VRAM or Video Random Access Memory is similar to the normal RAM of your computer but is dedicated to the GPU. It is usually much faster than standard RAM as it is used to store textures and image data that your computer will display. The more VRAM your computer has the more complex images it can load. If you are having graphics related issues on your computer then increasing the VRAM might help. In this latest installment of our troubleshooting series we will show you how to increase dedicated VRAM in windows 10.
How To Increase Dedicated VRAM On Windows 10
The best way to increase VRAM and the most effective so far that works 100% of the time is to get a new graphics card with a larger VRAM. If you have an older generation video card then it’s ideal to get one of the latest cards. Take note that you will still have to check if the new card is compatible with your current computer hardware setup. You will also have to check for bottlenecking issues between your processor and new card which can be done with this bottleneck calculator: https://pc-builds.com/calculator/.
Not everyone can afford to buy a new graphics card and if you belong to this category then there are still some ways you can do to increase dedicated VRAM on Windows 10.
First check how much VRAM your computer has. For this we will use the dxdiag tool.
- Type “Run”: into the Windows 10 search bar and open the app.
- Type “dxdiag” into the bar and click OK. If it gives you a prompt about connecting to the internet, click Yes.
- When the DirectX Diagnostic Tool opens, click on Display; you should see the information about your GPU. The VRAM you have can be found at Display Memory.
Increase VRAM from computer BIOS
Some computer systems will allow you to make certain VRAM settings from the BIOS. Take note that this will only work on some motherboards. If your motherboard happens to allow this process then you are in luck.
- Restart your computer then enter the BIOS settings by pressing the dedicated BIOS key repeatedly during the bootup. Try pressing F2, F5, F8 or Del key repeatedly. If that doesn’t work, search online for specific steps on entering the BIOS settings for your system.
- When you have accessed the BIOS look for a menu similar to Graphics Settings, Video Settings or VGA Share Memory Size. You can typically find it under the Advanced menu.
- Increase the Pre-Allocated VRAM to whichever option suits you best.
- Save the configuration and restart your computer.
Check if the VRAM of your computer has increased by comparing it to the old value.
Increase VRAM from Registry Editor
If your computer is using an integrated Intel GPU then you can adjust the VRAM from the registry editor. This will allow you to run specific games that require more VRAM without any errors. Take note that you are just increasing the value of the VRAM that the game will be detecting your system has and not actually increasing the VRAM size.
- Press Windows key + R to open up a Run box.
- Type “regedit” and hit Enter to open Registry Editor.
- Inside Registry Editor, use the left-hand pane to navigate to the following location: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Intel
- Right-click on the Intel key and choose New – Key and name it GMM.
- With the GMM key selected, move over to the right pane and select New – Dword (32-bit) Value and name it DedicatedSegmentSize.
- Double-click on DedicatedSegmentSize, set the Base to Decimal and insert a value from 0 to 512. This value will be the amount of VRAM displayed inside the Adapter Properties menu.
- Save the changes and restart your computer to enforce the changes. At the next startup, see if you can start the game without the error.
The above listed steps are proven to increase dedicated VRAM on Windows 10.