How do I free up RAM on an Apple MacBook Air?

OK, scant49.

First off, this sounds truly odd that some software, running within a web-browser, is going to tell you anything about how much RAM your system is running.

However, it could determine whether your browser will permit that website to use as much local storage (memory and drive) as the site “thinks” it might need.

However, there are some recommendations:

1. Make sure your Google Chrome is the most up-to-date version!
2. Don’t run any other programs besides Google Chrome.
3. Use a single browser window, with no other tabs open.
4. Remove all browser extensions from Google Chrome.
5. Remove all system extensions from your Mac.
6. Have Google Chrome Clear its History and Cache and Cookies—Clear it all! (You can also try running it in Private mode [private window], though the “proctorU” might not like that.)
7. It might even help to run in Safe Mode (that will require a reboot), because that prevents third-party extensions from running. (It will take significantly longer to boot up, because it runs an entire disk check in the process.)

If this still “fails”, use Activity Monitor (Launchpad -> Other -> Activity Monitor), with the View set to All Processes, to see if there are other, background, processes using significant Memory.

Please let us know how this goes.

RAM is Random Access Memory in your MacBook Air. It is used dynamically by your MacBook. Your MacBook Air uses RAM as necessary and releases RAM as necessary to keep your operations efficient. There is no manual intervention necessary to free up RAM. You can always close any open apps that you are not using to free up some RAM. You can reboot your MacBook Air and that will clear up some RAM. In the end, it is a dynamic process.

Axel F.

What is this “test”, scant49, that you ran to «test for ability to take test system comes up short on RAM»?

With Virtual Memory (VM), programs take up “swap” space (on your disk) in addition to part of your RAM.

I routinely run programs that report they are taking tens or even about a hundred GB of VM, on my Mac with only 8 GB RAM.

I haven’t understood any obsession over RAM—especially “free” RAM—since the ‘90s!

(The first computer I bought, for myself, had only 8 MB of RAM, and, because of VM, I never had a problem, until my “swap” space grew to about 100 MB.

Of course, these days, software take up more space, but we still use VM to accommodate such!)

So. What difficulty are you actually having?

By the way, what are «chrome cpus»?

There’s Google Chrome, which is an Internet web-browser.

There are ChromeBooks, which run a Google Operating System (OS).

Google doesn’t make their own Central Processing Units (CPUs), so far as I know.

scant, I am having the same issue with MBA 2020, 8G ram, chrome and proctoru equipment test. the only thing I have found that helps so far is I clear all history, force quit apps (like activity monitor) and reboot. log into proctoru, do test and it will pass the first time. I have to repeat the process to pass again.

I also cleared all history from safari and firefox.

school starts today and I'm pretty stressed. he may have to take proctoru exams on another computer (windows) that has 20G of ram.

Did anybody find a resolution to this problem? I Need to use ProctorU in 2 weeks and its hit and miss as to whether the Mac is using too much RAM or not! Crazy when I can run multiple programs without an issue.

Did anybody try Firefox rather than chrome?

I have the same issue with proctoru and a brand new macbook pro, that i just bought because proctoru doesnt work with chromebook. the irony is that i installed chrome on my new mac didnt work, i tried firefox doesnt work. I rebooted, restated and had help from apple and procotor u and they cant figure it out either 😔

esme281 wrote:

I have the same issue with proctoru … had help from apple and procotor u and they cant figure it out either 😔

Keep working with them—especially «proctor u»!

So long as «proctor u» thinks they need to check for so-called “Free” RAM, they will, almost always, find “failure”.

This whole “Free” RAM “obsession” is so DOS, so ‘80s.

I bought my son a mac air, 8 G Ram for this semester, thought it would be more than enough. had no issue installing and running Chrome, but guess what, it won't pass the ProctorU for Ram. apparently the system is such a ram hog that there is not enough available and there is no solution as ram can't be added. Ended up buying another Asus Windows with 16 G and it does the job. reall smokes my azz that I spent $1000 on this thing.

should have gotten the 16 Ram, I guess, but you live and learn. I have cleared out the Air and sometimes it will pass and sometimes not so he doesn't even try to use it anymore for Proctor. works fine for Blackboard.

Welcome, Rik01, to Apple Support Communities!

Please see my reply to esme281, just above your comment, at https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252148045?answerId=254880465022#254880465022.

By the way, according to the site, scant49:

• A compatible browser: Google Chrome (preferred) or Mozilla Firefox

So you can try and see if Firefox will work any better, for you.

99% of RAM used is a normal thing. Computers maximize RAM usage for efficient operation.

Are you sure that you are not confusing Disk Space vs RAM?

Axel F.

Yes. Them specifying a maximum RAM usage is so archaic!

I hope you are not trying to run Big Sur: their system would probably get confused!