How to Enable XMP / EXPO for Your RAM

Most motherboards run your PC's RAM at the default DDR4/DDR5 speeds, which are typically slower than the advertised speed of your RAM. Configuring your RAM to run at the advertised speed is easy, typically with a simple BIOS setting change that may not be enabled by default. Check the XMP / DOCP / EXPO settings to make sure you're getting the most out of your RAM!

The name for this feature depends on the manufacturer of your CPU. Intel CPUs call this XMP (Extended Memory Profile), AMD motherboards could call this XMP, DOCP (Direct Over Clock Profile), or EXPO (Extended Profiles for Overclocking). I'll be using XMP to refer to all of these features in the instructions.

Within Windows 10 or 11, you have two options to reboot into the advanced startup menu:

After either of those two steps, your PC will reboot into a blue menu with startup options. Select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > UEFI Firmware Settings > Restart.

This video explains the process: www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7vNOx6wWGU

If you are unable to access the BIOS with the above steps, you can press the BIOS key while starting your PC. This is typically the DELete, F2, or F12 keys, but this will depend on your motherboard model. Check the manual, or reach out to the support team for help.

Once you're in the BIOS, the steps to enable XMP depend on the motherboard you have. Your manual should have instructions, but there's a good chance the setting is on the main page. Remember that XMP may also be called something else, such as DOCP or EXPO.

In general, the setting may be on the "easy mode" or front page of your BIOS. If not, look for an advanced mode button, and from there look for a section for memory settings. Whatever automatic speeds are used should be fine, you shouldn't need to manually configure any speed settings.

If you run into any issues making these changes, or you encounter stability issues after making the change, feel free to reach out to the support team!