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If you are trying to figure out whether your Mac can handle a new app, a bigger project, or just more browser tabs, the first number you want is how much RAM it has. Apple tucks it into one screen, and it takes about three clicks to get there. Here is where to look.
Open About This Mac
Everything you need lives in one window. To get there:
- Click the Apple logo in the top left corner of your screen.
- Choose About This Mac from the menu that drops down.
A small window opens with a quick overview of your machine.
Find the memory line
Look right in the middle of that window. You will see a line labeled Memory, and next to it is your total amount of RAM (for example, 8 GB or 16 GB). That number is what apps and macOS have to work with at any given moment.
A few extra tips
A couple of things worth knowing once you have that number:
- On Apple Silicon Macs (M1 and later), RAM is built into the chip and cannot be upgraded later, so the amount you see is the amount you are stuck with.
- If you want to see how that memory is actually being used, open Activity Monitor and click the Memory tab. That shows you what is eating your RAM in real time.
