Random Access Memory (RAM) is the basic necessity for running your computing units. However, purchasing new and better RAM modules can be expensive, and therefore, lowering the RAM usage is the best move to go for.
There are many ways to decrease your RAM usage, and the most common method is ending unnecessary background processes. You can also install third-party RAM management software.
The more free RAM you have, the better your computer’s performance because an application can run more smoothly if it has a broader space.
This guide will show you ways to reduce your computer’s RAM usage. The steps are pretty easy to understand, so follow along.
Lowering RAM Usage on a PC
Your PC requires at least 8 GB of RAM to run smoothly. However, the optimization processes depend on your PC usage requirements. It might be time for newer and faster RAM modules if your computer isn’t running well even after the optimization.
There are multiple ways to approach this issue, and we’ve listed the best ones for you below.
Method #1: Ending Background Tasks
The quickest solution is to end needless tasks to save memory usage. This method works on every PC but can be inadequate in specific scenarios. Here is how you can end background tasks based on your operating system.
Follow these steps for Windows.
- Search and click “Task Manager” from the Start menu.
- Select the program consuming a lot of RAM by looking at the “RAM Usage” column.
- Press “End Task” to finish.
Refrain from touching core system processes to prevent system crashes.
Follow these steps for macOS.
- Press Cmd + Spacebar to open Spotlight Search.
- Type “Activity Monitor” and launch.
- Select unneeded and demanding tasks, then hit the “Stop” button.
Follow these steps for Linux.
- Use the
killcommand in the terminal along with the PID of an application. - Select and type in a SIGTERM from the list below.
| Termination Signals | Description |
| SIGINT (2) | Does not end the process. |
| SIGQUIT (3) | Produces a core dump while not ending the process. |
| SIGKILL(9) | Forcefully terminates a program. |
| SIGTERM(13) | Terminates a program after waiting for it to shut down. |
Ending an OS-related task can cause your PC to behave erratically, resulting in the loss of essential data. Therefore, it’s recommended to only tinker with third-party applications that do not impact your OS.
Method #2: Uninstall Needless Utilities
Specific applications and utilities can be a severe bottleneck for effective RAM allocation.
For example, you might notice Google Chrome eating more RAM than most of your system tasks. Also, certain antiviruses can burden your system, making them detrimental to your computer. Here is how you can uninstall different utilities according to your OS.
Follow these steps for Windows.
- Launch Settings by pressing the cog icon in the Start menu.
- Sel “Apps” and locate the application you want to delete.
- Double-click the app to open its Uninstall program.
Follow these steps for macOS.
- Open Finder and locate the application you want to uninstall.
- Drag it to the Trash.
For Linux, open the terminal and enter the command below.sudo apt-get --purge remove {Package Name}
Most unnecessary apps tend to run in the background. While the individual resource isn’t that high, they can still sum up to become taxing.
You can identify resource-hungry applications by accessing the activity monitor on your respective OS. While the name might differ, their functionality is relatively identical.
Lowering RAM Usage on Mobile Phones
Unlike the hyper-professional operating platforms available on a PC, reducing RAM usage on mobile phones is linear. Here is how you can achieve optimal RAM usage on your phone.
Reducing RAM Usage on Android
While the Android system is intelligent enough to manage its RAM capacity, some applications still tend to go overboard because of the so-called “speed enhancer” utilities. Therefore, you’re better off uninstalling them for good.
Here are the steps to reduce RAM usage on Android.
- From the home screen, navigate to Google Play Store.
- Tap the Profile icon and head to “Manage Apps & Devices“.
- Select the unneeded applications and press “Uninstall“.
Reducing RAM Usage on iOS
Unlike Android, iOS does not need any background process optimization to preserve RAM. The process is relatively autonomous, so that simple restarts can do the trick. Still, you can make everything less taxing by keeping the minimum possible on your phone.
You will need to delete unnecessary applications. Here is how to uninstall applications on iOS.
- Press and hold the applications you want to delete from the home screen.
- Press the cross sign (x) that appears on the application.
- Tap “Yes” to the uninstall confirmation prompt.
Conclusion
Lowering your RAM usage is the way to go if you want to get the most out of your computer. The processes of achieving that differ according to the platform. Luckily, the methods are not hard to understand.
