Why Windows doesn't free up VRAM even when you close games: real causes and how to fix them

If you finish a game session and notice that Windows isn't freeing up video memory, you're not alone. Many gamers experience that, even after closing a game, the VRAM seems to remain full, subsequent games crash, or confusing errors appear. This behavior can come from hung processes, drivers, caches and even how your BIOS manages shared memory., so it is worth looking at the problem from several angles.

There are also particularly frustrating cases on newer, more powerful computers: games that close as if you had pressed ALT+F4, without a blue screen or system crash, temperatures are in order, and the rest of the apps work perfectly. When only games are crashing, system events and memory management (VRAM and RAM) often provide key clues.. Let's learn all about Why Windows doesn't free up VRAM even if you close games.

What does it really mean that Windows “does not release” VRAM?

VRAM is dedicated (or shared, if the graphics are integrated) memory that games use for textures, buffers, and rendering data. Even if you close the game, Certain components may temporarily hold resources: driver caches, background processes, or services that have not finished shutting down.It is not unusual for VRAM reading to take a while to stabilize, or for another graphics process to reuse it.

You also have to differentiate between dedicated graphics cards and those integrated into the CPU. Dedicated graphics cards come with their own VRAM; integrated graphics cards, on the other hand, use part of the system's RAM as video memory. If you use an iGPU, the "VRAM"Reserved (shared memory) depends on the BIOS and Windows, and may not appear to be freed because it is part of the system itself. RAM pool.

Be careful, because on computers with two GPUs (integrated + dedicated), Windows may be showing you the integrated memory and not the dedicated one. To verify the actual amount of VRAM and the active chip, a tool like GPU-Z (download: techpowerup.com/download/techpowerup-gpu-z/) will clear up any doubts without further ado. If you're interested in how different hardware combinations interact, check out How to combine a GPU with a CPU.

Typical symptoms when there are problems with VRAM or resources

When memory management goes awry, the signs tend to repeat themselves: Sudden game crashes (without prior stutter), Windows events with memory access errors and low video memory warningsAll of this at the correct temperatures and without affecting the rest of the programs.

Among the most common warnings in the Event Viewer or in error boxes you will see things like BEX/BEX64, DLL conflicts or “insufficient video memory when allocating a rendering resource” messages. These are indicators that something (driver, game, or system) is struggling with memory management.

• BEX/BEX64
• Incorrect memory access or conflicts with DLL libraries
• “Out of video memory” when creating render assets

Why does VRAM seem to be missing today even when lowering settings?

A recurring complaint is that Games from 5–10 years ago run at full speed with very little VRAM, and yet recent titles gobble up gigabytes even though they don't excel in visual quality. It's a clear trend: heavier textures, modern techniques, and larger worlds increase memory usage, sometimes without any perceptible improvement.

An illustrative example is The Outer Worlds versus its remaster: The original can get by with 1GB of VRAM (and recommends 4GB for Ultra), while the re-release demands around 4GB on Low and may ask for 12GB or more on High.To top it off, at the very least it can look worse while taking up significantly more memory.

This phenomenon is repeated in other games: more demand for VRAM without quality or performance always accompanyingBetween texture streaming, post-processing effects, and high internal resolutions, the pressure on video memory is much greater than before.

And here comes the shock: you try to run a recent “average” game, lower the quality, and still run out of VRAM, while an older, more attractive game runs fine. The feeling of stagnation is real, but memory consumption responds to more demanding modern designs and engines., some not very optimized.

Reasons why your VRAM appears limited

There are practical explanations that should be reviewed one by one. On motherboards with iGPU, The BIOS may allow you to adjust the shared video memory (UMA Frame Buffer, VGA Share Memory Size, etc.)If the reserve is low, games will notice it; if it's high, the "VRAM occupied" reading may confuse you because it's reserved RAM.

• BIOS options that determine how much RAM is shared with integrated graphics.
• Limitations or decisions of the software/game itself to stabilize performance.
• Rare cases of hardware failures in the GPU or memory modules.

Furthermore, may retain memory or show temporarily inconsistent readingsAfter closing a game, wait a few minutes or restart the graphics process (a system reboot always clears things up). If you have two GPUs, make sure the game is using the dedicated one.

Finally, there are false positives: Windows may be reading the integrated memory and not your dedicated memory.. Check it with GPU‑Z and verify “Memory Size”, memory type and active bus.

Diagnosis: from the simplest to the most exhaustive

Start with the basics: Restart your computer, close overlays and launchers in the background and re-measure VRAM usage. Often, after closing the game, a zombie process remains tied up with resources.

If you're still the same, try using drivers. Perform a clean reinstallation with DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller), disconnected from the internet, and then install the latest official version from your GPU manufacturer. If you're using AMD and encounter issues installing or opening the panel, check If AMD Adrenalin does not install or closes when opened.

Also check your motherboard's BIOS. Updating it may correct memory and microcode compatibility issues.If you're using an iGPU, go into the BIOS and find the shared memory size (VGA Share Memory Size / UMA Frame Buffer) and adjust it carefully according to your total RAM.

If you're suspicious of your system's RAM, every test counts. Many users pass MemTest86 without errors yet experience intermittent instabilities. Test modules one by one (single stick) and in different slotsEven if you lose performance temporarily, it will tell you if a stick or slot fails.

Windows has its quick check: press Windows+R, type mdsched and accept to launch the Windows memory diagnosticsAfter the reboot, if there are any basic errors, it will report them to you. It's not as in-depth as MemTest86, but it works as an initial filter.

It is also useful to check storage. A faulty SSD can cause game crashes when failing to read assets. Check the temperature of your NVMe SSD and the health of the device with manufacturer tools.

And if you've touched the paging file, leave it on automatic or set it to a reasonable size. A pagefile that is too small leads to application closures without warning. when RAM and shared VRAM run out of headroom.

Settings in games and in the GPU control panel

If the problem is VRAM consumption, there are clear levers. In your GPU panel, select maximum performance (if applicable) and reduce memory-hungry parameters such as texture quality, anisotropic or certain post-processing.

• Lowers the quality of textures and texture filters.
• Disables or reduces heavy post-processing effects.
• Try DX12 mode (when the game allows it) and disable VSync and AA if they are neck-chaining.

Some games, paradoxically, They perform better on High/Ultra if they shift load to the GPU instead of the CPUIt's not universal, but it's worth a try to prevent the CPU from being the bottleneck while VRAM is better managed.

When a component is at 100%: consequences and causes

100% hardware isn't always bad, but it does have several problems: Consumption rises, temperatures increase, fans roar, and bottlenecks may appear. with the rest of the system. If RAM reaches its limit, Windows becomes unstable.

On high-end equipment, if you still see a constant 100%, the impact is greater. More power also means more heat and more energy consumed, so maintaining airflow and temperature control is critical.

Among the most common causes of 100% resources are Badly closed programs, hardware that is no longer capable (especially old CPUs), cryptomining malware, and faulty drivers.Don't forget that antivirus scans also temporarily boost usage.

• Program/game stuck in the background.
• Limited hardware for current load.
• Malware (mining or otherwise) squeezing CPU/GPU.
• Corrupt or outdated drivers.
• Antivirus scanning in the background.

Practical solutions to free up resources in Windows

Close problematic processes and test by elimination

Go to Task Manager, and closes heavy or suspicious processesIf usage drops, open apps one by one to identify the culprit. Reinstall it from the official website if necessary. If you have apps like Wallpaper Engine, check that Wallpaper Engine does not consume too much CPU.

Disable SysMain on problem computers

SysMain (formerly SuperFetch) speeds up apps by preloading, but In some devices it causes high consumptionTo disable it, open services.msc and stop/disable the SysMain service, restart it, and see if it improves.

Restart Explorer.exe when it goes haywire

Windows Explorer can get stuck and consume resources. From Task Manager, end “Windows Explorer”; it restarts itself and usually relieves shell-related CPU/GPU spikes.

Indexing, defragmentation/optimization and free space

Indexing files after copying a lot of information can be temporarily overwhelming. You can stop “Windows Search” if it causes you problemsOptimize SSDs/HDDs with dfrgui and, above all, free up space: Windows needs room for paging and caches.

Drivers, updates, and “problematic patches”

Update GPU and chipset drivers from the manufacturer, and keep Windows up to dateIf a recent patch triggers power consumption or instability, uninstall it from Windows Update history and restart.

Too many programs at startup

Reduce automatic startup from the Startup tab of Task Manager. The fewer startup apps, the more stable the idle usageTools like Autorun Organizer help visualize the impact.

ntoskrnl.exe and Runtime Broker

If these system processes are spiking your CPU, adjust visual effects for performance (System Properties > Advanced > Performance). In the Registry, you can clear the page file at shutdown by setting ClearPageFileAtShutdown to 1 if you know what you're doing; also, check your power profiles that lower FPS.

Incompatible hardware or conflicting connectivity

Disconnect USB/Bluetooth peripherals one by one to see if the problem goes away. There are devices whose driver generates instability and consumption peaks when interacting with the system.

Ventilation and maintenance

Poor ventilation makes everything worse. Clean dust, organize cables and check that the fans are working.. Checking your fan speed and software control is key. Sustained heat reduces stability and accelerates throttling.

A typical case: new PC, no overheating and games that close

Imagine a rig with an RTX 4070 GPU, a latest-generation i9, 64GB of DDR5, and an NVMe SSD, with temperatures in check, yet games still crash without warning. RAM, GPU, CPU, and SSD diagnostics have been tested; Clean driver reinstalls (DDU), Windows reinstalled, BIOS updated, and benchmarked for hours without fail.And yet, the closures continue.

If Heaven 4.0 runs for 4 hours without errors and only specific games crash, It points to a driver + game engine conflict, middleware, overlays or specific librariesIn these scenarios, try: reinstalling the conflicting games outside of Program Files (x86), disabling overlays, forcing borderless windowed mode, and disabling background apps.

Check power and connections: Solid PCIe cables, no dubious adapters, and quality PSUs with proper railsA micro-cut in the rail just when loading shaders can kill the game without crashing Windows.

If you use XMP/EXPO, set to the recommended values ​​for your CPU (for example, 5600 MHz on some configurations with DDR5) and Check stability with and without memory profileThere are motherboard-CPU-RAM combinations that pass synthetic tests but fail in specific 3D engines.

iGPU/APU cases: shared VRAM, dual channel, and “Ryzen controller”

When you pull from integrated graphics, remember: VRAM is Shared RAMIf you have 16 GB, you can reserve 2–4 GB (or more, depending on the BIOS), but leave room for Windows and apps. Setting it to 4 GB or 8 GB can improve visual stability, as long as your total RAM allows.

Dual channel matters. With two identical modules, the iGPU gains bandwidth, and that reduces bottlenecks. If you suspect failures, test with a single module and then switch to the other to rule out a faulty stick or an unstable slot.

If your temperatures range between 70–75°C while gaming, this is normal for well-ventilated APUs. If there is no thermal throttling and there are plenty of resources, look at drivers, power supply or connections.An unstable power supply or loose connector can cause intermittent failures.

For a quick RAM test, the Windows Memory Diagnostic (mdsched) is straightforward. Save everything, run the test and review the report after the reboot.If all else fails but the shutdowns persist, extended MemTest86 and cross-module testing can help.

Reset Windows, clean reinstall, and isolate with Linux

If you've tried everything and you're still the same, Resetting Windows can eliminate software conflictsKeep in mind that a factory reset reinstalls the existing data; if the problem was a residual driver or app, it could persist. A clean format is the most radical and effective option.

A very clear tactic to separate hardware from software: Boot a “Live” Linux from USB (e.g. Ubuntu in test mode) and monitor with htopIf stability is complete on Linux, the source is most likely Windows, its drivers, or applications.

When you shouldn't worry

During heavy tasks, it is normal for the computer to run at maximum speed for a while: video rendering, compilation, intense gaming sessions, or many Chrome tabsThe key is that, once charging is complete, consumption returns to reasonable levels and no phantom peaks remain.

For peace of mind, use temperature and performance monitors. As long as the cooling is responsive and there are no artifacts, shutdowns, or constant throttling, a 100% flat rate isn't a sign of damage. Reduce graphics quality if you want to lower power consumption and noise.

As a key idea: it does not have to fall to “0” right after closing a game. Caching systems and drivers reuse resources to speed up the next launch. The worrying thing is the instability, not a graphic that takes a few minutes to settle.

If Windows seems to be holding onto VRAM after closing games, check background processes, drivers, BIOS, and any shared memory allocations; also, adjust graphics and system services like SysMain, monitor boot time, keep drivers up to date, and if nothing changes, try a Linux boot or a clean reinstall to narrow down the source. RAM testing by modules and careful BIOS and storage configuration usually resolve the pattern..