How Much RAM Do You Need for PowerPoint

RAM is the backbone of computer function. Without an appropriate amount of RAM, none of our progRAMs would be able to run, but what if you need to run something like PowerPoint? Does it need a large amount of RAM because you can do so much with it, or a small amount because it is so ubiquitous?

The latest version of PowerPoint requires 1 GB of RAM for 32 bit PCs and 2 GB of RAM for 64 bit PCs. This also applies to other Microsoft Office tools like Word and Excel.

To see if you can run PowerPoint, there are lots of considerations like your available RAM, operating system, and account. Read on to find out if you have the proper requirements.

Why Do I Need Good RAM for PowerPoint?

RAM determines how much memory and data is stored and used when the processor needs to run something. Basically it means that if you are running a powerful software, then RAM determines if your computer is powerful enough to run it.

If you have more RAM, you’ll be able to run more complex programs and processes, but if you don’t have the required RAM then your device will not be able to run the software and it could either lag heavily or crash under the weight of the processing requirements.

How Much RAM Do I Need for PowerPoint?

PowerPoint, like all software, requires a certain amount of RAM to run. This is because under the hood PowerPoint has a lot going on and needs processing power to get the job done.

Thankfully Microsoft office products like PowerPoint do not have a very high RAM requirement because they are meant to be universal and should run on many commercial and business desktops.

If you bought a PC in the last five years then you will more than likely have enough RAM to run PowerPoint, even if it was the cheapest you could find. The RAM requirements are 1 GB for 32 bit PCs or 2 GB for 64 bit PCs.

Why Does PowerPoint Need This Much RAM?

This is a very low requirement all things considered and in fact is so low that you might have trouble finding a PC in this day and age with less RAM than that.

PowerPoint needs this much RAM because it has complex functions like animations and graphics that take processing power to function smoothly.

However Microsoft wants their products in as many pieces as humanly possible so they have made sure that the requirements are low enough that the vast majority of PCs are up to this task.

Today the standard for RAM is four GB on the lower end or 16 GB on the average to higher end meaning that you will have more than enough processing power to run PowerPoint smoothly and efficiently. If for some reason you don’t have enough, you could always turn to online services that make mockups and designs in seconds.

What Do I Need to Run PowerPoint Smoothly?

Ram is not the only consideration when checking if your PC can run PowerPoint however. There are a few things you need to make sure you have access to you if you want to run PowerPoint.

Here they are:

  • A Compatible OS. You will need a compatible operating system like Windows 10 or MacOS for the latest versions of PowerPoint. Older versions of these OS like Windows 8 will not be compatible with recent releases like Office 2019.
  • A Microsoft Account. This is a requirement to ensure you have legally purchased or subscribed to MS Office or PowerPoint. Older versions of PowerPoint will not require an account, but will need a serial number, found on the box, to prove you have a legitimate copy.
  • Enough Hard Drive Space. To install PowerPoint on your PC you will need a recommended 16 GB free of Hard Drive space. You will need to ensure you have enough space for each presentation you save as well because the images, animations, and graphics will cause the file sizes to grow.

Thankfully, these are all as common as the RAM requirements are and provided you purchase a PC and a copy of PowerPoint or a subscription to Microsoft office you will have all of these and not have to worry about performance one bit.

Conclusion

So that’s why PowerPoint runs the way it does, from why it needs RAM to how much RAM it takes to perform well.

PowerPoint is a ubiquitous piece of software that is designed to be as easy to run as possible so you will more than likely have enough RAM to make amazing presentations without any issues.