How to Check Memory Usage in Activity Monitor on Mac

There are different inbuilt utilities and apps that can help you control system resources and boost your Mac’s performance. One such intuitive app is Activity Monitor which helps us a lot in resource management. Activity Monitor helps you check RAM usage on Mac and allows you to control the memory-hog apps.

If you have ever encountered any message for low memory on Mac, the first utility to check is the Activity Monitor to check Mac memory usage and manage apps.

You can also follow the best practices to reduce Mac memory usage and boost up system performance. Here are some of the best tips and tricks to Manage Mac Memory and overall Mac performance.

How to Check Mac Memory Usage

Activity Monitor is a wonderful utility to check CPU usage, Memory Usage, Energy consumption, Disk usage, and Network usage. You can find program details and memory usage to manage the memory and CPU usage.

It is a useful utility to find and troubleshoot performance-related issues. You can follow these steps to check Mac memory usage using the Activity Monitor utility.

Step 1. Access Activity Monitor –

You can access the Activity Monitor through the Applications folder from the Finder sidebar. Alternatively, you can also use the Spotlight utility (Cmd + Space) and search for the "Activity Monitor" utility.

Step 2. Navigate to the Memory Tab –

Once you reach the Activity Monitor window, you'll be on the CPU tab. Click on the "Memory" tab on the top to check RAM usage on Mac.

Step 3. Check Memory Usage –

The Memory tab provides insight into all the applications and processes that are utilizing your RAM. You will find a pictorial representation of the memory usage along with a legend clearly indicating Total Physical Memory, Memory Used, Cache Files, and Swap Used.

· Memory Pressure is the pictorial graph that gives you an overall view of your system's memory usage. If the bar is Green, it means you have an ample amount of Memory available, while yellow or red indicates that the memory usage is under higher pressure.

· Memory Used is the total memory used by all the applications and processes.

· App Memory indicates the total memory consumed by different apps and its bifurcation.

· Swap Used – is the total amount of disk memory usage when the RAM is running low on memory.

Step 4. Sort Applications by Memory Usage – Click on the Memory column next to the Process Name to identify applications that are consuming a significant amount of memory. This will sort all high-usage apps on the top for you to identify the pain area.

Step 5. Analyze Memory Usage – Scroll through and figure out apps that are consuming high memory usage. These are the memory hogs that you need to quit to fix memory-related issues.

What Can Boost My Mac Memory?

There are a few tips and tricks that can help you regain more power and fix memory-related issues. You can try these suggestions to help alleviate low memory issues on your Mac.

1. Close Unnecessary Applications

You can Quit unwanted apps that you're not actively using through the Activity Monitor window or the Task Manager. Open applications consume system resources, including RAM. Closing unnecessary apps will free up memory and boost performance.

2. Restart Your Mac

Frequently restarting your Mac can clear out temporary files and cache files. This process will also quit memory-hogging apps and free up system resources and boost overall performance.

3. Frequently Check Activity Monitor

The built-in Activity Monitor utility is the best method to keep a tap on the memory-hogging apps. You should frequently access this console and Quit Unwanted Apps to free up memory usage.

4. Reduce Startup Items

Whenever we install new applications, it gets listed in the Startup app list. Excessive Startup Items will utilize high memory usage during startup. You can access Startup Manager and disable unwanted apps from being loaded during the startup.

Go to System Preferences, select Users & Groups, and click on the Login Items button. Select unwanted apps and click on the Minus button to remove unnecessary applications from the list.

5. Clear Temporary Files

Temporary files can accumulate a lot of space in your storage which also impacts Mac memory usage. You can make use of the Best Mac Optimizers to quickly optimize and free up storage from unwanted cache, cookies, temp files, junk files, and other clutter.

6. Uninstall Unwanted Apps

Unwanted apps can be quickly removed to reclaim space and system resources including RAM. If you have not used an app for months, it is recommended to uninstall unwanted apps and free up system resources. You can get into the Applications folder, right-click on the app and select the ‘Move to Trash’ option. You can also drag and drop the app icon to Trash to remove the app from your Mac.

7. Monitor Browser Tabs and Extensions

Web browsers take up a lot of memory usage especially when there are multiple tabs open. All these active tabs keep on refreshing at a certain interval consuming memory usage. It is recommended to set up the browser to start where you left off and close the browser when not in use. This will save a lot of memory and system resources on your Mac.

8. Check for Software Updates

It is highly recommended to keep the MacOS and all other apps up to date. Always ensure to check for updates and install them as and when notified. An updated MacOS will always ensure that you get the optimum level of performance. Software updates will bring in new features, utilities, bug fixes, patches, and a lot more for better performance.

9. Upgrade Your RAM

If you have installed a lot of applications and consistently experience low memory issues, consider upgrading your Mac's RAM. Adding more RAM can significantly improve your Mac's performance and perform multitasking simultaneously.

Final Words

This article on how to check RAM usage on Mac has a step-by-step process to check Mac memory usage. You can optimize your Mac memory usage and boost performance to get the most out of your Mac. don’t miss out on the tips and tricks to boost Mac memory and keep your Mac as good as new. These steps can optimize your Mac and deliver the best performance.