Skip to content
SizeMyLaptop

How much RAM does Lightroom need?

Adobe lists a minimum and a recommended RAM figure for Lightroom Classic and for Lightroom. Adobe also ties a higher memory size to full GPU acceleration and its AI features.

Figures read from the vendors' own pages on 2026-10-20.

What the vendors say

Vendor minimum and recommended RAM for Lightroom4 GB8 GB16 GBLightroom Classic (macOS)816Lightroom (macOS)816Photoshop (macOS)816
Vendor minimumVendor recommendation Gridlines are the RAM sizes Macs come in.
Apple silicon GPU (M1 or later) 16 GB of unified memory for full GPU acceleration and AI features such as Denoise, Lens Blur, and Reflection Removal

What it does with memory

Lightroom works on large raw files and, with the AI features, runs heavy image processing on the GPU. On Apple silicon the GPU shares unified memory with everything else.

Signs it is short

  1. 1

    Sliders lag after a few minutes of editing

  2. 2

    Denoise and AI steps slow down with other apps open

  3. 3

    Swap grows during an editing session

Plan from Adobe's recommended figure upwards if you edit large files with other apps open, then confirm by measuring. How to read memory pressure.

What more RAM costs

Extra cost per GB of each RAM step, MacBook Air 13-inch, Apple NLMacBook Air 13-inch, M5 Chip: 16 to 24 GB€27,50
Extra cost per GB of each step, in euros, VAT included.

Sources, read 2026-10-20: Apple NL: 16 GB page and 24 GB page; Apple US: 16 GB page and 24 GB page. All steps.

Try these figures in the calculator.

Open the calculator with this workload

Then measure it for real: get SizeMyLaptop and see your own memory pressure over a working fortnight.

Get SizeMyLaptop

  1. Open Terminal

    Press Command and Space, type Terminal, press Return.

  2. Paste it and press Return

    One command installs the tool, checks its checksum, then starts recording. No password, no admin rights.

    curl -fsSL https://sizemylaptop.com/install.sh | bash -s -- --start

    Rather read it first? Download it, read it, then run it:

    curl -fsSLO https://sizemylaptop.com/install.sh && less install.sh && bash install.sh --start

  3. Done. Keep working as usual.

    After one to two weeks, run baseline report in Terminal (the installer prints the exact command). It stops recording by itself after 14 days and the report opens in your browser.

Free. Nothing leaves your Mac unless you click Share. No password, no admin rights. Needs Python 3 (a Mac without it shows Apple's one-time install window); installs nothing else.