macOS is based on Unix, which means its memory management is very powerful. However, it is not perfect, so you may still see an error message telling you "Your system has run out of application memory." What does this mean and why does it happen? We will explain the cause of the error and how to solve it.
What does "Your system has run out of application memory" mean?
macOS stores data for active processes in RAM. If there is not enough space in RAM, macOS will start to store data on the primary boot drive and exchange data between it and RAM as needed. This is called virtual memory. Therefore, it is a good rule of thumb that there should always be considerable free space on the boot drive-10%. If there is not enough space on the startup drive to store the temporary files of the application, an error message will be displayed to inform you that the system's application memory is exhausted.
Why does it happen?
Although there are many reasons for this error message, as we said, macOS has very good memory management, so if you see this message, you should take action.
The reasons include:
- Insufficient disk space on the boot drive
- Open many applications at the same time
- Open many browser tabs
- Application "occupies" memory
The best way to avoid seeing error messages is to ensure that as much disk space as possible is reserved on the boot drive. The easiest way is to run CleanMyMac X's system junk module regularly. This handy tool allows you to easily identify and delete various junk files. This includes temporary files that should be deleted, but files and old logs are not cached. Just a few clicks, you can quickly release a few gigabytes of space.
You can also solve this problem in other ways.
1. Restart the Mac
This is the first thing you should try. Restarting the Mac will clear the cache and other temporary files, and refund the disk space used as virtual memory.
2. Update macOS
Whenever you encounter a problem on your Mac, it is best to check if an update is available, in case the problem is a bug and there is a fix for this problem in the update.
- Click the Apple menu and select About This Mac.
- Select software update.
- If an update is available, follow the instructions on the screen to install it.
3. Use Apple's storage management
Apple provides some useful tools to help you manage the space on the startup drive.
- Click the Apple menu and select About This Mac.
- Select the Storage tab.
- Press management.
- Select "Recommendations" and you will see a list of actions that Apple recommends to free up storage space. Identify the recommendations you want to take and follow the instructions.
4. Update the app
As with macOS, there may be an error in one or more of the applications you are running that causes it to take up memory. You should check if updates are available for these applications. For applications downloaded from the App Store, you can do it on the Store. For other apps, click the app name in the upper left corner of the screen (there should be a "check for updates" option).
5. Close the apps you don’t use
When apps are not in use, letting them run in the background consumes a lot of virtual memory. It is best to exit the application when you stop using it. Press Option-Command-Esc to open the "Force Quit" menu. If you are not currently using some programs, please exit them.
6. Close the browser tab
Modern web browsers can open many tabs at the same time, so much so that many of us open many tabs all day long. Then we want to know why our Mac is running slowly. Keeping the tabs open means that they will be updated in the background, which consumes memory and other system resources. The bookmark tags you use frequently, and then close them when you are done using them.
How to use Activity Monitor to check memory on Mac
If you have completed all the steps above and still receive the same error message, you need to do some detective work to find the source of the problem. macOS provides a great tool for this task-Activity Monitor. It allows you to view all the processes currently running on your Mac and list them based on the system resources (including RAM) they consume. This way, you can see which processes are occupying memory and may cause error messages, and then exit them.
- Go to Applications>Utilities and start Activity Monitor.
- Click the "Memory" tab to see a list of processes that consume memory, including application and browser tabs.
- Select a process or application and click the "X" symbol to close it.
7. View browser extensions
Outdated or wrong browser extensions can be another cause of Mac memory issues and can lead to the same error message. Look at the extensions in each web browser you use and determine whether to use them, or whether you can disable or delete them.
In Safari, you can find extensions in "Preferences"> "Extensions". In Chrome, you can access them by typing chrome://extensions in the address bar.
8. Uninstall the application
Some applications take up gigabytes of space on the Mac, so if you don’t use them, you can uninstall them.
9. Install more RAM
The last resort, and the most expensive option, is to install more RAM on the Mac if possible. Having more physical memory will mean that macOS needs to use less boot drives to store swap files. However, not all Macs can upgrade RAM after purchase. For those Macs, it usually means going to an Apple Store or an authorized service center.
There are many reasons why you may see an error message telling you that your system has run out of application memory. But they all point to the same thing-insufficient space on the boot drive. Therefore, the simplest solution is to free up more space. However, you should follow the steps above to determine if the problematic application is taking up too much memory.