How to Allocate More RAM to Minecraft

Vanilla Minecraft runs fine on a standard setup. Adding complex mods and high-resolution texture packs pushes your hardware to the limit. When your client lacks sufficient memory, the game stutters, freezes, or crashes entirely to the desktop. In this Nitrado guide, we break down how to assign more memory to your game client so you can keep your framerates stable. Taking control of your memory settings gives the game room to load massive assets smoothly.

How to Increase Minecraft RAM on the Client

Your specific launcher determines how much memory the game can access. We will adjust the application settings to raise that invisible limit.

Allocating RAM in the Default Launcher

To tell the game exactly how much memory it can use, you need to edit the JVM arguments.

1. Launch the official application and select the Installations tab at the top.
   
2. To modify the specific version you want to play, find your profile, click the three dots on the right side, and choose Edit.
   
3. To reveal the advanced settings, scroll down and click More Options.
   
4. Locate the JVM Arguments text box. The default text starts with -Xms2G followed by -Xmx4G, setting a minimum of two gigabytes and a maximum of four.
   
5. To define your own performance boundaries, change these numbers freely depending on your minimum and maximum memory needs.
6. To apply the configuration, click Save in the bottom right corner.
   

Allocating RAM in CurseForge

CurseForge handles memory allocation differently by using a visual slider instead of text arguments.

1. To adjust your global preferences, open the CurseForge application and click the gear icon in the bottom left corner.
   
2. Navigate to Game Specific > Minecraft.
   
3. Scroll down the page until you find the Java Settings section.
4. To increase the memory the game can use, drag the Allocated Memory slider to the right. The numbers are in megabytes. Setting the slider to 4096 MB equals four gigabytes.
   
5. Close the settings menu to save your changes.

Pro Tip: Never allocate more than half of your system’s total memory to the game. If your PC has 16 GB, cap the slider at 8192 MB so your background applications stay stable while you play.

Server RAM Calculator

Client memory only helps your local framerate (FPS). If blocks reappear after you mine them or animals stop moving, your server is struggling with low Ticks Per Second (TPS). That means you need to increase the memory on the host machine.

Knowing exactly how much memory your server needs keeps your world running without lag. The amount of memory scales with your player slots and the complexity of your world. While a basic vanilla server with a few friends runs well on 2GB, adding massive modpacks pushes that requirement up to 16GB. We recommend using the table below to find the perfect balance for your specific setup.

But picking a strict number can be confusing. We simplify this process by offering distinct performance tiers. Your exact memory limits adjust automatically depending on the number of player slots you choose.

Upgrading Your Server Plan

To fix server-side lag, you must upgrade your active plan. Scaling to a higher tier ensures your hardware handles a growing community and a heavier mod list. For more detailed instructions check out our guide on how to up-/downgrade your server.

1. Login to your Nitrado account, and navigate to the My Services section.
   Note: It is very important to have your server stopped before making any changes.
2. Select the server you want to modify, expand it to reveal more options, and click on Service Settings.
3. Select the option Upgrades & Downgrades.
4. In the new window adjust your RAM according to your needs. Continue the process to checkout and you’re done!

Forge Your Minecraft Legacy

Taking control of your memory allocation changes how the game feels. A slideshow becomes a fluid experience. But building massive automated farms and fighting the Wither requires server hardware that keeps up with your ambitions. Secure a reliable foundation for your world and build without limits.