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MacBook Pro maxing out of app memory at 500mb even tho I have 8gb memory and 200gb of empty storage

This is so infuriating. My work bougbt me a brand new MBP 13

inch, M2, 2022, running Monterey.


i will have *only* chrome and finder running, and I get the message that my system as run out of application memory. I have no choice but to

force quit chrome. The worst part is that it tells me how much application memory is being used — the last time there was about 500*mb* being used between finder and chrome, and I have 8*gb* of memory plus 200gb of free storage on the MPB.


why is this happening?! I should be able to run 20-30 chrome tabs across four chrome windows simultaneously on a brand new MBP with EIGHT gb of memory.


also the info at the bottom of the post is wrong — it’s not running 10.12. That’s the wrong machine

MacBook Pro 13″

Posted on Jan 26, 2023 7:25 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jan 27, 2023 2:45 PM

There are 2 reasons for the "Your system has run out of application memory" dialog box.


A) Your boot disk has very low free storage, and macOS cannot create page/swap files to offload virtual memory contents to disk. This is generally not the case, but I mention because if you do have very low free storage, it might apply. Depending on how much virtual memory is being called for, anything under 50-100GB of free storage may trigger the message.


B) A process (or set of processes) have asked macOS for excessive amounts of virtual memory address space. Virtual memory address space requires macOS to create Virtual Memory Page Tables in the kernel address space to keep track of the application virtual addresses given out. Generally, if there is a memory leak (process asks for a virtual address range, uses the addresses, forgets to give them back, asks for another virtual address range, uses the addresses, forgets again, wash, rinse, repeat), eventually there are so many virtual memory page table entries trying to keep track of the virtual addresses, that macOS no longer has memory available for applications, and you get the "Your system has run out of application memory"


If you look at

Applications -> Utilties -> Activity Monitor -> View (menu) -> All Processes -> Memory (tab)

you can see what processes are using lots of memory. Many of these processes will NOT be applications. Just background agents and daemons used to provide many of the macOS services, as well as 3rd party background processes doing whatever that 3rd party app thinks it should be doing.


Also keep in mind that each web browser tab will be a separate process running its own Javascript. If you have lots of browser tabs open, or if one of the browser tabs, running Javascript has a bug in it, it is possible these browser tabs will add up to a lot of virtual memory demands, but no individual tab will look all that big.

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3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jan 27, 2023 2:45 PM in response to shaunsie

There are 2 reasons for the "Your system has run out of application memory" dialog box.


A) Your boot disk has very low free storage, and macOS cannot create page/swap files to offload virtual memory contents to disk. This is generally not the case, but I mention because if you do have very low free storage, it might apply. Depending on how much virtual memory is being called for, anything under 50-100GB of free storage may trigger the message.


B) A process (or set of processes) have asked macOS for excessive amounts of virtual memory address space. Virtual memory address space requires macOS to create Virtual Memory Page Tables in the kernel address space to keep track of the application virtual addresses given out. Generally, if there is a memory leak (process asks for a virtual address range, uses the addresses, forgets to give them back, asks for another virtual address range, uses the addresses, forgets again, wash, rinse, repeat), eventually there are so many virtual memory page table entries trying to keep track of the virtual addresses, that macOS no longer has memory available for applications, and you get the "Your system has run out of application memory"


If you look at

Applications -> Utilties -> Activity Monitor -> View (menu) -> All Processes -> Memory (tab)

you can see what processes are using lots of memory. Many of these processes will NOT be applications. Just background agents and daemons used to provide many of the macOS services, as well as 3rd party background processes doing whatever that 3rd party app thinks it should be doing.


Also keep in mind that each web browser tab will be a separate process running its own Javascript. If you have lots of browser tabs open, or if one of the browser tabs, running Javascript has a bug in it, it is possible these browser tabs will add up to a lot of virtual memory demands, but no individual tab will look all that big.

Jan 27, 2023 4:00 AM in response to shaunsie

It is possible that some of your chrome apps has a memory leak; at least that would be my first guess.


Chrome is a such a poorly programmed application on the mac, and a shameless resource hog, that it can kill off video applications without even running. Its background "keystone" processes (ostensibly there to help keep Chrome up to date) hog the system videotoolbox like there is no tomorrow.


Now, even though this problem seems to be due to Chrome, there could certainly be other issues.

In order to help, we need to know more about your setup. Other third party extensions, agents or daemons could be involved.


Please run Etrecheck and post its full report here. Use the "additional text" button and paste the report into the text box.


Jan 27, 2023 4:30 AM in response to shaunsie

Q - " This is so infuriating. My work bougbt me a brand new MBP 13

inch, M2, 2022, running Monterey. "


A - This begs the question, if the computer Owned by the many that purchased this computer ?


A - Is this computer enrolled in a Company Mobile Digital Management Service ?


To check look in Profiles of Users and Groups of System Preferences

MacBook Pro maxing out of app memory at 500mb even tho I have 8gb memory and 200gb of empty storage

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