This wikiHow teaches you how to check the status of a Mac's RAM usage by active applications, programs, and processes.
Steps
Step 1. Open a new Finder window
Click the blue stylized face icon visible within the System Dock.
Step 2. Click on Applications
It is one of the options listed within the left sidebar of the Finder window.
Step 3. Go to the "Utilities" folder
It features a blue icon of a screwdriver and wrench. It is located at the bottom of the "Applications" folder.
Step 4. Double-click the Activity Monitor icon
It is characterized by a cardiogram.
Step 5. Go to the Memory tab
It is located at the top of the window next to the "CPU" tab.
Step 6. Check the "Memory Pressure" graph
It is located in the lower central part of the "Activity Monitor" window.
- If the graph is green, it means that the Mac has an adequate amount of memory available;
- If the graph is yellow, it means that the Mac is using a considerable amount of RAM;
- If the graph is red, it means that the amount of available RAM is almost exhausted. In this case you will need to close one or more running applications (or programs). If this happens often, consider installing an additional RAM module on your Mac.
Advice
Here is a list of the most important information listed within the "Activity Monitor" window:
- Physical Memory: represents the total amount of RAM installed in the Mac;
- Memory used: is the total amount of RAM memory currently used;
- Cache: it is the memory used recently by applications and running programs;
- Exchange space used: is the amount of RAM used by the operating system to manage running applications;
- Memory App: is the total amount of RAM memory currently used by apps and related processes;
- Wired memory: is the amount of RAM reserved exclusively for individual applications and which cannot be compressed or used by other processes;
- Compressed Memory: is the amount of memory that is compressed to make more RAM available to other active processes.
