Out of Video Memory Trying to Allocate a Rendering Resource

Updated 5 November 2026 · Standard formula, shown below

“Out of video memory trying to allocate a rendering resource” means a game or graphics application could not reserve enough memory for an image, texture, shader, or other rendering resource. It does not always mean your graphics card has no physical memory left: high graphics settings, other running apps, a driver issue, or a game bug can also trigger the message.

What the error means

Video memory, commonly called VRAM, is the memory used by a graphics processor to hold data it needs to draw frames. A rendering resource might be a texture, shadow map, geometry buffer, render target, or temporary working buffer. The application asks the graphics system to allocate memory for that resource; if the request fails, it may display this error, freeze, or close.

On a dedicated graphics card, VRAM is separate from the computer’s ordinary system memory. Integrated graphics generally share system memory instead, so available memory depends partly on what the operating system and other applications are using. Either setup can run short of memory available to a particular game, even when the computer appears to have plenty of total RAM.

Why it can happen

Large graphics settings: High-resolution textures, ray tracing, high rendering resolution, and detailed shadows can increase memory use. Texture quality is often a particularly important setting because textures must be stored for rendering.
Other GPU workloads: A second game, video editor, browser tabs using hardware acceleration, recording software, or multiple displays can compete for graphics resources.
Resolution or display changes: Increasing output resolution or using a high-resolution render scale can require larger buffers. A game may also allocate additional resources when switching display modes.
Driver or application problems: A graphics driver fault, damaged game files, incompatible settings, or a game-specific memory leak can cause an allocation request to fail before all physical VRAM is genuinely occupied.
System limits: On systems with shared graphics memory, competing system-memory demands can affect what the graphics processor can use. A 32-bit application may also face address-space limits that are different from the amount of installed VRAM.

The wording alone cannot identify which cause applies. It is a symptom, not a diagnosis or a reliable measurement of how much memory the computer has.

Fixes to try, in order

Save if possible, then restart the application. Close the game or graphics program completely and reopen it. If the problem remains, restart the computer to clear stuck processes and temporary resource use.
Close competing applications. Exit other games, GPU-intensive editors, recording or streaming tools, and unnecessary browser windows. Reproduce the problem before reopening them.
Lower graphics demand. Reduce texture quality first, then try lowering render scale or resolution, ray tracing, shadow quality, and other demanding effects. Apply one or two changes at a time so you can identify what helps. Lowering a setting may reduce visual detail but is a useful diagnostic as well as a workaround.
Check the game’s selected graphics device. On a computer with both integrated and dedicated graphics, confirm that the application is using the intended GPU. Windows graphics preferences and the computer maker’s graphics controls can provide options, though their labels vary. If you change the selection, restart the game.
Update or, if the issue began after an update, reconsider the driver. Obtain graphics drivers through the GPU maker or computer manufacturer. Follow the installer’s instructions and avoid unofficial driver-download sites. If a new driver coincided with the error, check whether the manufacturer provides a supported rollback or a newer corrective release.
Verify or repair the application’s files. Use the game launcher’s built-in file verification or repair option if available. This can address damaged files; it does not increase VRAM.
Remove unstable overclocks and custom settings. Return GPU and memory tuning to default settings, and test without graphics mods or custom launch options. A system can appear stable in one workload and fail under another.

How to identify the likely cause

Look for a pattern rather than relying on the message by itself. If the error occurs only in one demanding game and disappears after lowering texture quality, a memory budget or game-specific allocation limit is plausible. If it begins after installing a driver, game update, mod, or graphics tweak, test that recent change. If several graphics applications fail, investigate broader driver, hardware, heat, or system-memory issues.

On Windows, Task Manager’s Performance view can show GPU activity and dedicated or shared GPU memory. The exact labels and figures depend on the hardware and Windows version. These readings are useful clues, but they are not a perfect account of every allocation: applications, drivers, and Windows may reserve or manage memory in ways that make a single displayed number misleading. Close other workloads and compare the reading while the problem occurs.

Also note when the failure happens: at startup, while loading a level, after playing for a long time, or when changing resolution. A failure after extended play may point toward steadily increasing resource use, while one that appears immediately with a particular setting may indicate a demanding allocation or compatibility issue.

What not to assume

More system RAM does not automatically add dedicated VRAM. A computer with a dedicated graphics card has a separate physical VRAM capacity. Integrated graphics can use shared system memory, but that does not make it equivalent in performance or availability to dedicated graphics memory.

Likewise, changing a registry value or a virtual-memory setting cannot create physical VRAM. Increasing the Windows page file can help some system-memory situations, but it is not a direct fix for a graphics allocation failure and is much slower than VRAM. Avoid utilities or instructions that promise to “unlock” extra graphics memory without explaining a supported hardware or firmware setting.

Do not immediately conclude that the graphics card is defective. A software issue or an overly demanding configuration is often worth ruling out first. However, repeated crashes across multiple applications, visual corruption, or failures that persist at modest settings warrant broader troubleshooting.

When to seek further help

If the error continues after a restart, reduced settings, and driver checks, record the application name, the exact message, when it occurs, graphics settings, GPU model, and driver version. Check the game or software maker’s support guidance for known issues and minimum or recommended hardware. If the computer also shows artifacts, unexpected shutdowns, or failures in unrelated graphics programs, contact the computer or graphics-card manufacturer or a qualified repair service.

For a laptop, use the manufacturer’s recommended graphics drivers and power settings when possible. Laptop graphics hardware, cooling, and firmware configurations vary, so desktop advice such as swapping a card may not apply. Do not open a device or alter cooling hardware unless you are qualified and the manufacturer’s instructions support it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this error mean my graphics card is broken?
No. It means a rendering allocation failed, which can result from settings, competing applications, drivers, or software bugs as well as a hardware limitation. Check whether it happens across multiple applications and at low settings before suspecting a fault.

Will adding more RAM fix an out-of-video-memory error?
Not usually on a computer with a dedicated GPU, because system RAM and dedicated VRAM are separate resources. More system RAM may help an integrated-graphics system only if system memory is the constraint; it does not guarantee that a particular graphics allocation will succeed.

Which setting should I lower first?
Try texture quality first, then render scale or resolution and demanding effects such as ray tracing and shadows. The best setting depends on the application, so change settings incrementally and test.

Can I increase VRAM in Windows?
You cannot turn ordinary storage or a page file into physical VRAM. Some integrated-graphics systems have firmware options for reserved memory, but availability and behavior vary by device; follow the manufacturer’s documentation rather than changing unsupported settings.

Why does the error happen even when Task Manager shows free GPU memory?
The displayed figure is a snapshot and may not show every reservation, allocation limit, or resource constraint used by the application and driver. A particular request can fail despite apparently available memory, so the reading should be treated as a clue rather than proof.

Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.