How much air can your lungs hold?

The average adult can hold about 5 to 6 liters (about 200 to 240 ounces) of air in their lungs. This volume is called the total lung capacity (TLC), and it includes the air in your lungs after a full inhalation (inspiratory reserve volume, or IRV), the air you normally breathe in and out (tidal volume), the air you can breathe out after a normal breath (expiratory reserve volume), and the air that remains in your lungs after a full exhalation (residual volume).