Adjust LibreOffice Memory Cache for Better Speed

Adjusting the memory cache settings in LibreOffice can significantly improve rendering performance, reduce latency, and prevent stutters when scrolling through large documents or handling image-heavy files. While recent versions of LibreOffice manage some memory dynamically, you can fine-tune both the rendering engine and specific memory allocations to optimize the software for your hardware.

Step 1: Enable Hardware Acceleration and Skia

Modern versions of LibreOffice use Skia for graphics rendering. Ensuring this is active provides the most immediate boost to document rendering.

1. Open LibreOffice.
2. Navigate to Tools > Options (Windows/Linux) or LibreOffice > Preferences (macOS).
3. In the left panel, expand LibreOffice and select View.
4. Under the Graphics Output section:
   • Check Use hardware acceleration.
   • Check Use Skia for all rendering (or Force Skia software rendering if your GPU causes visual artifacts).
5. Click Apply.

Step 2: Access Advanced Memory Settings

To manually allocate more RAM to LibreOffice’s internal cache, use the Expert Configuration menu:

1. In the Options window, go to LibreOffice > Advanced.
2. Click the Open Expert Configuration button.
3. In the search bar at the top, type Cache and press Enter.
4. Navigate to org.openoffice.Office.Common > Cache.

Step 3: Modify Graphic Manager Cache Values

Double-click the following properties to edit their values according to your system’s capabilities:

• GraphicManager/TotalCacheSize: This sets the total memory allocated for images and graphics (measured in bytes).
  • Default: Usually around 20000000 (~20 MB) or dynamic.
  • Recommended: Increase to 268435456 (256 MB) or 536870912 (512 MB) for systems with 8 GB or more RAM.
• GraphicManager/ObjectCacheSize: This determines the maximum memory allowed for a single graphic object.
  • Recommended: Set to 20971520 (20 MB) or 52428800 (50 MB).
• GraphicManager/ObjectReleaseTime: The time before an unused graphic is cleared from memory.
  • Default: 00:10:00 (10 minutes). Increasing this to 00:30:00 prevents frequent reloading during long editing sessions.

Step 4: Save and Restart

1. Click OK to close the Expert Configuration window.
2. Click Apply and then OK in the main Options dialog.
3. Completely close and restart LibreOffice to apply the new memory parameters.