VMware Workstation Player course
How to Change Virtual Machine Memory Allocation in VMware Workstation Player
Learn how to change a VMware Workstation Player VM's RAM, choose a safe allocation, verify the change, and troubleshoot memory settings.
Virtual machine (VM) memory allocation determines how much of the physical RAM in your host system VMware Workstation Player makes available to the VM while it runs. The host system is your physical computer and its operating system. The guest operating system is the operating system installed inside the VM.
Giving a guest too little RAM can make its desktop, applications, and background services slow. Giving it too much can leave the host operating system and other applications short of memory, causing paging, sluggishness, or startup problems. Memory allocation is a change to the VM's virtual hardware configuration; it is not the same as changing a memory setting inside the guest operating system.
Before You Change the Memory Setting
- Open VMware Workstation Player and confirm that the target VM appears in the library.
- Shut down the guest normally, or power off the VM completely, before editing its hardware.
- Do not treat a suspended VM as powered off. A suspended VM has its running state saved for later resumption. If the setting is unavailable, resume the VM and perform a normal shutdown.
- Check the host's available RAM and close unnecessary host applications before starting the VM after an increase.
If you need a reminder about VM states, see Starting a Virtual Machine. A fully powered-off VM is not running and has no saved running state that must be resumed.
Open the Memory Configuration
- Select the target VM in the VMware Workstation Player library.
- Open Player > Manage > Virtual Machine Settings.
- In the Virtual Machine Settings dialog, open the Hardware tab.
- Select Memory in the virtual hardware list.
- Use the memory control to enter or select the amount of RAM for the VM.
Menu wording or placement can vary slightly between VMware Workstation Player releases and host operating systems. The important path is the VM's configuration dialog, followed by the Hardware tab and its Memory device.
Set and Apply the RAM Amount
The Memory panel may provide a text box, slider, or both. Select a value supported by the control and its displayed range. The interface may require a particular increment; the historical procedure used increments of 4 MB, so values should be compatible with that increment when applicable.
Memory is commonly displayed in MB or GB. For practical planning, use 1 GB = 1024 MB in the configuration calculation. Thus:
- 1 GB is 1024 MB.
- 1.5 GB is 1536 MB.
- 2 GB is 2048 MB.
- 4 GB is 4096 MB.
After selecting the amount, save or confirm the Virtual Machine Settings change. Then power on the VM. The guest operating system receives the new allocation when the VM starts; changing the value does not automatically increase memory in a VM that is already running or merely suspended.
How Much RAM Should You Allocate?
Start with the guest operating system vendor's current minimum and recommended memory requirements. Allocate at least the documented minimum, but remember that a minimum often describes installation or basic operation rather than a comfortable desktop workload.
Next, account for the applications that will run inside the guest. Browser tabs, development tools, security software, office applications, and desktop effects can require substantially more memory than the operating system alone. At the same time, reserve enough RAM for the host operating system, its applications, VMware Workstation Player, and any other VMs that may run concurrently.
VMware's memory guidance indicators can help show whether a proposed value is reasonable. Treat them as planning aids rather than permission to allocate nearly all host RAM. The practical limit is the memory the host can provide while remaining responsive.
| Factor | What to Check | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Guest OS minimum memory | Current vendor documentation for the installed guest edition and architecture | Allocating less can prevent installation, startup, or normal operation |
| Guest OS recommended memory | The vendor's recommended value for the workload | Usually provides a better starting point than the bare minimum |
| Applications running inside the guest | Browsers, development tools, security software, and desktop applications | Applications compete with the guest OS for RAM |
| Host OS and host applications | Available physical RAM during normal host use | The host must remain responsive while the VM runs |
| Number of VMs expected to run at once | Combined allocations of all running VMs | Several moderate allocations can exhaust host memory together |
| VMware product and host architecture limits | Limits for the installed Player release and 32-bit or 64-bit host | A value can be rejected even when the host appears to have enough RAM |
Worked Example: A Slow Windows Guest
Suppose a 64-bit Windows 10 guest is configured with 1 GB of RAM and feels slow during ordinary desktop use. The cited minimum for that guest is 2 GB, so 1 GB is below the operating system requirement. Increasing the setting to 1.5 GB, or 1536 MB, demonstrates the configuration change, but 1.5 GB still does not meet the cited 2 GB minimum.
- Shut down Windows and ensure the VM state is fully powered off.
- Select the VM in the library and open Player > Manage > Virtual Machine Settings.
- Choose Hardware > Memory.
- Change 1 GB to 1.5 GB if you are demonstrating the intermediate value, or choose at least 2 GB for a value that meets the cited minimum.
- Save the settings and power on the VM.
- Use Windows system information or Task Manager to verify the installed memory.
A better target depends on the host and workload. For example, 4 GB may be more suitable for a basic 64-bit Windows desktop if the host has enough physical RAM to retain a comfortable reserve. Do not choose 4 GB automatically: check the current guest requirements and the host's available memory first.
| Use Case | Starting Allocation | Reasoning | Validation Step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic lightweight Linux guest | Use the distribution's recommended value, often a modest allocation | Lightweight desktops may work with less RAM, but the distribution and applications determine the real need | Check guest system information and observe application responsiveness |
| Windows guest meeting a 2 GB minimum | At least 2 GB | Meets the cited minimum; more may be needed for a productive desktop | Verify installed memory in the guest after a full restart |
| Slow VM initially assigned 1 GB | Increase incrementally, with 1.5 GB as an example and 2 GB as the cited minimum target | 1.5 GB shows the procedure but remains below the 2 GB minimum | Compare guest and host performance before and after the change |
| Host with constrained physical memory | The smallest value that meets the guest workload requirement | Preserves RAM for the host and reduces paging risk | Monitor host responsiveness and lower the allocation if the host starts paging |
Version and Platform Limits
A per-VM memory limit is the maximum RAM VMware allows an individual VM to use under a particular product version and host architecture. It is different from the amount of RAM the host can practically support while one or more VMs are running.
| Host Architecture | Historical Maximum per VM | Important Note |
|---|---|---|
| 64-bit host | 64 GB | This is a historical, version-dependent reference. Verify the limit for the installed VMware Workstation Player version and available host RAM. |
| 32-bit host | 8 GB | This is a historical, version-dependent reference. Verify the limit for the installed VMware Workstation Player version and available host RAM. |
Historically, Player did not impose one single aggregate allocation cap across all running VMs. That does not mean unlimited memory is available: the host's physical RAM, operating system resources, product limits, and the combined allocations of running VMs remain the practical constraints. A guest operating system edition can also have its own addressable-memory limit.
Verify the New Allocation
- Save the setting and perform a full power-off and power-on cycle for the VM.
- Confirm that the guest starts normally.
- Open the guest's system information or Task Manager and check installed, usable, or available RAM. Display wording differs between guest operating systems.
- Use the guest for the workload that prompted the change.
- Check the host as well. It should remain responsive, without excessive paging or disk activity caused by memory pressure.
More RAM does not always solve VM slowness. Other causes include virtual CPU allocation, slow storage, storage contention, snapshots, guest updates, malware scanning, graphics workload, network delays, or low host resources. Increase RAM incrementally where possible and evaluate both guest and host behavior after each change.
Troubleshooting Memory Changes
The Memory control is disabled
The VM may still be running or suspended. Shut down the guest, confirm that VMware shows the VM as powered off, and reopen its settings. If it was suspended, resume it first and then shut it down normally. Also verify that you selected the intended VM in the library.
VMware rejects the value
The value may be outside the supported range, fail the interface's required increment, or exceed a product or host-architecture limit. Choose a value offered by the Memory panel, use the required increment, and check the limits for the installed Player release and host platform.
The host becomes slow after the increase
Too much RAM may have been assigned to the VM, or several VMs and host applications may be competing for memory. Power off the VM and reduce its allocation, close unnecessary host applications, or avoid running multiple VMs at once. If the workload genuinely requires more memory, adding physical RAM to the host may be necessary.
The guest still reports the old amount
Confirm that the settings change was saved, then perform a full VM power-off and power-on rather than resuming a suspended state. Recheck the guest system information and make sure the correct VM was edited.
The desired amount cannot be used
The request may exceed host capacity, the VMware product's per-VM limit, the host architecture's limit, or the guest OS edition's supported memory. Reduce the allocation, use current vendor documentation, or upgrade the host or guest edition only when appropriate.
Adding RAM does not improve performance
Review resource usage in both systems. The bottleneck may be CPU, disk I/O, graphics, network access, background updates, security scans, snapshots, or general host contention. Check the virtual processor and storage configuration and measure performance before and after each adjustment.
Quick Procedure
- Power off the VM completely.
- Select it in the VMware Workstation Player library.
- Open Player > Manage > Virtual Machine Settings.
- Select Hardware > Memory.
- Choose an allowed RAM value that meets the guest requirement and preserves a host reserve.
- Save the configuration.
- Power on the VM and verify memory inside the guest.
- Evaluate both guest performance and host responsiveness before deciding whether another adjustment is needed.
For related virtual hardware topics, read What Is Virtual SMP and Virtual Machine Explained. The VMware Workstation Player Course provides broader guidance for managing VMs.