How to Check VRAM in Windows 11

To check VRAM in Windows 11, open Settings > System > Display > Advanced display, then select Display adapter properties for Display 1. On the Adapter tab, the Dedicated Video Memory number is your VRAM. For a live view, open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), select Performance > GPU, and look at Dedicated GPU memory.

Applies to: Windows 11, any graphics card (NVIDIA, AMD or Intel). You don’t need administrator rights or extra software.

What VRAM is, and which number to look for

VRAM (video RAM) is memory your graphics chip uses to hold textures, video frames and other picture data. Windows shows three memory numbers, and they mean different things:

• Dedicated video memory is the memory set aside only for the graphics chip. On a separate graphics card, this is the VRAM chips on the card. This is the number games and apps mean when they list a VRAM requirement.
• Shared system memory is regular RAM that the graphics chip can borrow when it needs more. Windows lets the graphics chip use up to half of your RAM this way, so it helps to check how much RAM you have in Windows 11. It’s much slower than real VRAM.
• Total available graphics memory (or GPU Memory) is dedicated plus shared added together. It’s not your VRAM, so don’t compare it with a game’s requirements.

If your PC only has graphics built into the processor (common on thin laptops), the dedicated number may be small, such as 128 MB or 512 MB. That’s normal. Built-in graphics mostly use shared memory instead.

Before you start

• Know which graphics chip you want to check. Many laptops have two: one built into the processor and one separate card. The methods below show you how to tell them apart.
• Make sure the graphics driver is installed. If Windows shows 0 MB or a basic display adapter, the driver is missing, and the “If the number looks wrong” list explains how to install it.
• No downloads needed. Every method here is built into Windows 11.

Method 1: Check VRAM in Settings

This is the quickest way to see the size of your VRAM.

1. Select Start > Settings, or press Windows logo key + I.
2. Select System, then Display.
3. Scroll down and select Advanced display.
4. If you have more than one monitor, pick the one you want in Select a display to view or change its settings at the top.
5. Under Display information, select Display adapter properties for Display 1. A small properties window opens.
6. On the Adapter tab, find Dedicated Video Memory. The number is in megabytes (MB). Divide by 1,024 to get gigabytes (GB). For example, 8192 MB is 8 GB.

This window only shows the graphics chip that’s running the display you picked. On a laptop with two graphics chips, it usually shows the built-in one. Use Task Manager (Method 2) to see both.

Method 2: Check VRAM in Task Manager

Task Manager shows every graphics chip in your PC and how much VRAM is in use right now.

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc, or right-click Start and select Task Manager.
2. Select Performance on the left. (If you only see a short list of apps, select More details first.)
3. Select GPU 0. If you also see GPU 1, your PC has two graphics chips. Check each one.
4. Look under the graph. Dedicated GPU memory shows used/total, for example 1.2/8.0 GB. The second number is your VRAM.

The name at the top right tells you which chip you’re looking at. GPU 0 is often the built-in chip and GPU 1 the separate card, but the order depends on your PC. Still unsure which chip is which? Checking your graphics card on Windows 11 covers more ways to identify it.

See which apps are using VRAM

Task Manager can also show VRAM use for each app. This helps when a game stutters and you want to know what else is using graphics memory.

1. In Task Manager, select Details.
2. Right-click any column heading and choose Select columns.
3. Check Dedicated GPU memory and Shared GPU memory, then select OK.
4. Select the Dedicated GPU memory heading to sort apps by VRAM use.

If you don’t see a GPU entry at all, the graphics driver may be too old. Task Manager’s GPU view needs a driver that supports WDDM 2.0 or later, so start by updating GPU drivers in Windows 11.

Method 3: Check VRAM with the DirectX Diagnostic Tool

The DirectX Diagnostic Tool (dxdiag) shows VRAM next to the graphics chip’s name and driver version.

1. Select Start, type dxdiag, and open dxdiag. You can also press Windows logo key + R, type dxdiag, and press Enter.
2. If it asks whether to check if your drivers are digitally signed, select Yes.
3. Select the Display 1 tab. (It may be called Display.)
4. Under Device, find Dedicated Memory. That’s your VRAM. Display Memory (VRAM) above it is dedicated and shared memory added together.
5. If there’s also a Render tab, select it. On many laptops with two graphics chips, the Render tab shows the separate graphics card.

Need to send your graphics details to someone who’s helping you? Select Save All Information and save the text file. It lists the graphics chip, driver and memory for each tab.

Method 4: Check VRAM in System Information

System Information shows the graphics chip’s name, driver and memory in one list.

1. Select Start, type System Information, and open it.
2. On the left, expand Components and select Display.
3. Look at Adapter RAM.

This number can be wrong on newer cards. It often stops at about 4 GB, even if the card has more. If you see about 4 GB, check with Settings or Task Manager instead.

Which method should you use?

Method	Label to look for	Best for
Settings	Dedicated Video Memory	A quick look at one display’s graphics chip
Task Manager	Dedicated GPU memory	Seeing every graphics chip and live VRAM use
DirectX Diagnostic Tool	Dedicated Memory	Driver details and saving a report
System Information	Adapter RAM	A second opinion (may stop at about 4 GB)

How much VRAM do you need?

It depends on the app, the screen resolution and the quality settings. Always check the game or app’s own System requirements, and compare them with your dedicated VRAM, not the total. As a rough guide from current gaming coverage:

• Everyday use, video streaming and office apps: built-in graphics are fine.
• Games at 1080p on medium to high settings: about 6 to 8 GB.
• Games at 1440p on high settings: about 8 to 12 GB.
• Games at 4K, or editing 4K video: 12 GB or more.

To test your own PC, start the game, then watch Dedicated GPU memory in Task Manager. If it sits near the total while the game stutters, you’re running out of VRAM. Lower the texture quality or resolution in the game’s settings, and close other apps that use graphics memory, such as browsers with many video tabs.

If the number looks wrong

• It shows 0 MB, or the adapter is called Microsoft Basic Display Adapter. The graphics driver is missing. Select Start > Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates, install any display driver listed, and restart. You can also get the driver from your PC maker’s or graphics card maker’s support site.
• It shows only a small number, like 128 MB. You’re looking at built-in graphics. If your PC also has a separate card, look for GPU 1 in Task Manager, or the Render tab in dxdiag.
• Settings, Task Manager and dxdiag show different numbers. Check that each one is showing the same graphics chip by matching the name. Also make sure you’re comparing dedicated memory, not total.
• The number for built-in graphics changes. That’s normal. Built-in graphics borrow more or less of your RAM as needed.
• You don’t see Display adapter properties. Update the graphics driver as above, then check again. You can still use Task Manager or dxdiag.

Can you add more VRAM?

Not on a separate graphics card. The VRAM is part of the card, so the only way to get more is a card with more VRAM. On a PC with built-in graphics, adding more RAM gives the graphics chip more shared memory to borrow, which can help. Some PC makers also let you change how much memory is set aside for graphics in the PC’s startup settings, but that’s outside Windows and the options differ by PC, so check your PC maker’s instructions before changing anything there.

Frequently asked questions

Is shared GPU memory the same as VRAM?

No. Shared GPU memory is ordinary RAM that the graphics chip borrows when it runs out. It’s slower than VRAM. When a game lists a VRAM requirement, compare it with Dedicated GPU memory only.

Why does my laptop show two GPUs?

Many laptops have graphics built into the processor for battery life, plus a separate graphics card for games. Windows shows them as GPU 0 and GPU 1 in Task Manager. The separate card is the one with more dedicated memory.

Do these steps work for NVIDIA, AMD and Intel graphics?

Yes. The steps are the same for every brand. Only the name and the numbers change.

Does more VRAM make my PC faster?

Only when you’re running out of it. If a game already fits in your VRAM, more won’t raise your frame rate. The speed of the graphics chip matters more.

Do I need to download a tool to check VRAM?

No. Settings, Task Manager, the DirectX Diagnostic Tool and System Information are all built into Windows 11.

Next steps

Your processor, RAM and graphics card are listed together when you check your PC specs in Windows 11. If the driver is out of date, updating your graphics driver works much the same way in Windows 11. For background, GPUs in the Task Manager covers dedicated and shared GPU memory, and Which version of DirectX is on your PC? covers dxdiag.