How to Enable XMP or EXPO in the BIOS, Step by Step (Every Brand)

In this guide (9 sections)

• What’s your situation?
• 1. Check what speed your RAM runs at now
• 2. Find the memory profile setting in your BIOS
• 3. Choose the right profile
• 4. Save and let the PC train the memory
• 5. Check the new speed and that the PC is stable
• 6. Find the option if it’s missing or grayed out
• 7. Fix it if the profile turns itself off
• Real cases: what other users ran into

New RAMRAM (memory): Memory modules: short-term working space the PC needs to run. They clip into slots next to the processor. More in our PC basics glossary →Close ✕ doesn’t run at the speed printed on the box until you tell it to. Out of the box it uses a slower, safe default speed, and the faster one is stored on the modules as a profile called XMP or EXPOXMP / EXPO: A one-click BIOS setting that runs RAM at its advertised faster speed. If unstable, the PC may not start. More in our RAM & storage glossary →Close ✕. Switching it on takes one setting in the BIOSBIOS (UEFI): The motherboard's built-in settings program, which starts the PC before Windows. You open it with Delete or F2 at startup. More in our Startup & BIOS glossary →Close ✕, and nothing breaks if it doesn’t work: you can always go back.

What’s your situation?

What you see	What it means	Where to look
The RAM speedRAM speed (MT/s or MHz): How fast the memory runs, such as 6000 MT/s. Without XMP or EXPO, new RAM runs at a slower default speed. More in our RAM & storage glossary →Close ✕ shows 4800 (DDR5) or 2133 (DDR4).	The profile is off, which is normal for new RAM	Steps 1 and 2
The screen stays black for minutes after enabling it.	Memory trainingMemory training: A test the PC runs on new RAM during the first startup. The screen can stay black for a few minutes. More in our RAM & storage glossary →Close ✕, usually normal	Step 4
The PC crashes or shows blue screens since enabling it.	The speed is a little too high for your PC	Step 5
You can’t find XMP or EXPO in the BIOS.	Mixed modules, a basic motherboard, or a different name	Step 6
The speed has gone back down on its own.	A BIOS update or reset turned the profile off	Step 7

1. Check what speed your RAM runs at now

Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), click Performance, then Memory. Look at Speed (Windows 11 shows it in MT/s).

• About 4800 on DDR5, or 2133–2666 on DDR4: the profile is off. This is the default RAM speed.
• The number on the box (for example 6000 or 3600): it’s already on. Nothing to do.

Some tools, like CPU-Z, show half the number (3000 MHz for DDR5-6000). That’s normal: memory transfers data twice per tick, so 3000 MHz = 6000 MT/s.

2. Find the memory profile setting in your BIOS

Restart and press Delete (or F2) repeatedly as the PC starts. The setting has a different name on each brand, and its place may move a little between BIOS versions:

Brand	Name of the setting	Where to find it
ASUS	Ai Overclock Tuner → XMP I / XMP II / EXPO (DOCP on older AMD motherboards)	EZ Mode main screen, or Advanced Mode (F7) → Ai Tweaker
MSI	XMP, A-XMP or EXPO button	Top-left of the main screen, or OC → Extreme Memory Profile
Gigabyte	X.M.P. or EXPO	Easy Mode main screen, or Tweaker → Extreme Memory Profile
ASRock	XMP / EXPO profile (“DRAM Profile Setting”)	OC Tweaker → DRAM Configuration

On a prebuilt PC from a big brand, the BIOS may not offer it at all. In that case the RAM runs at the speed the maker chose.

3. Choose the right profile

You’ll usually see one or two profiles:

• Intel processors: pick XMP. If there’s XMP I and XMP II, start with XMP I (the most standard one).
• AMD processors: pick EXPO if your kit has it. Kits made for Intel only have XMP, and most AMD motherboards can still use it (ASUS used to call this DOCP).
• Two profiles with different speeds? Start with the lower one if you want the safest choice, then try the faster one.

Don’t change anything else: the profile sets the speed, the timings and the voltage for you.

4. Save and let the PC train the memory

Press F10 and confirm. The PC restarts and runs memory training: it tests the RAM at the new speed. During that time:

• The screen can stay black for one to several minutes, especially on DDR5 and with large amounts of RAM.
• The DRAM light on the motherboard may stay on while it works.
• The PC may restart once or twice by itself.

Don’t switch it off during this time: it just starts over. Give it at least 5 minutes before deciding something is wrong.

Later starts should be much faster. If every startup stays slow on an AMD system, turn on Memory Context RestoreMemory Context Restore: A BIOS option that remembers the RAM settings found in training, so later starts are faster. More in our RAM & storage glossary →Close ✕ in the BIOS, near the profile setting.

5. Check the new speed and that the PC is stable

1. In Windows, open Task Manager again and check that Speed now shows the number on the box.
2. Use the PC normally for a while: play a demanding game, open your usual apps.
3. For a thorough check, run a memory test such as MemTest86 (free, runs from a USB stick) for a few passes.

Crashes, freezes or blue screens since you enabled it? XMP and EXPO are a form of overclocking, and not every processor and motherboard can run every kit at full speed. Go back to the BIOS and set the memory frequency one step lower (for example 5600 instead of 6000), keeping the profile on. Most PCs are stable that way, and the difference in games is small. If the blue screens continue with XMP off, see how to find what caused a blue screen.

6. Find the option if it’s missing or grayed out

• Mixed modules: if you added RAM from a different kit, one of the modules may not have a profile, or the profiles don’t match. Try with only the modules from the same kit.
• The RAM has no profile: cheaper modules that already run at their rated speed (for example DDR4-2666 or DDR5-4800) don’t have one, and don’t need it.
• The motherboard can’t overclock memory: some budget motherboards limit RAM to the processor’s official speed, and the setting is missing or locked. Check the motherboard’s specifications on the maker’s site.
• It’s somewhere else: switch to the BIOS’s Advanced Mode (F7 on many motherboards) and look in the overclocking section.

If there’s no profile, you can still set the speed, timings and voltage by hand from the numbers printed on the RAM’s label, but only change one thing at a time.

7. Fix it if the profile turns itself off

The profile is stored in the BIOS settings, so anything that resets them turns it off:

• A BIOS update or a CMOS resetClear CMOS: Resetting the motherboard's settings back to factory defaults. It doesn't delete your files. More in our Startup & BIOS glossary →Close ✕ brings back the defaults. Enable the profile again afterwards.
• A failed startup: many motherboards automatically go back to safe settings after a few failed attempts, and show a message about overclocking failing. That means the speed was too high: try one step lower.
• RGB or motherboard apps in Windows that also control RAM can conflict with the BIOS. Turn their memory options off and use only the BIOS.

Still stuck at a low speed? Our guide on RAM not running at full speed covers the other causes, including the wrong slots.

Real cases: what other users ran into

These are real reports from PC forums, summarized in our own words, with a link to each original thread.

Real caseCore i9-13900K · Gigabyte Z690 AORUS ELITE · Corsair Vengeance DDR5-6000Solution not confirmed by the userDDR5-6000 stuck at 4800 on a brand-new PCRead what happened

The owner checked the RAM speed in Windows and saw 4800 instead of 6000, and was trying to update the BIOS to fix it. The reply marked as the answer was simply to enter the BIOS and enable XMP. The owner didn’t post back to confirm, but this is by far the most common reason.

Takeaway: 4800 on DDR5 is the default speed, not a fault. See step 2.

Source: Tom's Hardware Forum

Real caseGigabyte Z390 AORUS PRO · four mixed DDR4 sticksSolution not confirmed by the userXMP option missing with mixed RAM modulesRead what happened

After a BIOS update, the XMP option disappeared, and going back to the previous BIOS didn’t bring it back. The PC had four modules from two different brands and kits. Replies explained that mixed modules can make the option disappear or gray out, suggested checking each module’s profile with CPU-Z and testing with only the matching pair, or setting speed, timings and voltage by hand. The owner thanked them for the manual option, but didn’t report the final result.

Takeaway: mixed kits are a common reason for a missing profile. See step 6.

Source: Tom's Hardware Forum

Real caseCore i7-14700K · ASUS ROG Strix Z790 · Corsair Dominator 2×32 GB DDR5-5600Not solved by the userA BIOS update made XMP unstableRead what happened

XMP had worked fine at 5600, but after a BIOS update the PC started crashing with XMP on. Turning XMP off made it stable, but at 4800. A 12-hour memory test found no errors, and the kit was on the motherboard’s compatibility list. Another user reported something similar on a different motherboard and lowered the speed to stay stable. No fix was posted, and the owner said ASUS support didn’t help.

Takeaway: a BIOS update can change how well a kit runs. If XMP starts causing crashes, try one speed step lower. See step 5.

Source: ROG Forum

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to enable XMP or EXPO?

For most PCs, yes: it’s the normal way to use fast RAM, and the profile was set by the RAM maker. Technically it runs the memory beyond the processor’s official speed, so stability isn’t guaranteed on every PC. If it causes problems, turning it off or going one step lower fixes them.

Will XMP make my games faster?

Usually a little, and more on some processors than others. The jump from the default speed to the rated speed is often noticeable in games that depend on the processor; going even faster beyond that matters much less.

Should I use XMP or EXPO on an AMD PC?

Use EXPO if your RAM has it. If it only has XMP, most current AMD motherboards can use the XMP profile too.

Why does CPU-Z show half my RAM speed?

CPU-Z shows the real clock, while the box shows transfers per second, which are double. 3000 MHz in CPU-Z equals 6000 MT/s on the box.

Do I have to enable it again after a BIOS update?

Yes, almost always. BIOS updates and CMOS resets bring back the default settings, so the profile is switched off.