Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 5: Windows
• Using the task manager
• Windows Resource Monitor
• Method 2 of 5: Mac OS X
• Method 3 of 5: Unity
• Method 4 of 5: KDE
• Method 5 of 5: Terminal
• Tips
• Warnings

If your computer is running slowly, it might be due to a lack of memory. Through this helpful article, you will learn how to check the amount of memory your computer is using.

Steps

Method 1 of 5: Windows

Using the task manager

1. 1 Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Del and then click "Task Manager".
2. 2 In Task Manager, select the Performance tab. If you are using Windows 8 or higher, you may need to click the More button to see the Performance tab.
3. 3 Click on "Memory". Memory usage graphs appear. Here you can watch its use. More complex graphs can be seen in the resource monitor.

Windows Resource Monitor

1. 1 Click on the Start button or the Windows key to open the Start Screen or Start Menu.
2. 2 Enter "Resource Monitor".
3. 3 Select Resource Monitor from the list of results.
4. 4 Click on the "Memory" tab. Several graphs will open that show you exactly how your computer's memory is being used. Here you can learn more about each process that consumes memory.

Method 2 of 5: Mac OS X

1. 1 Open System Monitor. The shortcut for the program is located in the Others folder in Launchpad.
2. 2 Select the "Memory" tab. A list of processes that are currently using RAM will open.
3. 3 Track memory usage. Here you will find an abundance of graphs and information, updated in real time.

Method 3 of 5: Unity

1. 1 Open "Search". This can be done by clicking on the OS or Home button - depending on the version.
2. 2 Find "Performance Monitor".
3. 3 Click on "Gnome Performance Monitor" or "Performance Monitor".
4. 4 To see the current memory usage, click on the Resources tab.

Method 4 of 5: KDE

1. 1 Open "Search". Search functions may differ from version to version of KDE, but often (search) can be found on the desktop.
2. 2 Lead 'ksysguard'. Click on the first result.
3. 3 Use this utility to monitor your computer's performance and memory usage.

Method 5 of 5: Terminal

1. 1 Open a Linux terminal. This can be done using search or the key combination ctrl + alt + f1.
2. 2 Enter 'vmstat -s'.Information about the current consumption of RAM will open.
3. 3 Track how your computer uses memory.

Tips

• If you prefer a more colorful interface, you can download a third-party GUI for Linux.
• Resource Monitor in Windows can also be opened via a link in Task Manager under the Performance tab.
• Linux monitoring tools can be started manually by using the Alt + f2 key combination and typing a program name and then pressing Enter.
• If you use Resource Monitor frequently, create a shortcut for it on your Desktop.

Warnings

• If you suspect that a process is using too much memory, run an antivirus scan.
• Only terminate processes when you are sure that they are not systemic. It is very easy to irreparably damage the files used to start the operating system.