How to Allocate More RAM to Minecraft

Even though Minecraft has quite a simplistic game design and graphics that aren’t too difficult for the average computer to handle, the game could still get a bit more intense, especially when there’s a lot happening in the background. That is why some players might start experiencing budding, glitches, crashes, or other problems that disrupt their gameplay.

Thankfully, the solution to this issue is surprisingly simple – all you truly need to do is allocate more RAM (Random Access Memory) to the Minecraft game. Here are some ways you could do just that, depending on the specific launcher you use:

Checking your PC’s RAM

Although Minecraft could theoretically run smoothly with less, it’s recommended to allocate at least 4GB (4096MB) of RAM to the game, for optimal gameplay.

But before you can do this, you first need to check how much memory your PC actually has, and whether enough RAM is available for allocation. Just follow the steps below:

  1. On your computer, load the Start menu.
  2. Press on Settings (gear icon) and then select the About option in the left banner.
  3. Under the Device Specifications section, find Installed RAM. Here, you will be able to see the exact amount of RAM your computer has.

Allocating more memory to Minecraft

Once you’ve ensured that your computer has enough necessary memory, you could now begin to allocate more of it to Minecraft, depending on the specific launcher you’re currently using. Here’s how to do it:

Default Minecraft Launcher

  1. Load the Launcher, and choose which game edition you’d like to play (Java or Bedrock).
  2. In the upper part of the window, click on Installations.
  3. Locate your preferred Minecraft edition or profile, and hover your mouse over it.
  4. Press on the three horizontal dots that appear, and then press Edit. A new edit page will then appear.
  5. Here, press on More Options, and find the JVM Arguments section.
  6. Under this section, switch the -Xmx#G with the exact number of RAM you want to give to Minecraft (for example: -Xmx4G).
  7. Finally, press Save to finish.

ATLauncher

  1. Load the Launcher, and press on Settings.
  2. In the upper part of the window, press on Java/Minecraft. Here, you will notice different options for memory settings.
  3. In the Maximum Memory/RAM section, enter your preferred RAM number, or press the arrows to adjust it.
  4. Finally, press Save to finish.

Twitch (Curse) Launcher

  1. Load the Launcher, and press the small arrow in the upper-right part of the window. Here, press on Settings.
  2. On the following screen, press the Minecraft option in the upper part of the window.
  3. In the Java Settings segment, search for the Allocated Memory setting.
  4. Then, simply move the provided slider to your preferred RAM amount.

Technic Launcher

  1. Load the Launcher, and then press on Launcher Options in the upper-right part of the window.
  2. Here, press on Java Settings.
  3. In the Memory segment, simply choose your preferred RAM number.

And there you have it! With this helpful guide above, you can easily allocate more memory to Minecraft, allowing you to achieve better and smoother game performance overall.