How to increase RAM on your Android phone

How to increase RAM on your Android phone

Smartphone memory is the most important element. It is where the necessary files for the functioning of the device and solving various tasks of the user are stored. In today's mobile gadget manufacturers are expanding not only the amount of storage, which contains applications, music, video, images, etc. Along with this the developers are trying to increase the RAM. It really turns out to be insufficient, although at the first time of using a new smartphone it is problematic to notice. In this article we will examine in detail two points: how to increase the RAM on your Android phone and why you need to do it at all.

What is RAM?

The phrase "RAM" or "RAM" (simply put - "RAM") users hear quite often. However, this term is known only to a few.

RAM is short-term digital storage. Mobile gadgets use it to store the data of the applications currently in use. In addition, RAM is used by the processor and the operating system kernel to perform its own functions.


RAM stands for RAM, while in a foreign language RAM stands for Random Access Memory, also referring to the operating memory.

When any program is started, the data necessary for its operation goes into the operating memory. This is how the operating system analyzes them, after which the information is displayed in the form of a user-accessible image. This process takes a few seconds, so users do not even think about the fact that their devices are doing a tremendous amount of work.

How a modern smartphone uses RAM

RAM is used for storage of running utilities data. And the larger it is, the more applications will be able to run in the background, preserving the performance of the device. However, even here there are certain nuances.

So, let's deal with the processes where RAM plays a role during the first run:

  1. Virtual elements. Modern gadgets contain "pseudo files". They are created at boot time and contain unnecessary information (battery level, processor speed data). These items are located in the /proc directoryand there is always room for them in RAM.
  2. Graphics processor. In order for the graphics chip to function properly, the smartphone needs memory (VRAM). And since embedded GPUs do not have a separate VRAM, they also use the "operating system".
  3. Core. Android-based devices run on top of the Linux kernel, which is stored in a file that is retrieved from the operating memory when the phone is turned on. Thus, the reserved memory holds the drivers, the kernel and its modules that control the hardware, as well as space for caching items in and out of the kernel.
  4. Communication and Information. The necessary data about the serial number and other identifying codes of the gadget are also stored in a separate memory section. NVRAM. It acts as a non-volatile memory and is not deleted when the phone is turned off. However, this data is transferred to RAM along with the software, which is required to support the modem when the device is turned on.

Only after these processes on the mobile device remains memory, which will be used to work and run programs. At the same time it is worth considering the fact that some manufacturers equip their products with additional shells. They are installed on top of the Android OS and may contain third-party processes, which also require reserved space in RAM.


In most cases, 1 GB of RAM is allocated for internal processes, while the rest is designed for applications.

Ways to expand RAM on Android

There is no need to run around the stores looking for a model with expanded RAM in order to get a fast device. Increasing its capacity is quite realistic by your own efforts. Let's look at the most common and effective ways below.

Manual memory cleanup

First of all, it is recommended to try to increase the free RAM on Android manually. Optimization of RAM is necessary for smartphones, as they do not have the option to install additional cards, as it is done with PCs.

Cleaning of the "operative memory" is made at the expense of Close unused programs. This is done in the following way:

  1. Open the menu of running applications (by swiping up from the bottom or by pressing the corresponding button).
  2. Click "Close All" or the "X" icon, or close individual applications (by pulling the corresponding tab up or sideways).

How to increase RAM on your Android phone

This procedure takes only a few seconds. It is recommended to perform it regularly, without leaving dozens of programs active.

Working with applications

Speaking of whether it is possible to increase the amount of RAM, there is another important nuance. The fact is that there are a number of applications that do not appear in the list of running applications, but actively use RAM. By disabling or removing them, an increase in the so-called "operative memory" may not be necessary.

Increasing the RAM in this case is done as follows:

  1. Go to your smartphone settings and open the apps section.
  2. Click on the working utilities item (the programs that are currently using "RAM" will be displayed).
  3. Select any of the applications and press the "Stop" button.

How to increase RAM on your Android phone

Doing the above steps, the utility will pause until the next time it runs. This is a good way to save RAM and allow the smartphone to respond faster to user commands.

If the list of working applications contains applications that the user does not need at all, it is recommended to remove them. The need for such a procedure is due to the probability that there is an option to autorun separate software, which causes the RAM to be loaded without the user's knowledge.


Before uninstalling system applications, we recommend that you read our instructions, "How to uninstall system apps on Android".

Using third-party programs

Manual optimization does not always give the desired result. Therefore, the user is offered the opportunity to try cleaning Android RAM with third-party software. To date, there are quite a few utilities available in the official Play Market store that allow you to remove unnecessary items.

The following programs are among the leaders:

  1. Clean Master.
  2. Phone Cleaner.
  3. CCleaner.
  4. OneBooster.

This list, of course, is not exhaustive. These and many other applications allow you to clean the garbage that has accumulated in the smartphone memory and interferes with its full functionality. Some utilities offer separate removal of unnecessary items just from the RAM. In addition, with the help of such software, it is recommended to regularly perform acceleration and cooling functions. They really give a positive result, ensuring the performance of the gadget.

Virtual RAM technology

After reviewing the options for clearing RAM, users are unlikely to be aware of the RAM expansion. The above methods provide free RAM space only temporarily. However, there is a unique technology that allows you to truly increase the amount of memory. This procedure began to be used on smartphones after its successful implementation on computers and laptops, so you should not be afraid of it.


Virtual RAM does not require intervention in the hardware of the smartphone.

The principle of the technology is to internal permanent memory partitioning. Its part starts to be used in the form of additional RAM. As a result, the amount of RAM increases, and the permanent memory becomes smaller.

As an illustrative example Let's take the following situation: the smartphone has 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of permanent memory. The user adds 5 GB of virtual "RAM", as a result getting as much as 11 GB of RAM and reducing ROM (internal permanent memory) to 59 GB.

Additional RAM is usually needed for entry-level gadgets, as well as older models with 16 GB or 32 GB drives. In such cases, reducing the internal permanent memory (ROM) will leave a minimum of free space for common applications, multimedia and other files.

Job Features

Virtual memory augmentation has a number of significant advantages. When users wonder what to do if there is not enough RAM on their device, they rarely trust Virtual RAM. This is due to ignorance of all the features of this technology. In fact, it does not impair the performance of the smartphone in any way, but rather provides undeniable benefits.

The virtual RAM enlargement procedure improves multitasking stabilitywhich is especially important for low-cost smartphones. The additional memory is good because, unlike the main memory, it is able to hold individual utilities longer while filling the second one. The operating system automatically distributes programs between the virtual and main memory. And it is due to this that the gadget will not "slow down" even in the case of simultaneous launch of several applications.

However, there is a downside. Virtual RAM is ideal for notes, messages, calendar and other simple programs. As for games and more demanding utilities, it is not recommended to put them in permanent memory. The reason for this is simple - the extension simply can not cope with them as well as the main RAM.

Thus, the virtual operating memory allows you to hold a larger number of utilities. Of course, in this case it is not advisable to count on a large increase in smartphone performance. But this technology still significantly accelerates the work of the mobile device and improves multitasking.

Turning on the function

There is a lot of work to be done if you want to use the Virtual RAM technology. Previously, third-party software was used to enable it, such as ROEHSOFT RAM Expander etc. However, such utilities require root rights, which not all users have.

Therefore, it is best to use the standard features of the device to expand RAM. Nowadays, manufacturers independently distribute this feature through OTA updates. It is not available on all smartphones. But it is possible to check the availability of the option through the usual settings of the mobile gadget - in the latest versions of updates this item appeared separately.


Today, Virtual RAM is already available in some smartphones Oppo, Realme, Samsung, ZTE, Xiaomi et al.

About the availability of virtual RAM expansion is worth finding out from the manufacturer of the smartphone, specifying a particular model. According to the developers, there is a high probability of the absence of such updates in a number of previously released devices.

Video tutorial

FAQ

Q: How do I view free RAM?
First of all, you will need to enable developer mode. To do this, you need to go to "About phone" in the settings of the gadget, and then click on the build number 5-7 times. Next, you will need to go to the "For developers" and go to the tab "Memory". The easiest way to find the necessary tab is through the usual search in the smartphone settings.

Question: Why expand the "RAM"?
This is necessary to speed up the operation of the gadget. The more free RAM your phone has, the faster your smartphone will run. The more free RAM space your smartphone has, the faster it will run.

Question: Is it possible to completely free up RAM capacity?
Yes, it's true - only when you turn off the smartphone. In this case it is worth remembering that the subsequent switching on the device will automatically begin to fill the "RAM". And this happens because of the start of the software operation.

Increasing the RAM on your mobile gadget is a must for every user. Due to the active use of the phone, over time it begins to "slow down". As a consequence, the owners of the devices lose the ability to fully use the available functions. Our article will certainly help users who are really interested in the question: how to solve the problem if the Android hangs? In addition, to cope with the task of expanding the RAM is not difficult at all, however, a lot of time will have to be spent on it.