Black Myth: Wukong Out of Video Memory? Fixes That Help

Updated 9 November 2026 · Standard formula, shown below

Yes—Black Myth: Wukong can trigger an “out of video memory” error when the graphics card runs short of usable video memory (VRAM), but the message can also point to a driver, shader-compilation, or system-memory problem. Start by lowering demanding graphics settings and closing other GPU-heavy apps; then check the game files and graphics driver before considering more involved changes.

What the error means

Video memory is dedicated memory on a graphics card, used for items such as textures, rendered frames, and other graphics data. If the game and driver cannot allocate the memory they need, the game may fail to start, crash during shader compilation or gameplay, or display an out-of-memory warning. The message does not by itself prove that the graphics card is defective.

Black Myth: Wukong is a demanding PC game built with Unreal Engine 5. Its detailed environments and effects can put substantial pressure on a GPU, particularly at high resolutions and with demanding visual settings. Requirements and performance depend on the specific hardware, graphics driver, game version, and settings, so there is no single setting that fixes every system.

Also distinguish dedicated VRAM from ordinary system RAM. Windows can sometimes use shared system memory for graphics, but it is not a like-for-like replacement for a graphics card’s dedicated memory and may be much slower. A PC can have plenty of installed RAM and still run out of VRAM.

Try these fixes in order

Restart the game and close other GPU-heavy programs. Save your progress, exit the game, and close applications that may use the GPU, such as video editors, 3D software, other games, or multiple browser tabs playing video. Reboot the computer if the error persists; this can clear temporary resource use.
Lower the graphics load. If you can reach the settings menu, reduce texture quality first, then lower the resolution or render scale. Reduce demanding effects and ray tracing if enabled. Apply the changes and restart the game if it prompts you to do so. If the game crashes before you can change settings, look for its graphics configuration options through the game’s supported menus or launcher rather than deleting random files.
Check for game updates and verify the installed files. Use the game launcher’s update and file-verification feature. On Steam, this is generally available from the game’s Properties under Installed Files; other launchers use their own repair or verification controls. Verification checks for damaged or missing files and may replace them, but it will not add VRAM or guarantee that a hardware limit is resolved.
Update or reinstall the graphics driver carefully. Get a current driver intended for your exact GPU from its manufacturer, and follow the installer’s instructions. Restart afterward. If the issue began immediately after a driver update, check whether the manufacturer offers a stable earlier driver; avoid downloading drivers from unofficial sites.
Remove unstable overclocks and overlays. Return GPU or memory overclocking to default settings while troubleshooting. Temporarily disable overlays and monitoring tools one at a time, including recording features, to see whether a conflict is involved. Do not disable security software as a general fix.
Check that the game uses the intended GPU. This matters especially on laptops with integrated and dedicated graphics. In Windows graphics settings, select the game and choose the high-performance GPU option if available; control-panel names differ by graphics hardware and Windows version. Keep the laptop plugged in and use its normal performance mode while testing.

Which settings affect VRAM most?

Texture quality is often a sensible first adjustment because detailed textures occupy memory. Resolution also matters: a higher resolution requires more data for each frame, and increasing render scale can raise the workload beyond the display’s native resolution. Ray tracing and other advanced effects can add further GPU demands. The exact memory use varies by scene and configuration.

Try one change at a time and test the same area of the game. This makes it easier to identify what helps. If the game runs at a lower resolution or texture setting but fails at a higher one, that points toward a resource limit, though it is not definitive proof of a particular hardware fault. Avoid assuming that every setting labeled “high” uses the same amount of memory across different GPUs.

Check hardware and system conditions

Compare your computer’s GPU and other hardware with the game’s current published system requirements. Pay attention to the exact graphics-card model and its dedicated VRAM, not just the amount of system RAM or a broad label such as “gaming laptop.” Requirements can change with updates, and a system that meets a minimum requirement may need reduced settings for a smoother experience.

Make sure Windows has enough free storage for updates and temporary files, and close unnecessary applications. Check that the PC is not overheating or shutting down under load; temperature-related instability can cause crashes, although it is different from simply having too little VRAM. If other demanding games also crash, investigate the graphics driver, cooling, power, and hardware stability rather than treating this as a game-only issue.

Do not try to “increase VRAM” by changing an arbitrary registry value or downloading a memory-fix utility. Some systems let users adjust shared-memory allocation in firmware, but shared memory is drawn from system RAM and does not turn into dedicated GPU memory. Such settings are hardware-specific, and changing them is not a dependable solution for a discrete GPU that lacks sufficient VRAM.

When the error keeps returning

Note when the crash occurs: at launch, during shader compilation, after changing settings, or only in a particular scene. Record the GPU model, dedicated VRAM, driver version, game version, resolution, and settings. This information helps separate a repeatable hardware limit from a damaged installation or driver issue.

If the error began after a game or driver update, check the publisher’s support information and recent release notes for known issues. If it persists after file verification, a clean restart, sensible settings, and a stable driver, contact the game’s official support channel or the PC/GPU manufacturer with the details. Avoid repeatedly changing several system settings at once: it makes the cause harder to identify.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does “out of video memory” mean my GPU is broken?
No. It means the game or driver could not obtain the graphics memory it needed at that moment. High settings, competing applications, driver problems, unstable overclocks, or a hardware limitation can all contribute.

Will more system RAM fix the error?
Not necessarily. System RAM and dedicated VRAM are different resources. More system RAM may help if the PC is short on ordinary memory, but it does not increase the dedicated memory physically installed on a graphics card.

Which setting should I lower first?
Try texture quality first, then resolution or render scale, and then demanding effects such as ray tracing if enabled. Change one setting at a time and restart the game when required.

Can I use shared memory as extra VRAM?
Windows may share system memory with graphics, but that memory is not equivalent in speed or function to dedicated VRAM. Forcing a larger allocation is not a general fix for this game’s out-of-memory errors.

Why does the error happen during shader compilation?
Shader compilation can place a temporary workload on the graphics system. A crash at that stage may involve memory pressure, a driver problem, or damaged files; verify the installation, update or roll back the driver if appropriate, and reduce graphics demands.

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