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====== Ubuntu - Swap - Increase Swap Size ======

Recent releases of Ubuntu use swap file instead of the traditional swap partition.

  * The swap file is simply a file under the root which is used as swap to share the burden on the RAM.
  * The biggest advantage of using a swap file is that it is easy to resize.
    * That’s not always the case when a dedicated swap partition is used.


<WRAP tip>
**IMPORTANT:** 

  * If you are using a swap partition and want to increase the swap size, you can still go ahead and create a swap file.
  * Linux can use multiple swap spaces as needed; and this way, there is no need to touch the partition.

</WRAP>

----

===== Check if there is a swap file in the system =====

<code bash>
swapon --show
</code>

returns:

<code bash>
NAME      TYPE SIZE USED PRIO
/swapfile file   4G 2.1G   -2
</code>

<WRAP info>
**NOTE:**  This shows that there is a swapfile.

  * **TYPE**:  If this shows **file**, it indicates that a swap file is being used.
</WRAP>

----

===== Take the swap file offline =====

Before resizing the swap file, turn the swap off.

<code bash>
sudo swapoff /swapfile
</code>

<WRAP info>
**NOTE:** The command does not produce any output and it may take a few minutes to complete.

Make sure that there is enough free RAM available to take the data from swap file.

  * Otherwise, create a temporary swap file.

</WRAP>

----


===== Resize the swap file =====

<code bash>
sudo fallocate -l 4G /swapfile
</code>

----

===== Mark this file as a swap file =====

<code bash>
sudo mkswap /swapfile
</code>

<WRAP info>
**NOTE:** There should be some output where it warns you that the old swap signature is being wiped.
</WRAP>

----

===== Enable the swap file =====

<code bash>
sudo swapon /swapfile
</code>

<WRAP info>
**NOTE:**  All done!

  * The new swap file is created with the increased swap size.
</WRAP>

----

===== Check the swap size =====

<code bash>
swapon --show
</code>

----

<code bash>
free -h
</code>

returns:

<code>
               total        used        free      shared  buff/cache   available
Mem:            62Gi        10Gi       886Mi       364Mi        50Gi        50Gi
Swap:          4.0Gi       2.1Gi       1.9Gi
</code>

----