In computing, memory is the fast working space a computer uses while it runs programs, while storage is where files and data sit long-term, whether or not the machine is switched on. A laptop that needs more memory to run smoothly is short on working space, not filing space.
The core difference
Memory holds what a computer is actively working on; storage holds what it keeps.
- memory — a computer's hardware for storing data and instructions, often temporarily, as in RAM: the laptop needs more memory to run smoothly.
- storage — the act of keeping something in a place until it is needed, or the space used for this: the photos are backed up in cloud storage.
How to tell them apart
A useful mental image is a desk and a filing cabinet. Memory is the desk: whatever is on it right now is easy to reach but gets cleared when you shut things down. Storage is the filing cabinet: slower to dig through, but what is inside stays put after the lights go off.
The words also carry over into everyday, non-technical use: memory can mean the brain's own ability to recall the past, as in her memory for names is remarkable, which has nothing to do with computers at all.
