How to Allocate More RAM to Minecraft

Minecraft can sometimes be a resource hog, especially if you want to play it with the settings maximized. In this guide, we've explained how to make it use more RAM to make sure it's got the resources it needs!

How to Allocate More RAM to Minecraft

Before we begin, it's important to note that this requires changing the startup options for the game. It does not, however, edit any essential files in your computer, nor change how Minecraft works. Still, always practice caution when editing program files in your computer. Let's get to it!

Step One: Check Available RAM

If you'd like to allocate RAM to Minecraft, you first need to know much RAM your computer has available. To do this, use the image and instructions below.

Windows

1. Open the Start Menu and select the Gear/Settings icon.
2. Select System on the top left of this list.
3. Select About on the bottom of the sidebar on the left.
4. Make note of the total amount of RAM you have and the amount of RAM available for use.

Related: Minecraft Error Codes List (and How to Fix Them) - Pro Game Guides

Step Two: Open the Launch Settings

You're first going to navigate to the launch settings for the version of Minecraft you wish to use.

1. Open your Minecraft Launcher.
2. Navigate to the Installations tab.
3. If you only use the latest version of Minecraft, there will likely only be one installation profile listed. If you sometimes use other version, select the installation profile for which you'd like to allocate more RAM.
4. As shown in the image above, click the button for more options across from the associated installation profile and click Edit.

Step Three: Edit the Launch Settings

This is a fairly straightforward process, but we'll mention again: Always practice caution when editing program files. If it is not done correctly, you could cause the launch options to malfunction. Follow the steps below exactly in the order than they appear.

1. In the Edit Installation Menu, click More Options to edit the JVM arguments.
2. In the JVM arguments, select the text highlighted in yellow in the image above. This is the text that allocates RAM to your Minecraft client. There is only one number in this section of text, and it likely has a default value of 1 or 2.
3. Change the number in this section of text to represent how many gigabytes (GB) of RAM you'd like Minecraft to use. For example, if you want to use 4 GB of RAM, this section of text should read -Xmx4G.
4. Be sure that no other portion of the JVM arguments text is edited. If you edited any other part of the text, click Cancel and start over.
5. Click Save on the bottom right corner of the window.

Once you have completed the steps above, you'll be ready to run Minecraft with the extra RAM allocated! Make sure you play the version that you edited, and not another Installation profile!

Want to improve the look of your Minecraft game? Use our guides on How to Install OptiFine and How to Install BSL Shaders!