Smartphone users are often faced with the need to find out the exact amount of free and installed RAM. This is especially true for devices based on Android 8.0 Oreo, where the settings interface has undergone significant changes compared to previous versions.
In this operating system, Google hid some of the technical information from the average user, moving it to sections for developers or completely removing it from the standard "About phone" menu. Therefore, in order to obtain reliable performance data RAM, you will need to use one of several proven methods, which we will consider below.
Regardless of whether you just want to know the characteristics of your Samsung Galaxy or diagnose the cause of the brakes on a budget Xiaomi, understanding the current memory load is the first step to optimization.
Checking through the standard settings menu
The most obvious, but not always working, method is viewing information in the system menu. In pure Android 8 memory data is often hidden, but shell manufacturers may have left it available.
First, you need to go to the Settings section and scroll the list to the very bottom. Find item About phone or Phone information. In some cases, information about RAM is displayed immediately on this screen next to the firmware version.
If there is no data, try clicking on the item several times in a row Build number. This action activates developer mode, which can provide access to advanced statistics. After activation, return to the main settings menu and look for the new section For developers.
⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI or EMUI shell, the path may differ. Often information about memory is located in the section
Advanced settings→For developers→Memory.
The menu for developers sometimes contains an item Memory statistics or Running Services (Running services). It displays not only the total volume, but also how many megabytes are occupied by systems and applications in real time.
If there is no “Memory” item in the settings menu, this does not mean that the function has been removed. Manufacturers often hide it to simplify the interface, but the data is still available to the system.
Using the engineering menu for diagnostics
A deeper level of access to the hardware is provided by the engineering menu. This method allows you to see technical parameters that are not displayed in the standard interface Android 8 Oreo.
To enter this mode, open the application Phone (dialer) and enter a special service code. Combinations may vary depending on the processor and device manufacturer. The most universal code for MediaTek-based devices is ##3646633##.
After entering the code, a menu with several tabs will open. You need to go to the Hardware Testingtab, and then select the section Memory. Here you will see a detailed breakdown by memory type, including the total amount of DRAM.
- 📱 Code
##4636##—a universal code for many smartphones running a pure Android system. - 🔧 Code
#0#—often used on Samsung devices to enter test mode. - ⚙️ Code
##8255##— allows you to start monitoring the operation of the GTalk Service Monitor system.
Be careful when changing any parameters inside the engineering menu. Your goal is only to view information. Accidentally activating tests or changing radio module settings can lead to unstable network operation.
What to do if the code does not work?
If the entered code does not open the menu, then the manufacturer of your smartphone has blocked this access at the firmware level. In this case, try to find a specific code for your model on the Internet or use third-party applications.
Analyzing RAM using applications from the Play Market
The easiest and safest way for the average user is to install specialized utilities. The store Google Play offers dozens of applications that read data directly from the system kernel.
One of the most reliable tools is considered CPU-Z. After installation, launch the application and go to the Device or Memorytab. Here you will see the total amount of available RAM, its type (for example, LPDDR3 or LPDDR4) and the current frequency.
Another popular app is AIDA64. It provides comprehensive information not only about RAM, but also about sensors, battery and processor. The section Memory displays the total volume, available volume and usage as a percentage.
| Application | APK size | Main function | Presence of advertising |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU-Z | ~4 MB | Detailed information about CPU and RAM | Minimum |
| AIDA64 | ~6 MB | Full system diagnostics | None |
| DevCheck | ~5 MB | Real-time monitoring | Available in the free version |
Using third-party software also allows you to monitor the dynamics of memory fill. You will be able to see which processes are consuming the most resources in the background.
Monitoring via a computer and the ADB utility
For advanced users with access to a PC, the most accurate method is to use USB debugging and the utility ADB (Android Debug Bridge). This method does not require installing unnecessary applications on the smartphone itself.
First you need to activate USB debugging in the menu For developers on the phone. Then connect the device to the computer with a cable and open a command prompt or terminal in the folder where ADB is installed.
Enter the following command to get memory information:
adb shell dumpsys meminfoThis command will display a detailed memory allocation report. At the beginning of the list you will see a line Total RAMthat will show the total amount of physical memory available to the system. The value will also be indicated Free RAM.
⚠️ Attention: For ADB to work, drivers for your smartphone must be installed on your computer. Without them, the computer will not be able to correctly recognize the device in debug mode.
The advantage of this method is that it shows “honest” numbers that are not rounded by the shell interface. This is especially important when buying used devices, where sellers can programmatically inflate the characteristics.
The ADB team provides the most accurate data on the actual amount of memory, excluding any software cheats or marketing tricks of the manufacturer.
Why the available memory is less than declared
Many users notice a discrepancy: in the characteristics 4 GB is indicated, but the system shows only 3.5 GB. This is an absolutely normal situation for the architecture Androidand not a sign of a defect.
Part of the RAM is reserved by the system kernel and hardware drivers even before the user interface is loaded. A video card (GPU) can also use part of the RAM as video memory if the device does not have a dedicated VRAM chip.
In addition, manufacturers often use decimal notation (1 GB = 1000 MB), while the operating system counts in binary (1 GiB = 1024 MB). Because of this difference in calculations, the final figure will always be less than the nominal figure.
- 💾 The reserve for the Linux kernel and system services takes up from 200 to 500 MB.
- 🖥️ Integrated graphics take up part of the memory for the frame buffer and textures.
- 📉 The difference in number systems (1000 versus 1024) “eats” about another 5-7% of the volume.
Understanding this mechanics will help avoid false suspicions of a device malfunction. If the discrepancy is more than 20-25%, then it is worth conducting a deep diagnosis.
Optimizing and cleaning RAM
After you know the volume and current load, you may want to free up space for faster running of games or heavy applications. The Android 8 has built-in mechanisms for this.
The menu Settings → Memory often has a Clear or Free upbutton. Clicking on it terminates background processes that are not critical for the operation of the system. However, you should not do this too often.
The modern operating logic of Android is built on the principle: “free memory is wasted memory.” The system pre-loads frequently used applications into RAM so that they open instantly. Forced cleaning will force the processor and drive to work harder to load them again, which can even increase battery consumption.
⚠️ Warning: Constant use of Task Killers can lead to unstable notifications and crashes in instant messengers, as the system will constantly restart their services.
The best optimization strategy is not cleaning, but limiting the background activity of unnecessary applications. Go to Settings → Applications, select a rarely used app and disable it from running in the background or autorun.
☑️ Checklist for memory optimization
Frequently asked questions about RAM on Android 8
Is it possible to increase the amount of RAM on Android 8 programmatically?
It is impossible to physically increase the size of the RAM chip programmatically. However, some manufacturers implement virtual memory functionality by using part of the internal storage (Flash) as an extension of RAM. This technology is called ZRAM or Swap, but it is much slower than real memory.
Why does the phone slow down, even if there is a lot of free memory?
The brakes can be caused not by the amount of RAM, but by low processor speed, overheating or slow operation of the internal drive. Also, the reason may be data fragmentation or errors in a specific firmware version.
Is it harmful for the phone if the RAM is 90% full?
No, this is normal operation. Android specifically fills memory with application caches to speed up their launch. The system will automatically free up space as soon as you launch a new heavy application, closing old background processes.
How to learn how much memory you need for comfortable work?
For basic tasks (calls, instant messengers) 2-3 GB is enough. For social networks and the browser, 4 GB is comfortable. For heavy 3D games and multitasking on Android 8, it is recommended to have at least 6 GB of RAM.