Google’s latest Pixel 10 ships with a generous 12GB of RAM, promising smooth performance for multitasking and demanding apps. But many users have noticed that the phone doesn’t feel quite as fast as the hardware suggests. The reason? By default, not all of that memory is available to you.
Why only 8.5GB of RAM is actually usable
On the standard Pixel 10, 3.5GB of memory is permanently reserved for the Tensor TPU, Google’s custom AI processing unit. This allocation ensures that on-device artificial intelligence tasks—like smart photo edits, live translation, and voice recognition—run faster and more efficiently.
The drawback is that regular apps are left with only about 8.5GB of usable memory. While this is still plenty for everyday use, heavy multitaskers may notice slowdowns when juggling multiple demanding apps or games.
By contrast, the higher-end Pixel 10 Pro, 10 Pro XL, and Pro Fold models pack 16GB of RAM, providing more room for both AI tasks and everyday usage with less compromise.
The hidden trick to reclaim your full 12GB
Here’s the good news: you’re not stuck with the limited RAM. Power users who value maximum multitasking headroom over AI speed can free up the reserved memory and unlock the complete 12GB for general use.
The process is straightforward:
- Open Settings.
- Go to Apps → All apps.
- Tap the three-dot menu in the corner and select Show system.
- Locate AI Core in the list.
- Disable the service.
That’s it—your Pixel 10 now has the entire 12GB of RAM available for apps and multitasking.
The trade-off: faster multitasking, slower AI
Of course, there’s a catch. With AI Core disabled, the Pixel 10’s on-device AI features won’t be as fast or responsive, since the reserved memory was meant to accelerate those tasks. If you frequently rely on AI-powered features like instant photo edits or live voice transcription, you may want to keep the default setup.
However, for users who prioritize gaming, productivity, or keeping dozens of apps alive at once, reclaiming the full RAM capacity could make the Pixel 10 feel noticeably smoother.
Choosing the right option
If you want the best of both worlds—snappy AI performance and maximum multitasking—the higher-tier Pixel 10 Pro models with 16GB RAM are better suited, as they have enough memory to handle everything without compromises.
For the standard Pixel 10, though, this hidden setting gives you the flexibility to choose:
- Faster multitasking with all 12GB of RAM.
- Faster AI performance with 8.5GB available for apps.
Google’s decision to dedicate memory to AI shows how central these features have become to the Pixel lineup. But for power users, having the option to override it is a welcome nod to flexibility.