How does iOS virtual memory system manage app memory isolation?

Updated May 17, 2026

Short answer

Each iOS app runs in a sandboxed virtual address space managed by the kernel.

Deep explanation

iOS uses VM subsystem (based on Mach kernel) to isolate processes. Each app has its own page tables mapping virtual to physical memory. Memory is paged in/out by kernel based on demand. Apps cannot directly access each other’s memory.

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