What does “out of video memory trying to allocate a rendering resource” mean in inZOI?
The message means that inZOI asked your graphics card for memory, and the request failed. The game then closes. The memory on the graphics card is the video memory, or VRAM.
The error does not always mean that your card is too weak. Players on the official inZOI forum and on Steam report it on an RTX 4090 with 24 GB of VRAM. Old cache files, broken mods, unstable Intel processors, and high settings can all cause the same message.
One player on the official forum quoted the full text in February 2026. It says “Out of video memory try to allocate a rendering resource make sure your video card has the minimum required memory.” The message then tells you to lower the resolution and to close other applications.
A second form of the error says “Insufficient video memory.” The official inZOI notice gives a special fix for it, with a folder to delete. We explain it below. We checked all the sources in this post on October 30, 2026.
Why does inZOI keep saying out of video memory?
The official sources name six causes. Players add a few more. This table shows each cause, where the error usually appears, and who says so.
| Cause | When the error often appears | Who says so |
|---|---|---|
| Old graphics driver | At launch or during shader compilation | The official inZOI FAQ |
| Intel 13th or 14th Gen desktop CPU | During shader compilation | The official FAQ and the inZOI Team on Steam |
| High graphics settings or resolution | In a busy scene, after some play time | The official FAQ |
| Mods, overlays, and overclocking tools | At launch, often after new mods | The official FAQ and the official notice |
| Old shader cache, web cache, or Gallery files | At launch, after an update | The official notice |
| Broken save or config files | When you load a save | The official FAQ |
| Ray tracing turned on | During play | A player on the official forum, not the team |
Do Canvas downloads cause the error?
They can. A player on the official forum quoted the inZOI Known Issues list in November 2025. That list said the error can come from “accumulated data such as web cache, mods, or Canvas download files.” We did not open the Known Issues list itself, so treat this as a quote from a player.
Is it a RAM problem or a VRAM problem?
It can be both. Players on the forum say that inZOI uses a lot of RAM, and the error appears when usage spikes. A laptop with 8 GB of RAM got the error in a February 2026 thread. The Steam page asks for 12 GB as the minimum.
How do you fix the inZOI out of video memory error?
Do the quick fixes first, and test the game after each one. Most of these steps come from the official FAQ and the official crash notice from the inZOI Team. The team asks you to do the notice steps in order.
- Update inZOI. The official notice calls this step mandatory. Let Steam finish all updates before you launch the game.
- Update your graphics driver. Install the latest NVIDIA or AMD driver. This is the first step in the official FAQ.
- Lower the graphics settings. Lower the graphics quality, the resolution, and the resolution scale. The FAQ says to use DLSS or FSR to set the resolution scale. A player on the forum also says to turn off ray tracing.
- Close overlays and overclocking tools. The FAQ names Discord, GeForce Experience, MSI Afterburner, and Intel XTU.
- Remove your mods. Back up the mod files, then delete them. The two folders are in the next section.
- Clear the shader cache. Close the game fully. If the game asks “Do you want to delete the PSO Cache?”, click Yes. The notice calls this the recommended way.
- Delete the config files. Delete each .ini file in the Config folder below. The game makes new ones at launch, but your graphics, control, and sound settings go back to default.
- Delete the web cache. Do this step if you see “Insufficient video memory.”
- Clear the GalleryPost folder. Delete all folders in it, then restart the game.
- Verify the game files. In Steam, right-click inZOI and verify the integrity of the game files.
- Update your BIOS. Do this step if you have an Intel 13th or 14th Gen desktop processor. The section about Intel explains why.
Does a new save help?
Sometimes. The official FAQ says that a broken save can cause the error. Start a new game to test this. A player on Steam said that a new game with a new character worked.
What do players say worked for them?
These fixes come from players, not from the inZOI Team. Try them only after the official steps.
- One player switched to an older game version in Steam and then back. This fixed the error for that player, but not for others.
- Some players on Steam changed the Windows power mode from Balanced to a power saver mode. One player said it helped. Another player said it did not.
- Some players on Steam made the Windows page file larger, on the drive with inZOI. One player said this fixed the error.
Where is the inZOI cache folder (webcache_4430)?
The official notice puts the web cache at this path. Change [username] to your Windows user name.
C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\BlueClient\Saved\webcache_4430
Delete the whole webcache_4430 folder when the crash comes with “Insufficient video memory.” Close the game first.
Why do some guides say AppData\Local\inZoi?
An early version of the notice had the path AppData/Local/inZoi/webcache_4430. That path was wrong. A player found the mistake, and an inZOI staff member confirmed the fix on November 18, 2025. Some guides still copy the old path.
A player on the forum could not find the folder. That player had no saved games yet. If the folder is not there, skip this step.
Where are the other folders from the official notice?
| Folder | Path on Windows |
|---|---|
| Mods | Documents\inZOI\Mods\88849 |
| Mods in the game folder | C:\Program Files(x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\inZOI\BlueClient\Content\Paks\~mods |
| Config (.ini files) | C:\Users\[Username]\AppData\Local\BlueClient\Saved\Config\Windows |
| GalleryPost | Documents\inZOI\GalleryPost |
| NVIDIA shader cache | C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\NVIDIA\DXCache and C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\D3DSCache |
| AMD shader cache | C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\AMD\DxCache and C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\D3DSCache |
The notice lists more shader cache folders for NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel. Read the full list in the notice. A shader cache is shared with other games, so those games can load slowly once after you delete it.
If you use mods, read our guide to inZOI mods before you install them again. Add them back one at a time, so you can find the mod that causes the crash.
What did KRAFTON and the inZOI team say about the crash?
The inZOI Team linked the crash to Intel 13th and 14th Gen CPUs and to NVIDIA RTX 40 series cards. A team member posted this on Steam on March 29, 2025, during the first days of Early Access.
Later, the team put the fixes in an official FAQ and in a forum notice. The FAQ title is “What should I do if the game crashes after displaying a ‘Out of Video Memory’ message during shader compilation?” The notice title is “Resolving Crash Issues After the Latest Update.” It is from October 31, 2025.
Why does the Intel CPU matter?
The official FAQ says that a BIOS update can fix the error on select Intel 13th and 14th Gen CPUs. It links to an Intel statement from August 2024.
In that statement, Intel says some 13th and 14th Gen desktop processors request too much voltage. This causes “consistent application crashes and repeated hangs.” Intel fixed this with a microcode update, 0x129. You get it only through a BIOS update, not through Windows Update.
Get the BIOS update from the website of your motherboard or PC maker. The FAQ also says to turn off all CPU and GPU overclocking in the BIOS. It names MultiCore Enhancement and says to use the default Turbo Boost settings.
The Intel statement is about desktop processors. Laptop owners with these CPUs also report the error on the forum, so the Intel fix may not apply to every case.
Is there a patch that fixes it?
We found no patch note that says “fixed the out of video memory error.” Some players say a later update fixed it for them. One player said this in a March 2026 forum thread. To see what each update changed, read our inZOI patch notes.
Does the error mean your graphics card is too weak?
Sometimes. If your card has less VRAM than the minimum, no setting can fix that. Gamepressure says the same: “There is no workaround for low specs.”
| Level | Graphics card on the Steam page | VRAM |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum | NVIDIA RTX 2060 or AMD RX 5600 XT | 6 GB |
| Recommended | NVIDIA RTX 3070 or AMD RX 6800 XT | 8 GB (RTX 3070) or 16 GB (RX 6800 XT) |
Our inZOI system requirements guide has the full list and tells you how to check your PC.
How do you see how much VRAM inZOI uses?
Open Task Manager while the game runs. Open the Performance tab, then select your GPU. Read the GPU memory line. If it is full before the crash, lower your settings.
Does an 8 GB card work?
An 8 GB card meets the recommended VRAM of the RTX 3070. But several forum threads report the error on the RTX 5060 Ti with 8 GB. One of these players tried all the cache and config fixes, and the crash continued. On a laptop, also check that the game uses the NVIDIA or AMD card, not the integrated Intel graphics.
Does Smart Zoi need more power?
Gamepressure says the hardware needs are higher with the Smart Zoi option on. If you use it, turn it off as a test. Our guide to Smart Zoi explains what the feature does.
What if nothing works?
Report the crash on the official inZOI forum. The official notice asks you to post in the Technical Help section. Give your PC specs and say when the crash happens.
What do you put in the report?
- Your game version and your platform, such as Steam on Windows.
- Your CPU, graphics card, VRAM, RAM, and driver version.
- Whether you use mods.
- The full error text and the moment of the crash, such as during shader compilation.
- The steps that you already tried.
Forum helpers also ask for a Task Manager screenshot of the Performance tab. Add it to save time.
Can you play inZOI in the cloud?
Yes, it was possible at launch. NVIDIA added inZOI to GeForce NOW on March 27, 2025, for the Steam version. The cloud computer runs the game, so your own graphics card does not matter. You must still own inZOI on Steam. We did not find a newer NVIDIA page, so check the GeForce NOW library first.
What about Steam Deck or Mac?
These are different machines with their own limits. Read inZOI on Steam Deck and inZOI on Mac before you try them.
What if your PC cannot run inZOI at all?
Decide if a new graphics card is worth it. Our review of whether inZOI is worth it can help. You can also look at games like inZOI that need less from your PC.
We make LifeSim, which runs in a web browser at play.lifesim.com. It is a different kind of game. There is no build mode, no character creator like inZOI, and no mods. You pick a real city on a 3D map of Earth and live one life there, day by day. The people are AI characters, and you talk to them in your own words. Read what LifeSim is to see if it fits you.
Questions
Is “insufficient video memory” the same error?
It is a related error. The official notice gives it one extra fix: delete the webcache_4430 folder in AppData\Local\BlueClient\Saved.
Why does inZOI crash during shader compilation?
The official FAQ names old drivers, Intel 13th and 14th Gen CPUs, high settings, mods, overclocking, and broken saves. Start with the driver update.
Can mods cause the out of video memory error?
Yes. Several forum threads start after the player downloaded mods. The official notice tells you to remove all mods as an early step.
Does verifying the game files fix it?
Not always. One player verified the files at 100% and still got the error. Do it, but do the other steps too.
Does the error happen on strong PCs?
Yes. Players report it on an RTX 4090 with an Intel i9-13900KF. On those PCs, the Intel BIOS update is the first thing to check.
Can you play LifeSim if inZOI does not run?
Yes, if a different kind of game suits you. LifeSim is free, with no ads and nothing to buy. It runs in any web browser, and there is an iPhone app. See how to play.
More inZOI guides
- What is inZOI?
- Is inZOI on mobile?
- inZOI build mode
- How to get married in inZOI
- Is inZOI on Xbox?
- How to edit a Zoi in inZOI
- inZOI karma
- Does inZOI have pets?
- Is inZOI free?
- Is inZOI worth it?
- inZOI system requirements
- inZOI on Mac
- inZOI on Steam Deck
- inZOI PS5 release date
- Can you play inZOI offline?
- Does inZOI have multiplayer?
- inZOI cheats
- inZOI money cheats
- inZOI mods
- What is Smart Zoi?
- inZOI Canvastown: what it is and when it comes
- The inZOI 2026 roadmap
- inZOI vs The Sims 4
- inZOI vs Paralives
- Games like inZOI
Sources
- inZOI Forums: Resolving Crash Issues After the Latest Update (official notice)
- inZOI Support: “Out of Video Memory” message during shader compilation (official FAQ)
- inZOI Forums: Insufficient video memory
- inZOI Forums: “Out of video memory try to allocate a rendering resource…” fix
- inZOI Forums: Out of video memory trying to allocate a rendering resource after downloading mods
- inZOI Forums: Out of Video Memory Error
- inZOI Forums: Out of video memory
- inZOI Forums: Out of Video Memory Error on RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB
- Steam discussions: shader compilation crash, with the inZOI Team reply
- Steam discussions: “Out of Video Memory” error, game not launching
- inZOI on Steam
- Gamepressure: Out of video memory crash in inZOI? We have a fix
- Intel Community: Microcode 0x129 update for Intel Core 13th and 14th Gen desktop processors
- NVIDIA blog: Play inZOI on GeForce NOW