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How to check how much RAM you have

Knowing how much random-access memory, or RAM, that your PC has is important for a number of reasons. First, you want to be sure you have enough RAM for your needs. Second, you might want to install a particular application that has a specific recommendation for the amount of RAM it needs to run smoothly.

The great thing is that it's extremely easy to find out how much RAM your PC has without cracking open the case. Here's how.

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

5 minutes

What You Need

How to check how much RAM you have in Windows 10 and 11

In Windows 10 and 11, finding out how much RAM you need is a simple task requiring just a few easy steps.

Note: The screenshots below are for Windows 11, and though Windows 10 looks different, the steps are identical.

Step 1: Open the Settings app. The easiest way is to right-click on the Windows icon and select Settings.

Opening the Settings app in Windows 11.
Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Step 2: In the Settings app, select System then navigate to the bottom and select About.

Opening Settings > About in Windows 11.
Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Step 3: You'll find your installed RAM listed under Device Specifications.

System > About information in Windows 11.
Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

How to check how much RAM you have in MacOS

MacOS also makes it easy to see how much RAM you have.

Step 1: Click the Apple menu and select About This Mac.

Selecting About This Mac in Mac OS.
Luke Larsen/Digital Trends

Step 2: The Overview tab should be selected by default. The amount of installed RAM will be displayed next to Memory.

System overview information in Mac OS.
Luke Larsen/Digital Trends

How to check how much RAM you have in Chrome OS

Checking how much RAM your PC has in Chrome OS is a little less straightforward, but still easy enough.

Step 1: Open the Chrome browser and type "chrome://system" in the search bar. Select Enter.

Opening system info in Chrome OS.
Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Step 2: Scroll down to meminfo in the list. Select the Expand button.

Navigate to meminfo in Chrome OS.
Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Step 3: The amount of RAM in your PC will be listed next to MemTotal, in kilobytes (kB). Divide by 1,048,576 to get the amount in gigabytes (GB) that's not being used by the Chrome OS system, then round up to get the amount of installed RAM. For example, the Chromebook used in this how-to shows 16248736kB. When divided by 1,048,567, the result is 15.59GB. Round that up to 16GB, which is the amount I already know is installed in the laptop.

how to check much ram you have expand mem info
Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

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