free command
Show used and free memory and swap.
- System information
- Package procps
- 5 options · 4 examples
Syntax
free [options]Provided by the procps package. Run man free for the full manual.
Common options
| Option | What it does |
|---|---|
-h | Human-readable sizes |
-m | Show megabytes |
-g | Show gigabytes |
-s N | Repeat every N seconds |
-t | Add a total line |
Examples
Memory in human-readable form
free -hMemory in megabytes
free -mRefresh every 2 seconds
free -h -s 2With a total line
free -ht
No example matches. Check the options table or search the guides.
Tips
- Look at the "available" column, not "free": Linux uses spare RAM as cache.
free guides
- free Command in Linux (Check Memory Uses) Linux Commands · Updated Apr 2025