How to check the amount of RAM on Android: all methods from settings to ADB

Lack of RAM (RAM) is one of the main reasons for lags, application crashes and slow operation of Androiddevices. But before optimizing the system or buying a new smartphone, you need to find out exactly how much RAM is installed in your device. Verification methods depend on the version Android, manufacturer (Samsung, Xiaomi, Realme etc.) and even on the shell (MIUI, One UI, ColorOS).

In this article you will find 7 proven methods - from standard settings to commands ADB and third-party utilities. We will also explain why the actual volume RAM may differ from that declared by the manufacturer, and what to do if the system shows incorrect data.

⚠️ Attention: On some devices (especially with Android Go or outdated versions) some methods may not work. In this case, use alternative methods from the article.

1. Checking RAM through standard Android settings

The easiest way is to look in the settings menu. data-i="49">varies depending on the version of the system and shell. Below are instructions for the most popular brands. RAM differs depending on the system and shell version. Below are instructions for the most popular brands.

On "clean" Android (for example, Pixel, Nokia, Motorola):

1. Open Settings → About the phone.
2. Find the section Hardware information or Device characteristics.
3. Scroll down to the item Memory or Random Access Memory (RAM).

On Samsung (One UI):

• 📱 Go to Settings → Maintenance device → Memory.
• 🔍 The total volume will be indicated at the top of the screen RAM (for example, "6 GB out of 8 GB").
• 📊 For detailed information, tap by Memory → RAM.

On Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO (MIUI):

• ⚙️ Open Settings → About phone → All characteristics.
• 🔎 Find the line RAM (sometimes hidden under Hardware).

⚠️ Attention: On some devices (for example, Huawei s EMUI) information about RAM may be displayed incorrect due to virtual memory (RAM Expansion). In this case, use the methods from the following sections.

2. Using the Developer Options

The developer menu is hidden. extended system data, including detailed information about RAM. To activate it:

1. Go to Settings → About phone.
2. Find item Build number (or MIUI version on Xiaomi).
3. Tap on it 7 times in a row until a notification appears You have become developer!.

Now return to the main settings menu and open System → For developers (or Additionally → Developer options on some devices). data-i="113">Advanced Memory:

• 📊 Average RAM usage —shows a graph for the last 3 hours.
• 🔢 Memory → Memory and cache —the general one is shown here volume RAM and current load.

💡 Useful tip: In the developer menu, you can enable real-time usage display RAM To do this, activate. option Show CPU usage —an indicator will appear in the upper right corner of the screen.

Tap on "Build number" 7 times|Return to main menu settings|Find the "For Developers" section|Activate the "Memory" option-->

3. Applications for checking RAM: TOP-5 utilities

If standard methods do not work or you want to get more data (for example, frequency RAM, memory type LPDDR4X/LPDDR5), use third-party applications. We tested dozens of utilities and selected the most accurate and safe ones:

🔍 How to use: Install any application from the table, open it and go to section Memory (or RAMFor example, in CPU-Z the necessary information is located in). tab Memory, where the following are indicated:

• 📌 Total RAM — total volume.
• 📌 Used RAM — occupied memory.
• 📌 Free RAM — free memory.
• 📌 Type — type (LPDDR4X, LPDDR5 etc.).

⚠️ Attention: Some applications (for example, AnTuTu) may show inflated RAM values due to virtual memory accounting (RAM ExpansionFor exact data, use AIDA64 or CPU-Z.

4. Checking RAM via ADB (for advanced users)

If you need the most accurate data or standard methods do not work, use ADB (Android Debug Bridge). This method requires connecting the smartphone to the PC, but gives full control over the system.

📌 What you will need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed drivers ADB.
• 📱 Smartphone with software debugging enabled USB.
• 🔌 Cable USB-Type C (or Micro-USB for older devices).

🔧 Step-by-step guide:

1. Enable USB debugging in the menu developer (see section 2).
2. Connect your smartphone to the PC and confirm permission to debug.
3. Open the command line (CMD) on the PC and enter:

adb shell cat /proc/meminfo

In the answer, find the line MemTotal —this is the total volume RAM in kilobytes. To convert to gigabytes, divide the value by 1,048,576. For example:

MemTotal: 6145748 kB → ~5.86 GB

💡 Helpful advice: To learn how much memory is occupied by the system and applications, use the command:

adb shell dumpsys meminfo

⚠️ Attention: Commands ADB may differ on devices with custom firmware (LineageOS, Pixel Experience). If you get an error permission denied, try running the command with superuser rights (su), but this requires root access.

5. Why does Android show less RAM than stated?

You bought a smartphone with 8 GB RAM, but the system only shows 6–7 GBIs this normal, and here's why:

• 📱 System processes: Android reserves 1–2 GB for the kernel, drivers and background services. For example, on Samsung Galaxy S23 out of 8 GB, ~6.5 GB is available.
• 🔄 Virtual memory: Technologies like RAM Plus (Samsung) or Memory Extension (Xiaomi) use part of the internal memory as RAM, but display it separately.
• 🛠️ Manufacturer: Some brands (for example, Oppo, Vivo) artificially lower the available capacity to “optimize” multitasking.

📊 Example of distribution for 8 GB:

• 🔹 1-1.5 GB - kernel and drivers.
• 🔹 0.5-1 GB - system applications (Google Play Services, Android System).
• 🔹 5.5–6.5 GB - available to the user.

⚠️ Attention: If the difference between the declared and actual volume exceeds 2 GB (for example, 8 GB → 5 GB), this may indicate:

• 🛠️ Memory module defect (contact service).
• 📱 Custom firmware with incorrect settings.
• 🦠 Virus or malware that consumes resources.

adb shell cat /proc/meminfo | grep MemTotal

6. Checking RAM on devices with virtual memory (RAM Expansion)

Many modern smartphones (Samsung Galaxy S22, Xiaomi 12, Oppo Find X5) support technology RAM Expansion - using part of the internal memory (UFS 3.1) as additional RAMThis can be confusing when checking.

🔍 How to distinguish physical memory from virtual:

1. Open Settings → Memory (or About phone).
2. If you see an inscription like 8 GB + 3 GB, then 3 GB this is virtual memory.
3. For exact data use AIDA64 —in the section Memory it will be indicated Total RAM (Physical).

⚠️ Attention: Virtual memory works slower than physical memory (LPDDR5 vs UFS), so turning it on does not always improve performance on weak chipsets (Snapdragon 6xx, Helio Gxx) it can even worsen the situation. due to increased load on the drive.

💡 Tip: If you play heavy games (Genshin Impact, Call of Duty Mobile), disable RAM Expansion in the settings:

• 📱 On Samsung: Settings → Device maintenance → Memory → RAM Plus.
• 📱 On Xiaomi: Settings → Advanced settings → Performance → Memory Extension.

7. Alternative methods: Recovery Mode and test codes

If the smartphone does not turn on or the settings menu is not available, try these methods:

🔧 Method 1: Checking through Recovery Mode

Suitable for devices with an unlocked or custom bootloader recovery (TWRP).

1. Turn off the smartphone.
2. Hold Power + Volume Up (the combination may vary).
3. In the menu TWRP select Advanced → File Manager.
4. Open the file /proc/meminfo and find the line MemTotal.

📞 Method 2: Secret codes of manufacturers

Some brands hide information about RAM engineering codes. Try entering them in the application. data-i="287">Attention: Telephone:

• 📱 Samsung: #0# → Hardware Info.
• 📱 Xiaomi: ##4636## → Phone information.
• 📱 Huawei: ##2846579## → ProjectMenu → Background Settings.

⚠️ Attention: Not all codes work on new devices. Incorrect input may cause a factory reset or reboot!

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about checking RAM on Android