How to Check RAM Speed in Windows 11 and Enable XMP or EXPO

To check your RAM speed in Windows 11, open Task Manager with Ctrl+Shift+Esc, go to the Performance tab and select Memory: the Speed field shows the speed your memory is currently running at. If that number is lower than the speed printed on your RAM kit, the kit is probably running at its default rather than its rated speed, and you need to turn on its XMP (Intel) or EXPO (AMD) profile in the BIOS. This guide covers both steps, plus a PowerShell command that shows the exact type, speed and part number of every module.

Why your RAM might be running slower than advertised

Memory kits are sold at a rated speed, such as DDR5-6000 or DDR4-3600. But a PC does not automatically run memory at the number on the box. On first boot, most motherboards fall back to a conservative default speed that works on any compatible system. The faster rated speed is stored on the module as a separate profile, and it only takes effect when you switch it on.

That profile is what Intel calls XMP (Extreme Memory Profile) and AMD calls EXPO (Extended Profiles for Overclocking). Both are preset combinations of speed, timings and voltage that the memory maker has tested. Because they run memory beyond the processor’s official specification, both are technically overclocking, which is why they are off by default.

It is common for a new PC, or a self-built one where nobody touched the BIOS, to run its memory at the default speed indefinitely. Checking takes a couple of minutes.

Step 1: Check RAM speed in Task Manager

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager. You can also right-click the Start button and choose Task Manager.
2. If Task Manager opens in its compact view, select More details.
3. Open the Performance page from the left-hand menu.
4. Select Memory.
5. Read the details under the graph: Speed is the current memory speed, Slots used shows how many of the motherboard’s memory slots are filled, and Form factor shows DIMM for desktop modules or SODIMM for laptop modules.

The capacity at the top right, for example 32.0 GB, is the total installed memory.

A caveat about Task Manager

Microsoft acknowledges that Task Manager is not always right about memory. Its support article on incorrect memory information says Task Manager “may show the memory speed to be higher or lower than the speed that is reported in the BIOS,” because it “parses the SMBIOS memory data incorrectly.” If the number looks odd, confirm it with the PowerShell method below or in your BIOS.

Step 2: Get exact details with PowerShell

Windows exposes detailed information about each memory module through the Win32_PhysicalMemory class, which reads the SMBIOS memory records supplied by your motherboard firmware. You can query it with PowerShell’s built-in Get-CimInstance cmdlet.

1. Right-click the Start button and choose Terminal (or search for PowerShell). Administrator rights are not needed.
2. Paste the following command and press Enter: Get-CimInstance Win32_PhysicalMemory | Format-Table DeviceLocator, Manufacturer, PartNumber, Capacity, Speed, ConfiguredClockSpeed, SMBIOSMemoryType -AutoSize
3. You get one row per installed module.

How to read the output

A note on units: Microsoft’s documentation for this class is inconsistent about units, but both speed values come from the SMBIOS Memory Device record, and the DMTF SMBIOS specification defines them in megatransfers per second (MT/s). In practice that means a DDR5-6000 kit running at its rated speed shows 6000, the same number printed on the box. The same specification lists memory type 1Ah (26) as DDR4 and 22h (34) as DDR5, which is where the codes above come from.

The key comparison is ConfiguredClockSpeed against the rated speed of your kit. If your kit is sold as DDR5-6000 and ConfiguredClockSpeed shows a lower figure, the memory profile is not enabled.

Step 3: Find your kit’s rated speed and your CPU’s official limit

You need two numbers before changing anything:

• The kit’s rated speed. It is printed on the module label and the retail box, and you can find it by searching the PartNumber from Step 2 on the memory maker’s website. The rated speed is the one achieved with XMP or EXPO enabled.
• Your processor’s official memory specification. This is the speed the CPU maker guarantees without overclocking, and it often depends on how many modules you use. For example, AMD’s spec page for the Ryzen 5 7500 lists DDR5-5200 with two modules but DDR5-3600 with four.

If your configured speed matches your CPU’s official figure but is below the kit’s rating, you are running at a safe default and can choose whether to enable the faster profile.

Step 4: Enable XMP or EXPO in the BIOS

Menu names differ between motherboard makers, so check your board’s manual. The general process is the same everywhere:

Step 4a: Enter the BIOS (UEFI)

Restart the PC and press the setup key during start-up; on most desktop boards this is Delete or F2. Alternatively, in Windows 11 go to Settings › System › Recovery, choose Restart now next to Advanced startup, then select Troubleshoot › Advanced options › UEFI Firmware Settings.

Step 4b: Find the memory profile setting

Look for a setting labelled XMP, EXPO, “Extreme Memory Profile”, “AI Overclock Tuner”, “Memory Profile” or similar. Many boards show it on the main or “easy mode” screen; otherwise it is usually under an overclocking or memory section.

Step 4c: Choose a profile

Select the profile that matches your kit’s rated speed. Some DDR5 kits offer more than one profile, and some AM5 boards can apply either an EXPO or an XMP profile.

Step 4d: Save and restart

Save your changes (often F10) and exit. The first boot after changing memory settings can take noticeably longer than usual while the motherboard trains the memory. Let it finish without switching the PC off.

Step 4e: Verify in Windows

Repeat Step 1 or Step 2. ConfiguredClockSpeed and Task Manager should now show your kit’s rated speed.

XMP vs EXPO: what’s the difference?

Intel’s XMP configuration guide describes XMP as a way to overclock compatible DDR4 and DDR5 modules on PCs with Intel Core processors, and says the predefined, tested profiles are loaded “using BIOS or a specific tuning application.” AMD’s EXPO page says the technology was created for Ryzen processors on Socket AM5 to give “easy DDR5 memory overclocking with AMD Ryzen-optimized profiles.”

AMD has also added a variant called AMD EXPO Technology: Featuring Ultra Low Latency. At Computex 2026, AMD said certified ULL kits deliver an additional 4% average increase in frame rates compared with non-ULL EXPO memory, based on its own testing. If you are buying memory for a Ryzen system, AMD’s memory compatibility list shows which kits support EXPO, which are certified for EXPO ULL and which are XMP-compatible.

Is enabling XMP or EXPO safe?

For most people, enabling the profile that came with their kit is the normal, intended way to use it. But it is worth knowing what both chipmakers say in their fine print:

“Altering clock frequency or voltage may void any product warranties and reduce stability, security, performance, and life of the processor and other components.”

AMD’s EXPO page carries a similar footnote: running processors and memory outside AMD’s published specifications, “even when enabled via AMD hardware and/or software,” will void any applicable AMD product warranty and may void warranties from the system maker or retailer.

In practice, that means:

• Use the profile your kit was sold with rather than manually pushing further.
• If you rely on a manufacturer warranty for a prebuilt PC, check its terms before changing memory settings.
• If stability matters more than speed, for example on a work machine, leaving memory at its default is a perfectly valid choice.

Troubleshooting: PC won’t boot or crashes after enabling XMP or EXPO

1. Wait out memory training. A long black screen on the first boot is normal. Give it several minutes before assuming something is wrong.
2. Let the board recover. Many motherboards automatically revert to safe memory settings after a few failed boots.
3. Clear the CMOS if it does not recover. Your motherboard manual shows the clear-CMOS button or jumper; this resets all BIOS settings to default.
4. Update the BIOS. Memory compatibility improves with firmware updates, especially on newer platforms.
5. Try a slower profile if your kit offers more than one, or set a slightly lower speed manually.
6. Check the module count. Four modules are harder to run at high speed than two. AMD’s own specification for the Ryzen 5 7500, for example, drops from DDR5-5200 with two modules to DDR5-3600 with four.
7. Check the slots. With two modules, your motherboard manual will specify which two slots to use for dual-channel operation. Step 2’s DeviceLocator column shows which slots are filled.

What about laptops and prebuilt PCs?

Most laptops do not offer XMP or EXPO settings. Their memory is either soldered to the motherboard or installed as SODIMM modules that run at speeds set by the laptop maker. On a laptop, Steps 1 and 2 are still useful for checking how much memory you have, what type it is and whether there is a free slot for an upgrade. Task Manager’s “Slots used” line shows, for example, “1 of 2” when one slot is free.

Prebuilt desktops vary. Some ship with XMP or EXPO already enabled; others leave it off. Some business-focused machines hide the setting entirely. Checking the configured speed tells you which case you are in.

Bottom line

Checking your RAM speed takes a minute in Task Manager, and PowerShell’s Get-CimInstance Win32_PhysicalMemory command gives you the exact generation, part number and configured speed of every module. If the configured speed is below what your kit is rated for, enabling XMP or EXPO in the BIOS is usually all it takes to get the performance you paid for. Just make that change knowing that both Intel and AMD class it as overclocking, and keep the troubleshooting steps above to hand in case the first boot takes a while.

Written byMara Lindqvist

Mara Lindqvist edits the hardware desk. She covers graphics cards, processors, memory and storage, the foundries and chip designers behind them, and what the numbers on a spec sheet mean for people choosing a PC. Specifications in her stories come from manufacturer spec pages and datasheets.

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