Why do 8GB RAM feel like 1.5GB?

juicer

I'm so tired of things loading out of memory, sometimes minutes after I minimize an app. This "gluttony" makes the phone practically unusable for anything but the most basic tasks. My old Nexus 5X with 2GB RAM kept more things in memory 10 years ago.
Seamlessly switching profiles? Forget it. Not once have I been able to successfully switch to Owner to get a 2FA code, then switch back to User to enter the code. The UI will reload 99% of the time because the OS ate all the memory. I had to start using another phone to keep all my 2FA codes. That shouldn't be needed in 2023.

User2288

juicer this is not normal. Some app is eating up your memory.

You need to say much more about your system setup before anyone could suggest anything.
You probably also need to install some system utility tool that could show you your system resources and expose whats taking up the ram, though i dont know any tool to tell you.

bookreader

No @User2288; that's the way it is. Switch profiles and everything in the now-not-open profile is killed.

Carlos-Anso

bookreader
This is not the case. Apps in other running users profiles will not be fully closed unless the system requires the memory. Can stop other user profiles running with "end session"

If you are experiencing apps closing constantly it does suggest you have apps running that have high or excessive memory usage.

Keeping 2FA codes in a different user to where you will need them is a painful way to operate. In most cases there are limited security benefits to doing this as the security boundary between user profiles is no stronger than the app sandbox. All 2FA apps will keep 2FA related data protected within their app sandbox.

Likely best to set up a 2FA app in all users where you will need to use 2FA codes

router99

Carlos-Anso Blows my mind that phone applications need more than a few megabytes of memory to run.

I don't even use that many apps, but frequently my browser apps need to reload tabs despite not doing anything else memory intensive outside of those apps. Makes no apparent sense.

bookreader

Carlos-Anso This is not the case. Apps in other running users profiles will not be fully closed unless the system requires the memory. Can stop other user profiles running with "end session"

If you are experiencing apps closing constantly it does suggest you have apps running that have high or excessive memory usage.

I didn't say it was as intended. I said it was what happens. ANY application that is open has to be reloaded when you switch back. Nothing to do with excess memory consumption.

missing-root

I have this when using SaverTuner in extreme, but that also is untypical

thequint

I've had a similiar isse on my Pixel 8. Turns out, turning off developer options "fixed" this. I am not sure why and how, but it was recommended by GOS

No, GrapheneOS has no additional functionality which would kill apps in the background. Turn off developer options since you likely caused this there.

Carlos-Anso

@"bookreader"#

bookreader ANY application that is open has to be reloaded when you switch back

You are mistaken. Apps do keep running when you switch profiles, unless the profile is stopped with end session or the user has selected in settings to not allow it to run in background

Panda-na

For some reason I cannot find anywhere in the settings of my phone to view the RAM-usage. Am I blind or does everyone else also have it like this?

4nu4b

Panda-na Enable developer options by going to settings > about phone and tapping the build number multiple times. Then go to settings > system > developer options. Memory usage is the first option.

Panda-na

4nu4b
Thanks! But why is it hidden in the developer options? It has been available right under battery in settings in all my previous phones.

4nu4b

Panda-na no idea

4nu4b

Carlos-Anso isn't there the option under Settings > System > Multiple users to allow or disallow apps to run in the background?

bookreader

Carlos-Anso You should try it out, because you are describing EXPECTED behavior, not ACTUAL.

GrapheneOS

4nu4b That's the setting they were describing to disallow a user running in the background, which means switching away from it will end the session which includes closing all the apps.

Protonuser

bookreader

GrapheneOS this doesn’t seem to be the case for me I’m having the complete opposite.

I disable allow running in background, I reboot phone or switch to owner profile, then back to secondary and apps/background is all still there.

Tested with pixel 6a 7 and 7a on latest update

Carlos-Anso

bookreader
I have tried it many times. I leave apps running in user profiles, switch to another and regularly get notifications from the apps running in the other profile.

If you are experiencing this its likely to be related to one or more of-
the number of apps you have running, the way these apps are written, the amount of memory they are using due to the way they are being used, the amount of memory the device has.