I just received the attached message on my screen. It's the first time. Is this normal?
Computer is iMac 27", Retina 5K, 2019 with 40 MG of RAM. Yesterday I upgraded OS from Monterey to Ventura.
Opening applications like Excel seems slower than before.
Any ideas how to optimize the Mac?
Thanks in advance!
iMac
There are 2 reasons for the "Your system has run out of application memory" dialog box.
A) Your boot disk has very low free storage, and macOS cannot create page/swap files to offload virtual memory contents to disk. This is generally not the case, but I mention because if you do have very low free storage, it might apply. Depending on how much virtual memory is being called for, anything under 50-100GB of free storage may trigger the message.
Apple menu (upper left corner) -> About This Mac -> Storage (tab)
B) A process (or set of processes) have asked macOS for excessive amounts of virtual memory address space. Virtual memory address space requires macOS to create Virtual Memory Page Tables in non-pageable kernel address space to keep track of the application virtual addresses given out. Generally, if there is a memory leak (process asks for a virtual address range, uses the addresses, forgets to give them back, asks for another virtual address range, uses the addresses, forgets again, wash, rinse, repeat), eventually there are so many non-pageable virtual memory page table entries trying to keep track of the virtual addresses, that macOS no longer has memory available for applications, and you get the "Your system has run out of application memory"
If you look at
Applications -> Utilties -> Activity Monitor -> View (menu) -> All Processes -> Memory (tab)
you can see what processes are using lots of memory. Many of these processes will NOT be applications. Just background agents and daemons used to provide many of the macOS services, as well as 3rd party background processes doing whatever that 3rd party app thinks it should be doing.
Also keep in mind that each web browser tab will be a separate process running its own Javascript. If you have lots of browser tabs open, or if one of the browser tabs running Javascript with a bug in it, it is possible these browser tabs will add up to a lot of virtual memory demands, but no individual tab will look all that big.pll
To all you guys who have been so helpful! . . . .
I'm taking the iMac into what is said to be the best Mac service firm in Brooklyn. I've included many of your observations and the report from EtreCheck Pro in my communications.
My files are backed up several ways, so I'll probably have to reinstall apps and restore files.
I'll let you know what happens. Many thanks again for the support.
Ed
One more question for you guys:
From your experience, is there a preferred software program for keeping the Mac in shape, other than First Aid in Disk Utility? Diskwarrior? TechTool? Something else?
Thanks again for all your help!
Here is the screen shot of the message for the above post on application memory.
Excellent pointers from @ Luis Sequeira1 to be added to possible real issue
I don’t use any particular software and any that might claim to “clean” or “optimize” it is to be looked with suspicion.
"Your system has run out of application memory."
