🔧 Unlock More RAM for Microsoft Excel
Estimated Read Time: 5 Minutes
Struggling with slow Excel performance? This guide will help you allocate more RAM to Excel for better efficiency, especially when handling large datasets.
Step 1: Check Your Available RAM
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Go to the Performance tab and select Memory.
- Note how much RAM is installed and currently in use.
Step 2: Adjust Excel Memory Settings
- Open Excel and go to File → Options → Advanced.
- Scroll to Formulas and enable Multi-threaded Calculation.
- Set the number of threads to the maximum available.
Step 3: Enable 64-bit Excel
If you’re using 32-bit Excel, it’s limited to 2GB RAM. Upgrade to 64-bit to utilize more memory.
- Check your Excel version: Open Excel → File → Account → About Excel.
- If it says 32-bit, reinstall Microsoft Office and choose the 64-bit version.
Step 4: Close Background Applications
- Close web browsers, media players, and large applications.
- Use Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) to end high-memory processes.
Step 5: Upgrade Your System RAM
- 8GB is sufficient for most users, but 16GB+ is recommended for heavy Excel work.
- Check your motherboard’s maximum RAM capacity before upgrading.
