How to Clear GPU Memory: 7 Easy Tips That Really Work

It's time to teminate non-critical resource-hungry programs

by Radu Tyrsina
Radu Tyrsina
Radu Tyrsina
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Radu Tyrsina has been a Windows fan ever since he got his first PC, a Pentium III (a monster at that time). For most of the kids of... read more
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Vlad Turiceanu
Vlad Turiceanu
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Passionate about technology, Windows, and everything that has a power button, he spent most of his time developing new skills and learning more about the tech world. Coming... read more
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  • The Your GPU is full notification often appears when you work with high-resolution content.
  • Try to resolve this issue by either updating your graphics drivers or adjusting the graphics card settings.
  • You can also get one that will be able to handle the high resolutions and complex tasks that you through at it. 
How to clear GPU memory
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There is nothing quite dreadful compared to when you receive the Your GPU memory is full Try reducing the timeline resolution or the number of correctors notification. In return, it disrupts your gameplay because the game crashes.

In most cases, people render their devices ineffective and start thinking about getting a new device, one with better graphics and more storage space. 

Contrary to this, before jumping to any conclusion, you should first consider if the issue emanates from software. Your gadget could be perfectly fine. 

In some instances, you will find that some programs can be quite lacking. For instance, Your GPU memory is full error on DaVinci Resolve 18.

The issue often occurs when a program fails to release discarded memory back to the system, causing the program to crash. As a ripple effect, your computer ends up rebooting itself.

So, let’s find out all about Your GPU memory is full the error and the solutions that worked for most users.

What happens when GPU runs out of memory?

GPU is responsible for displaying images or photos, or most things related to graphics rendering. It makes use of Video RAM to do this, and when it runs out of memory, the basic functioning is affected.

If you are wondering what happens when GPU memory is full, the images would take longer to load, you may notice a lag in games, and the FPS (Frame per Second) will drop.

Is it safe just to delete GPU cache? 

A GPU comes with graphic cores that stitch the graphical frame together that is displayed on your screen. Therefore, once the frame is rendered, it stays in the virtual memory before it is even displayed on the screen.

If you are prone to work on high-resolution content or if you are constantly processing high-quality images, then the higher GPU memory you will need.

It is only safe to flush GPU memory in Windows once you have completed making changes on a file and saving them. Otherwise, deleting it prematurely can lead to the permanent loss of your information. 

How can I tell that my GPU is faulty?

Here are some of the main tell-tale signs that you can use to tell it is malfunctioning: 

  • If you start experiencing some screen glitches, especially when playing a game or watching a high-quality video, then there is an issue with your card. A classic characterization of this is when weird colors start appearing on your screen. 
  • Some people might start seeing some strange artifacts on their display. The problem is mainly caused by heat, dust build-up, and excessive overclocking. 
  • There are so many reasons why your device gets BSODs errors. The issue could be RAM, graphics card, or hard drive related. However, if the blue screen only appears whenever you embark on any graphics-intensive tasks, such as playing video games, then your graphics card is responsible.
  • Stuttering and freezing of the computer’s screen is also an indication that your GPU needs immediate attention. Nevertheless, the issue can also be caused by RAM problems, malware, and a dated hard drive. 
  • If you start hearing fan noises, then this could be an indication that there is a problem. However, it might not mean that you need to replace your graphics card. Be keen on the noise emanating from the fan. If it is louder than usual, it could be that the GPU is overheating, causing it to malfunction. Try cleaning it and see if the fan quiets down. 

Is your GPU memory full? Are you experiencing performance issues with your device? Do not fret! We are here to provide you with a couple of solutions that will help you resolve the issue. 

How can I fix Your GPU memory is full on Windows 11?

1. Adjust paging file settings for the game drive

  1. Open your File Explorer, then right-click This PC and open Properties.This PC
  2. Select Advanced system settings on the left pane.select
  3. Click the Advanced tab and now click Settings under the Performance category.
  4. Open the Advanced tab in the Performance Options window that just opened. Under the Virtual Memory category, click Change.
  5. Select your system drive, and then select System managed size. Click Set.set
  6. Now select the drive where you’ve installed the game on. Then, click No paging file. Click Set once again. Finally, click on OK.

2. Update the graphics driver

  1. Press Windows + X key, then select Device Manager from the menu.select
  2. Expand Display adapters and then right-click the listed graphics card to choose Propertiesselect
  3. Then, click on the Driver tab and then click Update Driver. Then, click on OK.update
  4. Finally, click Search automatically for updated driver software. Then, follow through with the on-screen instructions to complete updating the driver.automatically

Once you update your device, you will be able to protect it from malware and hardware failures and also prevent system crashes such as Your GPU memory is full, which is also caused by outdated driver problems.

Even more, we encourage you to use a dedicated program such as DriverFix in order to do automatic scans of all out-of-date drivers.

Whenever you run this software, it scans your PC to detect outdated or missing drivers. Once it completes the scan process, it will present you with detailed reports of your system and all the drivers within it.

This software has a massive database of drivers with the latest updates. It will also ensure files to download a lot faster because you will download each update file from a single source.

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3. Use the 3GB switch

Note icon NOTE
Before executing this fix, you should note that it will reduce the operating system’s space. Also, it could even lead to more crashes.
  1. Search for Command Prompt in the Start menu, then right-click it, and select Run as administrator.
  2. Now, type in the following command and press Enter: bcdedit /set IncreaseUserVa 3072
  3. Finally, restart your device.

Expert tip:

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Be sure to use a dedicated tool, such as Fortect, which will scan and replace your broken files with their fresh versions from its repository.

For users with a 32-bit version of Windows, this fix will come in handy to correct the problem. As an alternative, you could also get the 64-bit version. In return, the latest version will recognize the deficiency in terms of space and allocate more virtual space for your programs.

4. Perform program and game updates 

You will find that developers often provide optimization of the software. The updates relate to specific hardware and other bugs and fixes to how the program runs. 

Therefore, it is important to ensure that you check for updates when such issues occur while a program is running.

5. Tweak the graphics card settings

  1. Press Windows + R to open Run, type control panel in the text field, and click OK.control panel
  2. Once the window appears, set the View by option as Large icons. open
  3. Find Intel HD Graphics.select
  4. Click the 3D option to open the 3D settings.
  5. Click on Enhance Application Settings, then select Restore Defaults. Finally, click the Apply button to save the changes.apply

6. Check for unnecessary background programs

  1. Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete simultaneously to open the Task Manager.
  2. Look at the Processes running, verify the amount of memory allocated to each, and make an informed decision on which programs should be terminated. processes

It is important to note that a couple of applications automatically load up and keep on running as long as your computer remains on whenever you turn on your device. 

In most cases, these programs do not seem necessary. However, they end up consuming a considerable amount of RAM. It could also be an application you opened up by mistake that eats up all your memory while it is running.  

7. Adjust the program’s video resolution

In most instances, you will find that program’s memory and fix stability issues by simply reducing the high-resolution standard the game forces on your device’s video resources. This will free up some space because it now requires less video memory. 

Lastly, you might find that all you needed to do all this time was to upgrade your GPU. Changing it will help breathe new life into your dated device. Most programs these days are heavily dependent on graphical user interfaces.

As a result, you will find that the programs are wearing and slowing down the older graphics card because it cannot handle such higher resolutions.

It is also worth noting that visual memory is not stored in the card like the rest of the other types of digital information. Therefore, if you want to speed up your device, you will need a stronger graphics card. 

How much GPU memory do I need?

There is no minimum or maximum limit to the amount of GPU memory one might need. It all depends on the way the PC is used and the tasks to be performed.

For instance, if you are into excessive gaming or video processing, it’s recommended to have at least 12-16 GB of GPU. For basic tasks, an 8 GB GPU would do just as well.

How does VRAM affect the GPU?

Many of the errors generated by the absence of a graphics card are mostly related to video RAM (VRAM). It is a special type of RAM that is responsible for holding on to the GPU information.

Therefore, it enhances performance by allowing the GPU to get information and transmit it to the screen. It is worth noting that the VRAM is faster when it comes to accomplishing GPU-related tasks. It is in place to perform high-intensity tasks.

Moreover, integrated graphics cards are cost-effective but cannot be compared to the graphics output of dedicated solutions. Also, having more VRAM does not necessarily mean that it will enhance the performance of your device. 

If your gadget lacks sufficient VRAM, then you are likely to experience a drop in performance, texture pop-ins, and lower frame rate, among other setbacks. However, if you are looking for real horsepower under the hood, then we suggest buying a dedicated graphics card for your device.

Also, learn how to increase VRAM in Windows 10 using these 3 methods. They may be applied by Windows 11 users as well.

Did the above fixes help you resolve the issue with your graphics card? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below. 

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