Not enough RAM Photoshop error [TECHNICIAN FIX]
- Adobe Photoshop had a huge impact on the image manipulation revolution and now continues to be one of the best photo editing software.
- Working on big .psd files with many artboards, Photoshop needs a lot of RAM memory. In case of an error message, increase the Memory Usage setting. Make sure you have the updated version as well.
- Learn more about this tool by visiting the Adobe Photoshop Hub.
- Check out the Adobe Troubleshooting section if you are looking to solve glitches related to any Adobe product.
Photoshop users have reported a variety of issues on Windows 10 concerning Photoshop physical memory usage and management. Namely, it seems that a lot of them, in a variety of instances, get a variation of the Not enough RAM Photoshop error. This occurs on startup and sometimes while accessing tools. Once it appears, it prevents any and all operations.
Either way, if you are stuck with this Photoshop error, check the steps we listed below to resolve it.
Why does Photoshop not have enough RAM?
1. Use RAM optimizing software
The entire RAM that is installed on your computer is shared between Windows and each and every other program that is running. Even applications that run in the background, which you don’t interact with, consume RAM.
If there are too many running programs or if some of them encounter problems, not enough memory will be available for running Adobe Photoshop. Therefore, we recommend System Mechanic for optimizing RAM usage.
System Mechanic comes with 2 solutions for this. One is an automated tool called RAMJet which clears RAM memory exactly when you are running low.
The other tool is called Memory Mechanic and is used to perform a deep defragmentation operation to improve responsiveness.
RAMJet is exactly what we need in this situation so that Photoshop will not complain in the future about not having enough memory.
System Mechanic
Get this tool to automatically free up RAM memory just when you need it with RAMJet and keep your PC in top shape2. Increase allowed RAM usage
- Open Photoshop.
- Open Edit > Preferences > Performance.
- Set the value to 100% of RAM by using the slider.
- Confirm changes.
- If you are unable to assign 100% to Memory Usage, set it to 96% and try again.
3. Disable background applications
- In the Windows Search bar, type msconfig and open System Configuration.
- Under the Services tab, check the “Hide all Microsoft services” box.
- Click “Disable all” to disable all active third-party services.
- Confirm changes and try starting Photoshop again.
4. Edit the Registry entry
- Press Windows key + R to open the Run command line.
- In the command line, type Regedit and press Enter.
- Navigate to
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Photoshop\90.0. The “90.0.” part means that the Photoshop version in this example is Photoshop CC 2015. The values change for different versions.
- Right-click on the empty area of the right pane and choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
- Name the newly-created DWORD OverridePhysicalMemoryMB and assign its value to 2400. Make sure that Hexadecimal value is toggled and not Decimal.
- Save changes, start Photoshop and look for improvements.
5. Reinstall Photoshop
- Search for Control Panel from the Start menu and open it.
- Choose Uninstall a program.
- Uninstall Photoshop.
- Navigate to Program Files on the system partition and delete the remaining folder.
- Reboot your PC.
- Download the version you have licensed and install it on your PC.
That should deal fully with the Not enough RAM Photoshop error. In case you have any alternative solutions, make sure to tell us in the comments section below.
FAQ: Learn more about Photoshop RAM error
- Why does Photoshop not have enough RAM?
When working with larger files, it needs more memory available to work properly. Keep in mind that the RAM is also shared with Windows and other running programs.
- How much RAM do I have?
Press Win key + X and select System. Below the Windows logo you will see Installed memory (RAM): and the value that represents the amount of RAM installed.
- How do I update Photoshop?
You can use the Adobe Creative Cloud desktop app to keep each software up to date. Alternatively, you can go to the Help menu and Check of Updates.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in July 2019 and has been since revamped and updated in May 2020 for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.