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Sep 21, 2017 The system aggressively preloads stuff into RAM trying to guess what you will do next, so that these things are already loaded. RAM is an always-on thing, so you don't want it to be wasted idling. What the Mac does it trying to use as much of it as possible to improve your user experience.
- Dec 29, 2017 The more your Mac has to resort to virtual memory, the less well it will perform. And while the best solution is, if you can, to add more RAM, there are plenty of things you can do to reduce memory usage on your Mac. Before you can identify which apps are causing problems, you need to know what is taking up so much CPU memory.
- Apple Books is the single destination for all the books you love, and the ones you’re about to. Browse the Book Store, join Oprah’s new Book Club, keep track of what you’ve read and want to read, and listen to enthralling audiobooks. All in one place.
- The utility cocktail (and probably others) have an option to Purge inactive memory and optimize virtual page usage which seems to have the same effect. I think there's been some debate around this, but personally I don't understand why the memory manager keeps so much inactive memory unavailable while the system starts swapping.
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.
- Tips to reduce high memory usage manually
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.
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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.
Tips to reduce high memory usage manually
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 ways to limit memory usage 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.
![Much Much](/uploads/1/2/6/4/126455964/801385709.jpg)
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!
There is a never-ending debate as to whether Macs are “better” than PC’s. “Better” is of course a subjective term; for instance, while Macs are generally acknowledged to be easier to use, if you’re a long-time Windows user the first time you sit in front of a Mac, it certainly won’t seem that way.
Why Does Mac Books App Use So Much Memory Mean
In any case, here follows a list of differentiators… if nothing else, these are reasonable arguments as to why you should consider buying a Mac.
1. Macs are actually cheaper in the long run
Sure, you can buy a Windows PC for fewer up-front dollars. But the true cost of ownership should be calculated based on not only the acquisition cost, but the residual value after you sell it or trade it in. It’s the difference between those two numbers that really tells you what your computer costs to own. When you calculate the cost of ownership in that way, Macs win easily. All you have to do is compare the value of a Windows PC from, say, three years ago (which is often close to zero), and compare that to what you can get for your 3-year-old Mac. It’s virtually always no contest.
2. Macs are much easier to buy
We tried shopping for a PC just to compare, and after about 15 minutes our eyes glazed over. When you have so many choices, not only of manufacturers, but bells and whistles and speeds and sizes, it’s almost impossible to know whether you’re getting the right, or best, deal. With the Mac, it’s much easier to narrow down your search quickly, PLUS, be assured you’re getting a well-made and well-respected product, included being loaded with a whole bunch of great software you’d have to buy extra on a PC. On top of all that, there’s no equivalent to PowerMax in the PC world. Our friendly and expert staff is happy to help you through the entire process.
Note: We received a message from someone who took umbrage at the above, saying he thought it was “incredibly ignorant.” We responded with the following, which may or may not appease those of you who share that opinion, but it is our opinion and we’re sticking by it:
Simplicity isn’t for everyone, of course, and many IT professionals and computer geeks will look at the plethora of options available in the Windows world and not only not be fazed by them, but delight in the choices. Those same people often get frustrated that if you want to run the Mac OS, your choices are essentially limited to Apple, and then the limited choices they give you within that. But it sure makes it easier “for the rest of us” to make a decision, which is why we entitled that paragraph: “Macs are much easier to buy.” Obviously, with either, you can just see one and click “buy,” but with a PC, you’ll never be sure whether Samsung or Dell or HP or Acer or Toshiba or who knows how many other brands to choose from was the “best” one, all with their different video cards and storage options and screen sizes, not to mention the presumed or expected quality. That’s a lot of choices, and that makes it harder. That’s all we’re saying.
3. In general, when Apple makes assumptions with its software, it gets it right, Microsoft often gets it wrong
Surely this is subjective, but when you run Microsoft’s software, even on a Mac, it loves to run interference, making assumptions as to what you’re doing and trying to stay a step ahead. Most often, however, it just gets annoying. For instance, by default, if you type a “1)” in Entourage or Word, suddenly the next paragraph automatically starts with a “2)” even if you don’t want it. Most people spend more time undoing the presumptions than benefitting by them… Microsoft is just horrible at getting in the way.
4. Viruses
While this has changed just a little as Apple has gained ground on Microsoft, Mac users are still living in relative bliss with the lack of viruses, spyware and malware. We’re not saying they can’t get them, but it’s just far less of a problem for Mac users than it is for Windows users.
5. Time Machine and the Cloud
Not nearly enough people back up their hard drives (because it should be everyone), but Apple’s Time Machine makes it so elegant and simple that all you really need to do is hook up a drive and turn Time Machine on. And it’s not just a back-up, but you can go back in time to find a document you deleted. Apple is further assisting with backing up with the utilization of iCloud, something especially appreciated in this age of people using multiple devices, such as the iPhone and iPad.
6. When something goes wrong…
Microsoft makes the software. Dell, or Sony, or HP, or seemingly a million other manufacturers, make the Windows PC. Then you have third-party drivers and whatever else for all the peripherals. When you have a problem, everyone points a finger at everyone else. With the Mac, the issue rests more often just with Apple. Of course, any customer of PowerMax who has ever had a question or problem can attest to the friendly expertise we also provide to help sort it all out for them as well.
7. Apple makes upgrading its OS simple, Microsoft still keeps it complicated
Apple smoothly transitions its customers to its latest OS for free. Windows can’t even use a consistent naming scheme: the versions include: 7, 8, XP, Vista, CE, NT, 98, 2000. The best we can say about that is that their scattered approach to naming matches their scattered approach to their OS.
8. Microsoft is for people who love tinkering with computers, Apple is for people who just want to get their work done
What’s pretty much true is that the back-end, server-infrastructure kinds of things is well-handled by Microsoft, because it’s in the “land of the geeks,” who love to dig into the machinery and tinker with all the settings and understand all the acronyms. Those kind of people like Windows on the front end as well because they understand all the crazy intricacies and complications of the computer system. Apple isn’t nearly as big in the IT world, and that’s okay, because its front end user interface for “the rest of us” doesn’t require us to be computer whizzes to get things done.
9. Let’s face it, Apple understands style
Why Does Mac Books App Use So Much Memory Card
While there are a zillion different styles of PC out there, pretty much everyone agrees that the style, elegance, and just plain “hipness” of the Mac has yet to be beat. They just look cool. Most importantly, because they can stay out of the “I can make it cheaper” fray in the PC world, Apple’s quality is second-to-none.
![Books Books](/uploads/1/2/6/4/126455964/709875590.jpg)
Why Does Mac Books App Use So Much Memory Free
10. You can run Windows on a Mac anyway, so why not get the best of both worlds?
Why Does Mac Books App Use So Much Memory Without
Apple allows Windows to be installed via its own Boot Camp, or you can use a third-party virtualization program, such as Parallels, VMWare Fusion or VirtualBox. So why not both save money in the long run and have access to virtually any desktop software you want?