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Copy file name to clipboardExpand all lines: docs/debugger/memory-windows.md
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---
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title: View memory for variables in the debugger
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description: Learn how to use Memory windows as you debug, to see the memory space your app is using. Other windows show variables and where they reside in memory.
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ms.date: 11/30/2023
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ms.date: 11/19/2024
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ms.topic: how-to
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f1_keywords:
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- vs.debug.memory
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>[!IMPORTANT]
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>To enable the **Memory** windows, **Enable address-level debugging** must be selected in **Tools** > **Options** (or **Debug** > **Options**) > **Debugging** > **General**.
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**To open a Memory window**
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Open a Memory window:
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1. Make sure **Enable address-level debugging** is selected in **Tools** > **Options** (or **Debug** > **Options**) > **Debugging** > **General**.
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1. Start debugging by selecting the green arrow, pressing **F5**, or selecting **Debug** > **Start Debugging**.
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2. Under **Debug** > **Windows** > **Memory**, select **Memory 1**, **Memory 2**, **Memory 3**, or **Memory 4**. (Some editions of Visual Studio offer only one **Memory** window.)
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Multiple windows allow you to maintain views for different areas in memory space at the same time.
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## Move around in the Memory window
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The address space of a computer is large, and you can easily lose your place by scrolling in the **Memory** window.
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Higher memory addresses appear at the bottom of the window. To view a higher address, scroll down. To view a lower address, scroll up.
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In most scenarios, you want to find a specific memory location.
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## Find a memory location
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You can instantly go to a specified address in the **Memory** window by using drag-and-drop, or by entering the address in the **Address** field. The **Address** field accepts alphanumeric addresses, and expressions that evaluate to addresses, such as `e.User.NonroamableId`.
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To force immediate re-evaluation of an expression in the **Address** field, select the rounded-arrow **Reevaluate Automatically** icon.
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By default, the **Memory** window treats **Address** expressions as live expressions, which are re-evaluated as the app runs. Live expressions can be useful, for example, to view the memory that is touched by a pointer variable.
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**To use drag and drop to move to a memory location:**
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Use drag and drop to move to a memory location:
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1. In any debugger window, select a memory address, or a pointer variable that contains a memory address.
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2. Drag and drop the address or pointer in the **Memory** window. That address then appears in the **Address** field, and the **Memory** window adjusts to display that address at the top.
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1. Drag and drop the address or pointer in the **Memory** window.
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That address appears in the **Address** field, and the **Memory** window adjusts to display that address at the top.
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Entering a location in the Address field to move to a memory location:
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- Type or paste the address or expression in the **Address** field and press **Enter**, or choose it from the dropdown in the **Address** field.
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**To move to a memory location by entering it in the Address field:**
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That address appears in the **Address** field, and the **Memory** window adjusts to display that address at the top.
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- Type or paste the address or expression in the **Address** field and press **Enter**, or choose it from the dropdown in the **Address** field. The **Memory** window adjusts to display that address at the top.
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## Customize the Memory window
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By default, memory contents appear as 1-byte integers in hexadecimal format, and the window width determines the number of columns shown. You can customize the way the **Memory** window shows memory contents.
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**To change the format of the memory contents:**
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Change the format of the memory contents:
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- Right-click in the **Memory** window, and choose the formats that you want from the context menu.
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**To change the number of columns in the Memory window:**
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Change the number of columns in the Memory window:
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- Select the drop down arrow next to the **Columns** field, and select the number of columns to display, or select **Auto** for automatic adjustment based on window width.
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- Select the dropdown arrow next to the **Columns** field, and select the number of columns to display, or select **Auto** for automatic adjustment based on window width.
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If you do not want the contents of the **Memory** window to change as your app runs, you can turn off live expression evaluation.
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**To toggle live evaluation:**
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Toggle live evaluation:
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- Right-click in the **Memory** window, and select **Reevaluate Automatically** in the context menu.
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You can hide or display the toolbar at the top of the **Memory** window. You will not have access to the **Address** field or other tools when the toolbar is hidden.
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**To toggle the toolbar display:**
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Toggle the toolbar display:
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- Right-click in the **Memory** window, and select **Show Toolbar** in the context menu. The toolbar appears or disappears, depending on its previous state.
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## Follow a pointer through memory (C/C++)
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In native code apps, you can use register names as live expressions. For example, you can use the stack pointer to follow the stack.
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**To follow a pointer through memory:**
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Follow a pointer through memory:
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1. In the **Memory** window **Address** field, enter a pointer expression that is in the current scope. Depending on the language, you might have to dereference it.
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## Related content
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-[View data in the debugger](../debugger/viewing-data-in-the-debugger.md)
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-[View data in the debugger](../debugger/viewing-data-in-the-debugger.md)
To install these components by using the manual installer, download and run the [Test Agent for Visual Studio](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/vs/older-downloads/).
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[!include[Visual Studio Test Agent 2019](includes/vs-2019/workload-component-id-vs-test-agent.md)]
To install these components by using the manual installer, download and run the [Test Agent for Visual Studio](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads/#agents-for-visual-studio-2022).
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[!include[Visual Studio Test Agent 2022](includes/vs-2022/workload-component-id-vs-test-agent.md)]
To install these components by using the manual installer, download and run the [Test Controller for Visual Studio](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/vs/older-downloads/).
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[!include[Visual Studio Test Controller 2019](includes/vs-2019/workload-component-id-vs-test-controller.md)]
To install these components by using the manual installer, download and run the [Test Controller for Visual Studio](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads/#agents-for-visual-studio-2022).
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[!include[Visual Studio Test Controller 2022](includes/vs-2022/workload-component-id-vs-test-controller.md)]
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