How to increase iGPU RAM from UEFI or BIOS: realistic options, limits, and useful tricks

In this guide, you'll learn how to enter the UEFI/BIOS, what options to look for for the iGPU, how to do it on ASUS computers using MyASUS, and what alternatives exist on Intel systems using the Registry. We'll also go over real-world limits, risks, expected performance improvements, and the role of XMP/DOCP in squeezing the bandwidth the iGPU needs..

What does it mean to “upgrade” iGPU memory and when is it best for you?

The iGPU does not have its own VRAM like a dedicated graphics card; instead, it reserves a portion of the system's RAM. “Increasing” that memory usually involves increasing the pre-allocated memory (aperture/UMA/IGD Memory) or adjusting the shared size that the system allows for the integrated graphics.. If you also want to check when the system is using a different card, check out how to check if you are using your dedicated graphics card in Windows 11.

This can be useful if you receive errors when launching games or programs that require minimal VRAM, if you want to run heavier textures, or use higher resolutions. In authoring scenarios (e.g., light rendering) or IA With models that fit into memory, increasing the allocation can reduce waits and avoid video memory bottlenecks..

Keep in mind the “toll”: that reserved memory is no longer available for Windows and other apps. On machines with 16GB or less, it is not a good idea to allocate more than 4GB to the iGPU, as this can cause general stuttering or lack of memory in the background.If you need to see how your GPU is behaving to diagnose that slow feeling, learn how to View GPU usage in Windows.

Before you begin: Enter UEFI/BIOS safely

To adjust any iGPU memory settings from firmware, you must first access the UEFI/BIOS settings. There are two main ways: Advanced Reset from Windows or by pressing the manufacturer key during the Boot. If you're going to be messing with options in UEFI, like ReBAR or other GPU-related features, check out how to do so in the UEFI.

Recommended method from Windows: Press Start and type “Change advanced startup options”, open Settings and use “Restart now”. After the reboot, go to Troubleshoot > UEFI Firmware Settings and confirm to open the firmware screen..

Classical method with key: : reboot and press the key indicated by your motherboard (usually Del/Supr, F2, F10 or F12). With SSD The boot screen flies, which is why many people find the Windows Advanced Reset easier..

Where to change iGPU memory in UEFI/BIOS

Once inside, look for menus like Advanced, Chipset, North Bridge, Graphics Configuration or similar. Depending on the brand you will see “IGD Memory”, “iGPU Memory”, “UMA Frame Buffer Size”, “Integrated Graphics” or “DVMT Pre-Allocated”.

Available values ​​vary: 64 MB, 128 MB, 256 MB, 512 MB, 1 GB, 2 GB, 4 GB… or “Auto”. To work around minimum VRAM warnings and improve texturing at 1080p, it's usually reasonable to go up to 1–2 GB; for 1440p or heavy loads, consider 2–4 GB if you have enough RAM..

Save and exit. The computer will reboot and the iGPU will boot with the new reservation. If you notice that the system becomes laggy after the change, try reducing the reserve or expanding the physical RAM if possible..

ASUS-specific options: iGPU memory allocation with MyASUS

portable Recent ASUS models offer tuning without entering the firmware, directly from MyASUS. The feature is called “GPU Assigned Memory” or “Shared Memory Size” and allows you to choose how much RAM the iGPU can use..

To use it, please update MyASUS to 4.0.6.0 or higher and ASUS System Control Interface to 3.1.24.0 or higher. Then go to MyASUS > Device Settings > General > Power & Performance, and you will see “Memory allocated to GPU” with the size selector.

This feature is present, among others, in the ASUS Vivobook S 14/15/16 OLED families with references S5406MA, S5506MA, S5606MA, M5406UA, M5506UA and M5606UA. If you are unsure of the model, you can check it in the system information of the computer itself or on the bottom label of the chassis..

Things to remember: reassigning VRAM forces a reboot, and increasing it too much on computers with 16 GB or less can penalize the system. The impact on each app varies; games and programs that check for minimum VRAM typically benefit, while other loads rely more on CPU or memory bandwidth..

Alternative method on Intel systems: adjust the reported VRAM value via the Registry

On computers with Intel graphics, there is an advanced setting that modifies the VRAM value reported to the system and some applications through a Windows Registry key. It is useful for getting around “insufficient VRAM” warnings in certain titles, although it does not magically increase memory bandwidth or always change the actual allocation..

Summary steps: open regedit From the Start menu, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE and locate the Intel path. Inside, create a key called “GMM” if it doesn’t exist, and in it a DWORD (32-bit) value called “DedicatedSegmentSize”.

Edit that DWORD, select Hexadecimal Base and set a value according to your RAM (for example, 256, 512, 1024, 2048, 4096). Reboot and check if the reported VRAM count has increased and if the app stops showing the error on startup..

Important warnings: This setting does not override the firmware's pre-allocated reserve, and not all drivers/games respect it. Use it when there is no option in BIOS/UEFI or you need to satisfy a minimum VRAM check; if something goes wrong, clear DedicatedSegmentSize to return to the default behavior..

Enable XMP/DOCP: more frequency and timings to feed the iGPU

In addition to “how much” memory you allocate, “how fast” the RAM is also important. The iGPU draws on system bandwidth; enabling XMP (Intel) or DOCP/EXPO (AMD) in UEFI can make a noticeable difference, especially at low/medium resolutions and graphics settings..

Search UEFI for the XMP/DOCP/EXPO profile of your memory kit and activate it. Without XMP, RAM can be stuck at base (lower) JEDEC speeds, wasting performance you already paid for..

If you're up for manual adjustments, many boards allow you to tweak frequencies, latencies, and voltages, but this requires stability testing and multiple reboots. With 4 modules, the demand on the memory controller increases and the headroom may be reduced; don't push it beyond what your motherboard and CPU can handle..

Remember to check your motherboard's compatibility: some chipsets limit the maximum officially supported speed. If the XMP profile exceeds this specification, enabling it may cause instability, crashes, or intermittent failures..

Step-by-step guide: Upgrading iGPU memory from UEFI/BIOS

If your firmware offers the setting, this is a typical flow. The exact nomenclature varies by manufacturer, but the logic is the same..

Step 1: Access the firmware

Perform a power reset from Windows or use the manufacturer key at startup to enter UEFI/BIOS. Confirm that you have mouse control (UEFI) or keyboard only (BIOS); in both cases it serves us for this purpose.

Step 2: Find the integrated graphics block

Navigate to Advanced > Chipset > Graphics Configuration, or similar names, until you find the iGPU options. If it doesn't appear, it may have been hidden or blocked by the manufacturer or OEM..

Step 3: Change the memory reservation

Search for “UMA Frame Buffer Size”, “IGD Memory”, “DVMT Pre-Allocated” or “iGPU Memory” and select the desired size: 512 MB, 1 GB, 2 GB, 4 GB… Choose based on total RAM and usage: with 8–16 GB of RAM, 1–2 GB is a balanced starting point.

Step 4: Enable XMP/DOCP (optional, highly recommended)

Go to the memory section (DRAM/AI Tweaker/Extreme Tweaker) and activate the XMP/DOCP/EXPO profile of your modules. You'll gain effective bandwidth, something the iGPU especially appreciates in games and CPU-bound scenarios..

Step 5: Save and test

Save changes and reboot. Verify that the system boots normally, open your target game or app, and check if the notifications have disappeared and if performance is more stable. If you notice freezes or lack of memory, reduce the reserve or increase the physical RAM.To measure objective changes, perform tests with GPU benchmarks.

Step-by-step guide: VRAM allocation on ASUS laptops with MyASUS

If you have a compatible ASUS, the process is simplified and you avoid entering the firmware. Requires minimum versions of MyASUS 4.0.6.0 and ASUS System Control Interface 3.1.24.0.

• Open MyASUS and go to Device settings.
• Sign in General admission and later Power and performance.
• Finds Memory allocated to GPU and access Shared memory size.
• Choose the desired size and confirm. The system will ask you to reboot to apply the changes..

Models listed by ASUS as compatible: Vivobook S 14/15/16 OLED (S5406MA, S5506MA, S5606MA, M5406UA, M5506UA, M5606UA). There may be more compatible devices depending on the region and date, so it's a good idea to check the app or official support..

Step-by-Step Guide: DedicatedSegmentSize Value in Intel (Registry)

If there is no option in BIOS and you are using Intel graphics, try adjusting the reported VRAM value. Useful for bypassing minimal checks on some titles that block startup.

• Right click on the Start button, type regedit and open it.
• Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE and locate the folder Intel.
• If it does not exist, create the key GMM within Intel.
• In GMM, create a DWORD value (32 bits) called DedicatedSegmentSize (respecting initial capital letters and without spaces).
• Modify the value, Base Hexadecimal, and assigns for example 200 (512 decimal), 400 (1024) 800 (2048) depending on your available RAM.
• Reboot and check if the VRAM count changed and if the game starts without error.

Remember that this is a “presentational” VRAM setting that doesn’t always equate to a larger physical reserve or guarantee better performance. If your system becomes unstable or ineffective, delete the DWORD to return to factory settings..

Real limits: chipset, firmware and physical memory

There are motherboards and laptops that limit these options by design, either by the manufacturer's BIOS or OEM. If you don't see the iGPU/UMA/DVMT option in UEFI, you probably can't force it without modified firmware (not recommended).

Chipsets also cap the supported RAM frequency. If your XMP kit exceeds the validated specification of the board, enabling it may “work” but with instability: hangs, reboots or artifacts.

The processor's memory controller also has its limits, and handling 4 modules or high densities can complicate overclocking. Prioritize stability, especially in work or study teams, and test each change separately..

Finally, reserve wisely. If you allocate 4GB to the iGPU on a computer with 8GB of RAM, you'll be leaving the system very short. With 16GB or less, it's rarely worth going beyond 4GB; if you need more, consider upgrading physical RAM..

What improvements can you expect from upgrading your iGPU's VRAM?

It depends on the application. Programs and games that perform a strict minimum VRAM check usually stop displaying the warning and start when the VRAM reserve is raised. In games, it often improves minimum FPS stability in texture-heavy or object-heavy scenes..

The average FPS does not always increase significantly just by allocating more VRAM, especially if the bottleneck is in the CPU or in the iGPU's own shader throughput. Enabling XMP/DOCP to increase bandwidth can indeed provide a measurable boost, especially at moderate resolutions and details..

In productivity, capacity often outweighs frequency under heavy loads, but latency and bandwidth also play a role. Video editors like Premiere may notice improvements in some processes, although the biggest jump is achieved with more total RAM and faster disks..

If you're using lightweight local AI models or integrated GPU-accelerated filters, having more memory allocated can prevent swaps and deadlocks. The exact earnings will vary by app, version of drivers and dataset size.

Good practices, testing and troubleshooting

Make changes one at a time: first increase VRAM, test; then enable XMP, test; and so on. This way you can identify which setting is causing a stability issue or which improvement actually changes the behavior..

If a game displays errors such as “Your system does not meet the minimum requirements; the detected video memory is lower than required,” increase the reported reserve/value and try again. On Intel, the DedicatedSegmentSize DWORD helps to “satisfy” some demanding checks.

If the system is slow after increasing the VRAM, reduce the size by one step or close background processes. Excessive reallocation on computers with low RAM is the most common cause of a feeling of heaviness.

Updates graphics and chipset drivers; some better expose memory options or fix management bugs. Keeping BIOS/UEFI up to date can also unlock or stabilize iGPU settings..

Have a rollback plan ready: Write down your original BIOS/UEFI settings, save profiles, and set up a restore point in Windows if you're going to touch the Registry. It is better to invest a minute in prevention than to waste an afternoon recovering the system..