Memory and performance – Adobe Photoshop CC 2014 v.14.xx User Manual
Page 1059
Memory and performance
Allocate RAM to Photoshop
Assigning scratch disks
Change the scratch disk assignment
Specify history and cache settings
Free memory
Enable OpenGL and optimize GPU settings
Allocate RAM to Photoshop
Photoshop displays the RAM available to Photoshop and the ideal range of RAM for Photoshop (a percentage of the total available RAM) in
Performance preferences.
In the Performance preferences, enter the amount of RAM you want to allocate to Photoshop in the Let Photoshop Use text box.
Alternatively, drag the slider.
For detailed information on improving Photoshop performance, including specifying RAM settings in preferences, see
(kb404439) in the Adobe support knowledgebase.
Assigning scratch disks
When your system does not have enough RAM to perform an operation, Photoshop uses a proprietary virtual memory technology, also called
scratch disks. A scratch disk is any drive or drive partition with free memory. By default, Photoshop uses the hard drive on which the operating
system is installed as the primary scratch disk.
Photoshop detects and displays all available internal disks in the Preferences panel. Using the Preferences panel, you can enable other scratch
disks to be used when the primary disk is full. Your primary scratch disk should be your fastest hard disk; make sure it has plenty of
defragmented space available.
The following guidelines can help you assign scratch disks:
For best performance, scratch disks should be on a different drive than any large files you are editing.
Scratch disks should be on a different drive than the one your operating system uses for virtual memory.
RAID disks/disk arrays are good choices for dedicated scratch disk volumes.
Drives with scratch disks should be defragmented regularly.
Change the scratch disk assignment
1. Do any of the following in the Scratch Disks area of Performance preferences:
To change the scratch disk order, click the arrow buttons.
To enable or disable a scratch disk, select or deselect the Active checkbox.
To ensure optimal performance, only local drives are available as scratch disks.
1052