How to increase VRAM in Windows 11

Are you receiving warnings about your computer's graphics card memory when using graphics-intensive software or a new game? To prevent these issues and run resource-intensive games or applications smoothly, you need a graphics card and RAM that meet its specifications.

Whether your computer is old or you are having graphics issues for no apparent reason, you can fix the problem by adjusting a few parameters in certain situations.

The method we will cover in this article is to increase VRAM in Windows 11, which is one of the most effective ways to get the most out of your computer, especially your graphics card.

But before we get into it, let’s see what VRAM is and what it does. So, without further ado, let’s get started.

Why should we increase the video memory?

We need to point out which aspects of gaming and graphics software use the most VRAM. A basic criterion for VRAM consumption is the accuracy of the screen image. Better screens (such as 4K gaming) use more VRAM because more accurate images have more display pixels.

In addition to the screen, the design and textures in your game can also significantly affect the amount of VRAM you need. Many modern computer games allow you to enhance graphics or visual quality settings.

A few years ago you could play games with low or medium graphics settings using a cheap graphics card (or even a separate graphics card). But Advanced or Ultra graphics modes that make games look better will undoubtedly require more graphics memory.

Due to more pixels, beautification features such as anti-aliasing also consume more VRAM. So it's exacerbated if you're playing on two screens at the same time.

Some games may require different amounts of VRAM. For example, a game like Overwatch doesn't require a lot of high graphics resources, but games like Tomb Raider and Far Cry 6 with advanced lighting and textures and more detailed designs do. .

A free graphics card with just 2GB VRAM (or internal system graphics card) is enough to play PC shooters. You can even run older games using less graphics memory.

Even if you are not interested in gaming, some popular software requires large amounts of VRAM. For example, without enough VRAM memory, 3D design software such as AutoCAD, professional graphics editing software such as Photoshop, or high-quality video editing will suffer.

So whether you upgrade your GPU or increase the VRAM on your Windows 10 or 11 computer, running resource-intensive applications requires a computer with adequate VRAM.

How to check VRAM using Windows 11 settings?

You can easily see the amount of video memory on your computer in Windows 11 using the following steps:

1. UsingWindows I key combination to open the Settings menu, or right-click the Start menu and select Settings.
2. Select from the system window to display options.
3. After that, scroll down and click on the Advanced Display option.
4. Then select Display Adapter Properties. If you have multiple monitors, select the one whose VRAM information you want to view.
5. In the new window, next to Dedicated Video Memory, you will see the amount of video memory in your computer.

In the Adapter Type section you will see the name of your Nvidia or AMD graphics card, depending on which device you have.

Assuming you see the terms AMD Accelerated Processing Unit or Intel HD Graphics (most likely), you are using the graphics processor on your system's motherboard.

Expert Tip: Some PC problems are difficult to solve, especially if the repository is corrupted or Windows files are missing. If you are having trouble fixing errors, your system may be partially corrupted.

If you use a graphics processor on your system's motherboard and are dissatisfied with its poor performance, upgrading it to a dedicated graphics card (even a less specialized one) can significantly improve your system's graphics performance.

Therefore, the best way to increase video memory is to buy a large enough graphics card. If this doesn't work for you (like a laptop), you can increase your computer's VRAM in one of the following ways:

How to increase VRAM in Windows 11?

1.Using BIOS

1. Restart your PC and press the BIOS key repeatedly during the startup process. The F2, F5, F8, or Del keys can be used to access the BIOS.
2. In the BIOS menu, look for an option called Advanced Features. After that, look for Graphics Settings, Video Settings, or VGA Shared Memory Size options.
3. This section should give you the option to change the amount of memory allocated to the GPU. The default value here is 128 MB. If you have enough memory, you can increase this amount to 256 or 512 MB.
4. Finally, Save changes and restart your computer.

This feature exists on all CPUs and BIOSes; however, if this method does not work, continue to the next solution.

While the first method is the easiest and works on all CPUs and BIOS, you can also use the Registry Editor to increase VRAM in Windows 11 by following the instructions below.

2.Using the Registry Editor

Making incorrect changes to the registry can cause problems with your computer's operating system, so you need to be careful.

1. To launch the Run application, go to the Start menu, type run, and hit Enter.
2. Then type regedit to open the Registry Editor.
3. Navigate to the following path: <strong>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Intel</strong>
4. In the left panel, right-clickIntel folder, hover over New and select Key.
5. Name the key GMM and click on it.
6. After that, right-click in the right panel, select New, and then click DWORD (32-bit) Value.
7. Then name it DedicatedSegmentSize. Note that the first letter of each word should be capitalized, and no spaces should be used between words as you type.
8. Double click on it, select Hexadecimal and enter the recommended value data using your system RAM information and click OK: 1GB – 128MB; 2GB – 256MB; 4GB – 512MB; 6GB – 1024MB; 8GB – 2048MB; 16GB – 4096MB.

Now restart your computer for the modifications to take effect, and then test the software or game to see how they function.

How much VRAM memory do I need?

Unable to specify an exact value for VRAM memory requirements. However, we can provide some basic instructions on how much VRAM a graphics card requires.

• 1 to 2 GB VRAM: These graphics cards typically cost less than $100. They perform better than the system's internal graphics, but are unable to run many modern PC games at above-average settings. Buy these cards only if you want older PC games that don't run on the system's internal graphics card. They are also not recommended for editing movies and 3D tasks.
• 3 to 6 GB VRAM: This type of card is suitable for mid-range gaming or general video editing. You can't use great graphics settings in the game. But you can play modern games at 1080p image resolution with very few issues. If you are on a tight budget, buy a 4GB card, but buying a 6GB card will undoubtedly give you a higher card capacity.
• 8GB video memory or higher: Graphics cards with these video memory capacities are suitable for professional players. If you want to play the latest games in 4K quality, you need a high-memory graphics card.

Video card manufacturers usually consider the appropriate VRAM memory for a graphics card based on its GPU power.

So a $75 low-cost graphics card will have less VRAM memory, while a $500 graphics card will have more memory. If a weak GPU doesn't have the ability to process and display video images with 8GB of VRAM, then having that much VRAM would be a waste of money.

You don't always have to worry about getting the maximum amount of VRAM. For example, you don't need an $800 graphics card with 128GB of video memory to run a 2D game. When you have multiple VRAM options to choose from, you just have to pay attention to the amount of VRAM memory you get.

So, before we start increasing VRAM in Windows 11, the first step is to check how much VRAM you already have by following the above steps.

If the system requirements of a software or game you want to run on your computer exceed the capabilities of your graphics card, your only option is to purchase a new one that can handle them.

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