quickly. No more restarting or closing/reopening - just clean the memory and free it up after 30 seconds to a minute. Remove Login Items to Lower Mac Memory Usage. Login items are the ones that load. Open Activity Monitor. Click on the Memory tab. Click the Memory column to sort processes by Memory usage. This will make it easier to see which process or app is hogging the RAM.
System cleanup in one click
Few things are more frustrating than your Mac telling you it has run out of memory when you're trying to be productive. It's more frustrating when you've ignored the problem for quite some time and your Mac's limitations simply won't let you put a solution on hold any longer.
- How to get rid of low memory notifications
Usually, a popup warning isn't the first sign that something is amiss. You may have noticed that your Mac isn't running as fast as it used to, with the fan louder than normal as if it's struggling to carry a heavy load up a hill.
Although Macs are wonderful computers, they have limitations. Thankfully, there is plenty you can do to resolve this problem and get your Mac operating smoothly again.
Reduce memory usage with Setapp
Instead of manually deleting files, get Setapp. It not only removes the clutter but also gives you full control over memory usage.
Your system has run out of application memory - Fix it
Mac memory usage is often occupied by apps, even browsers like Safari or Google Chrome. In the most dire circumstances, your Mac will toss a warning at you: 'your system has run out of application memory.'
Don't despair – it's solvable. The first thing to note is this is a natural issue; your Mac has a limited amount of RAM. Though more expensive Macs have more RAM, even they can butt against limitations when too many applications are running.
It may also be an app that is hogging all of your resources. This is especially true of older applications which haven't been optimized for modern computer architecture. Websites may also be a culprit.
Check RAM usage on Mac
To check your RAM use on any Mac, take the following steps:
- Open Activity Monitor from your list of applications
Note: You can do this is the Mac's control center, via the Finder in your Mac's dock, or by pressing command-space and typing 'Activity Monitor' in the Spotlight search field. - Toggle to the 'Memory' pane in the Activity Monitor window
As you see in the above screenshot, Activity Monitor shows you all of your processes, sub-processes, and how much memory each is taking up. The most pertinent portion of the window is the bottom, where it shows you the total memory usage, and how it's affecting your Mac.
A better way to monitor your Mac's memory use is with iStat Menus. After installing the app, it makes a home in your Mac's menu bar, and monitors just about everything, including memory, CPU, GPU, disks, and network usage.
You can choose which systems you'd like to monitor in the app itself. Only the items you're monitoring will have an icon in your menu bar. A simple click on the menu bar icon surfaces a drop-down menu of how your Mac is performing at the time, and hovering over each graphic brings up a larger menu, as you can see below.
How to check CPU usage on Mac
Checking CPU use on your Mac is similar to the steps above for checking memory use. For Activity Monitor, you'd make sure to highlight the 'CPU' section of the window. This will show you all the processes using your Mac's CPU at the time.
Similarly, iStat Menus has a 'CPU & GPU' toggle just above the memory section. Activating that will add a CPU and GPU monitor to your Mac menu bar, which has the same interactivity as the memory icon and menu shown above.
How to free up memory on Mac
Knowing how to clear memory on Mac is important, especially if you have a Mac with limited resources. One option is using Activity Monitor:
- Open Activity Monitor on your Mac
- Select an app using a lot of memory
- Click the 'x' icon on the top left of the screen
This is straightforward, but there's a better way. CleanMyMac X has an automated CPU and memory monitors built-in, which can give you a real-time view of memory usage in your Mac's menu bar. It also has a really quick and easy way to free up memory without digging through Activity Monitor and manually shutting down apps.
All you have to do is click the CleanMyMac X icon, select 'Free Up' in the memory pane, and the app takes care of the rest! Oftentimes, it doesn't even shut apps down.
This is a quick fix, but CleanMyMac X takes it a step further in the app itself. Under the app's 'Maintenance' section is an option to 'Free Up RAM,' which helps you clear RAM on Mac. Once you've got this option selected, simply select 'Run' at the bottom of the window, and CleanMyMac X will do a thorough scrubbing of your Mac's RAM, and clear unused files out of the way.
How to get rid of low memory notifications
Most apps are pretty good about how they use your Mac's resources. Having too many open or running in the background can severely limit what your Mac can handle, and is often why a Mac overheats or slows down.
Here are a few tips to reduce high memory usage manually if you're experiencing unique warnings or issues:
Fix 'kernel_task', a high CPU usage bug
You may have noticed through Activity Monitor something called kernel_task absorbing a large amount of processing power. One of the functions of kernel_task is to help manage CPU temperature; you may find that your Mac fan is loud and always on, even if the device isn't hot to the touch.
kernel_task usually performs this way when one or more applications are trying to use too much CPU. Unfortunately, one of the potential downsides is a Mac can overheat to such an extent that internal systems are damaged, sometimes irreparably.
Working through the following steps in this article is one way to avoid similar problems. If none of this work and kernel_task is still absorbing a high percentage of your CPU, then one or more of the following could be the cause:
- Cooling system inefficiency
- A failed or disconnected temperature sensor
- Another hardware issue, including a worn out batter
- Your System Management Controller needs a rest
If you're experiencing severe issues, Apple recommends a system management controller (SMC) reset. It's essentially a hard reset for your Mac, and should help your RAM and other hardware components start from scratch. Keep in mind you won't lose any data in this process.
Reduce memory usage in Finder
One common culprit for RAM issues is Finder, your Mac's file manager. If iStat Menus or Activity Monitor has highlighted Finder as using hundreds of MBs of RAM, there is an easy solution: change the default display for a new Finder window so it doesn't show All My Files.
- Click on the Finder icon in the Dock and click on the Finder menu, then select Preferences
- Click on General. Under 'New Finder windows show', click the dropdown menu and choose any option except All My Files
- Close Preferences, press Alt-Control, and click on the Finder icon in the Dock. Click Relaunch
Finder will now relaunch with new windows opening at the option you selected in step two.
Improve Chrome's Task Manager
Chrome is a popular browser, but it's a resources hog! Chrome uses a GPU Process as standard, which means it speeds up the loading of web pages, which can be great except at times when your computer is struggling with insufficient RAM.
Here's how:
- Open Chrome on your Mac
- On the right side of the Chrome window, select the three-dot menu
- Select 'More tools'
- Select 'Task Manager'
- Select a Chrome process you'd like to kill
- Select 'End Process' at the bottom right of the window
Here's another way to reduce Chrome's use of your Mac's memory:
- Open Chrome on your Mac
- On the right side of the Chrome window, select the three-dot menu
- Select 'settings'
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and select 'advanced'
- Scroll down to 'System,' and toggle 'Use hardware acceleration when available' off
This will affect how Chrome runs on your Mac, and your experience won't be as smooth. You can also remove unused or unwanted Chrome extensions to help it use less resources on your Mac.
Get CMM X to free up space
Install CleanMyMac X and streamline the entire process of memory management on Mac. Clever memory usage control done for you.
Clean up browsers
In every browser you use regularly, there are always going to be extensions and popups that take up space and use RAM. You can manage each one manually, or use a tool such as CleanMyMac X to identify and delete them.
In the CleanMyMac X app is a section titled 'Extensions,' which lists each extension you have for your browser or browsers. All you have to do is view the list of extensions, select the ones you no longer want, and remove them. It's really that simple!
Disable login items
Login items, browser extensions, and preference panes, such as Flash, are another common source of memory usage. Most of us have several installed that we rarely use, but which hog memory and reduce performance.
One way to do this is through System Preferences:
- From your Mac menu bar, select 'System Preferences'
- Select 'Users & Groups'
- Select 'login items'
- Deselect items you no longer want active at login
Another way, one that is even quicker, is to employ CleanMyMac to identify and cleanup login items.
- Open CleanMyMac X
- Under 'Speed,' select 'Optimization'
- Select 'login items'
You can remove all login items, or select the ones you'd like to remove individually on the right side of the window.
Disable desktop widgets
Older Macs running a version of macOS older than Catalina can disable widgets. Desktop widgets can provide a useful shortcut to apps you need to access fairly often. But they can take up processing memory that is slowing your whole Mac down. One way to close them completely is in System Preferences.
Go to: Mission Control > switch off the Dashboard
Declutter your desktop
Apple's built in decluttering tool is handy for many. All you have to do on your cluttered desktop is right-click, then select 'Use Stacks.' This places all of your desktop files into folders unique to their filetype, like 'screenshots' and 'images.'
A better way is to use Spotless, an app that gives you far more control over how your Mac is organized. It has several triggers for automated cleanup of files on your desktop, placing them wherever you see fit. It's particularly useful for power users who produce several files daily, but don't want to take the time to place each in a respective folder.
You can also select many files on your Mac desktop, and tell Spotless to tidy them up. You always have full control!
Schedule regular cleanups
Constant use of your Mac, or leaving it on all the time, will slow it down over time. Shutting it down and restarting is a traditional way of 'cleaning up' a computer.
We also like CleanMyMac X's scheduled cleanup feature. Telling the app when you'd like to perform a thorough cleaning up of your Mac's system is a method many prefer to shutting down and restarting often. It has the upshot of removing files and folders you no longer use, and cleaning up tasks that are slowing your Mac down behind the scenes. A simple shutdown may not do this.
Keeping your Mac in tip-top shape is critical. While we'd all like to think computers are brilliant little devices that can handle anything, they need some care, too.
All of the apps mentioned in this article help with taking care of your Mac, and protecting your investment. Best of all they're each free as part of a seven day trial of Setapp. Give it a try today!
Meantime, prepare for all the awesome things you can do with Setapp.
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If you're plagued by the “Your system has run out of application memory' message or your Mac is suddenly acting slow and sluggish, you might be wondering how to check the memory on your Mac?
There is no denying MacBooks are powerful computers, but they do have limitations. Luckily, we can do plenty to resolve this issue and get your Mac running smoothly again.
Knowing how to reduce memory usage on your Mac is essential, so let's jump in and look at how we can check and reduce memory usage.
What is RAM?
RAM (Random Access Memory) is essentially your Macs short-term memory. It temporarily stores everything currently running in real-time on your device. RAM storage is considered volatile memory—when there's no power or every time you restart your Mac it gets cleared.
RAM vs Hard drive
Unlike your RAM storage, your hard drive is permanent storage; here you can store data for a long time.
When your Mac is using the majority of your available RAM, you might experience these issues:
Spinning beachball
Applications crashing
Low on memory message
Slow loading times
Read on to find out how to check and clear your Mac's memory.
Check your Mac memory usage
To check your RAM usage:
Open a Finder Window then Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor.
Now select the Memory tab.
Activity Monitor shows all of your processes and how much memory each one is taking up.
At the bottom is a little graphical representation and totals, but what does this all mean?
App memory: Memory being used by apps.
Wired memory: Memory used by the system to operate.
Compressed: Memory that has been compressed to make more RAM available.
Cached files: Memory you can really use.
Swap used: Memory used by macOS.
If the graph under memory pressure shows a lot of red and yellow, your Mac is struggling for free memory; I'll show you how to clear memory on your Mac in the next section.
To check your hard drive storage:
Go to Apple Menu > About This Mac > Storage.
Here you'll see a breakdown of your hard drive storage. If you are low on space, press the Manage button, here you'll find Apples built-in storage optimization tool.
It's worth checking out the recommendations. These are all easy to follow steps that can help you optimize your hard disk storage. You can easily navigate through all the folders in the sidebar to remove and delete any old or large files taking up precious space on your Mac.
If you’re looking for more detailed instructions on how to free up hard drive storage, check out our article.
How to free up RAM on Mac
Knowing how to clean up memory on Mac is essential, here are a few tips to keep your Mac optimized.
1. Restart your Mac
Sounds obvious, but since RAM is temporary memory when your Mac restarts, it will empty the RAM and any disk caches, so this is actually a pretty quick and easy way of cleaning up memory.
2. Check Activity Monitor
Check Activity Monitor, and close down applications that are using a lot of RAM. Here's how:
Open a Finder Window then Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor > Memory.
From the list, select any process or app that is hogging memory and press the “X” to close it.
3. Tidy your desktop
The more icons you have lying around on your desktop, the more memory is used. Take a look at what's sitting on your desktop right now and have a tidy up.
I use stacks to keep my desktop in order. The Stacks feature categorizes items and puts them together in neat little piles. Double click anywhere on your desktop, and select Use Stacks from the menu.
4. Clear up System Junk
To optimize the available RAM you do have, it's a good idea to clean up your system junk, like temporary files, cache and incomplete downloads or old logs. You can spend hours trawling through folders, or you can use a dedicated tool like CleanMyMac X, to do all the hard work for you, in just a few clicks. Bonus points for this app being notarized by Apple.
Here's how to clean your system junk with CleanMyMac X:
Launch the app — download the free version here.
Select System Junk from the left sidebar.
Press Scan, and then Clean.
5. Disable login items
Login items are another common source of memory usage. Unknowingly we can often have several installed that we rarely use, but they hog memory, here's how to check and remove:
How To Clear Memory In Macbook Pro
Select Apple Menu > System Preferences > Users & Groups.
Select your user profile and then select the Login Items tab.
Press the Lock icon at the bottom of the screen to make changes.
Remove any applications you no longer want to launch when your Mac starts: select them in the list and press the '-' button.
6. Use a Mac memory cleaner
If you're really low on RAM or don't fancy poking around in all your files and folders, it can only be easier to use a Mac memory cleaner.
Here are my 2 favorite cleaners:
I mentioned this app earlier, so you might not be surprised to see it at the top of my recommendation list. Not only can CleanMyMac X help you clear your system junk (and a whole lot more) but it also has a handy Free up RAM feature.
Once you have downloaded the app, and launched it once, select the CleanMyMac X icon from your top Apple menu bar.
Under Memory, press Free Up.
Sit back and enjoy all that extra RAM.
Memory Clean 2
MemoryClean 2 from Fiplab is super easy to use. Once downloaded, this app will purge your Mac's inactive memory.
Select the MemoryClean Icon from your top Apple menu bar.
Press Clean.
If you opt for another tool, always check reviews, and make sure it's a trusted source.
How To Clear Swap Memory In Mac
There we are, now you know how to check the memory on your Mac, how to clear it and use a Mac memory cleaner. See you back here soon, for more great tips.