Virtual machines are not used very widely. You can create and run a local virtual machine off your personal computer, or set up and connect to a cloud virtual machine. Today, I will cover how a virtual machine uses RAM.
A virtual machine uses the RAM on the computer that is running the virtual machine. As well as, any RAM required to run the program used to access the virtual machine, such as Virtual Box, or Windows Remote Desktop.
If you are running a virtual machine on your personal computer it will use the RAM on your computer. It’s allocated a certain amount of the RAM on your personal computer by default, which can be changed.
Below, I will explain:
Let’s go!
Does a Virtual Machine Use All of the RAM
A virtual machine does not use all of the RAM. A virtual requires:
- RAM to access the program used to connect to the virtual machine
- RAM required to run the virtual machine (on a cloud computer or your personal computer)
When you create a virtual machine on your local computer the program you use to create it will automatically assign an amount of your computers RAM for the virtual machine.
Whereas, when you create a cloud virtual machine such as on Microsoft Azure, it gives you the option to select how much RAM you want it to have.
After that the cloud software, such as Azure will allocate that amount of RAM from their computers – which can be accessed over the internet (the cloud).
Most virtual machines will run Windows. And Windows 10 or 11 is the most common. Both Windows 10 and 11 use the same amount of RAM and the CPU.
READ MORE >> Is Windows 11 slower than Windows 10
Typically you should always assign about 4GB of RAM at a minimum. With 8GB being ideal.
Here’s a table that shows how much RAM you should allocate to a virtual machine based on how much RAM your computer has:
| How much RAM your computer has | How much RAM to allocate to a VM |
| 4 GB | 2 GB – will be extremely slow |
| 8 GB | 4 GB – will be moderately slow |
| 16 GB | 8 GB |
| 32 GB | 8GB or 16 GB |
8GB is a good baseline that provides a smooth experience on Windows 10 and 11.
However, if you are running a cloud virtual machine such as on Microsoft Azure, you should allocate 8 GB.
I’ve used Microsoft Azure to create virtual machines and found on average it charges USD$0.02 per hour to run an 8GB virtual machine. You should also select a minimum of 2 CPU cores in the options.
Running Windows Remote Desktop, which is required to connect to a cloud virtual machine uses some RAM on your computer. As it is technically a program that is running, much like Microsoft Word, or Skype.
For a cloud remote virtual machine 8 GB of RAM on your personal computer is a minimum. With 16 GB being ideal. And recommended for IT professionals who regularly work with remote computers.
How to change how much RAM a VM uses
To change how much RAM a VM on your local computer uses go to Settings > System > then adjust the RAM allocation.
Exactly, where the setting is located varies based on the specific software you are using. The instructions above are for Virtual Box, which is one of the most widely used programs for working with virtual machines.
Do a Google search or poke around in the settings to find where to change it.
On a cloud VM, such as one created on Microsoft Azure, you allocate the amount of RAM when setting up the VM. It’s possible to change the RAM allocation once a cloud VM has been created in the settings.
It’s important to note that it will either restart your virtual machine. Or, prompt you that you need to turn the virtual machine off first before changing the RAM allocation. The same also applies for the CPU allocation.
Does Virtualization Use RAM
Virtualization does use RAM. RAM is required to run the software to create the virtual machine. When the virtual machine is running it also requires RAM. For a local VM created on your personal computer, it will get allocated a set amount of your computers RAM.
Whereas, on a remote VM, you set how much RAM you want it to use. A VM is essentially a regular computer but it’s compartmentalized within another computer. A portion of all of the main computer components are utilized and reserved for the VM. These are the RAM, CPU, and GPU.
With a cloud VM you are essentially connecting to a physical computer much like yours. But, the virtual machine is created on the other physical computer rather than your own.
That way people can utilize far more computer resources without needing to have the physical computers in the office or commercial property. It also makes it far simpler to manage, as it can all be accessed remotely.
Do VMs Need RAM
VMs do need RAM. A VM uses a certain amount of the RAM on your personal computer to run the VM. But, on a cloud VM, it uses the RAM on the computer provided by the cloud computing company such as Microsoft.
These are located in large facilities and operate 24/7. When you create a cloud VM, you set how much RAM you want it to use.
There is one other part of running a VM that requires RAM, which is the program used to connect to the VM.
Running a VM on your personal computer requires running a program like Virtual Box. This requires a bit of RAM to run. It’s the same as running another program like Google Chrome, or Zoom.
To connect to a cloud VM, Windows Remote Desktop is always used. Unless, it’s a Linux or Mac computer which have their own built in programs that can be used to connect to a remote VM.