Many Red Dead Redemption 2 players have reported that an ERR_GFX_D3D_DEFERRED_MEM error occurs when they try to start RDR2, or shortly after the game launches. The message for that error says, “Out of memory. Please reboot, close other applications, and ensure your computer meets the minimum system requirements.” As a result, Red Dead Redemption 2 crashes to the desktop and doesn’t start on Windows PCs. This is how you may be able to fix the Red Dead Redemption 2 ERR_GFX_D3D_DEFERRED_MEM error on a Windows 11/10 PC.
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Set the DirectX 12 Graphics API for Red Dead Redemption 2
Many RDR2 players confirm they’ve fixed the ERR_GFX_D3D_DEFERRED_MEM error by changing the graphics API from Vulkan to DirectX 12. You can do that outside the game by editing an RDR2 system file that includes graphical settings. Try changing the graphics API by editing that file as follows.
- Click on the folder library shortcut pinned to the taskbar for opening File Explorer.
- Next, click This PC in File Explorer.
- Open the Documents > Rockstar Games > Red Dead Redemption 2 > Settings folder.
- Right-click the system file and select Edit.
The Edit option
- Next, find the <API>kSettingAPI_Vulkan</API> in the text file. You can press Ctrl + F and input <API>kSettingAPI_Vulkan</API> into Notepad’s search tool to find that text.
The graphics API setting
- Delete Vulkan at the end of that setting and change it to <API>kSettingAPI_DX12</API>.
- Click the File menu to select Notepad’s Save option.
Expand the Page File Size for Red Dead Redemption 2
The paging file is a Virtual Memory allocation you can configure via advanced system settings. Expanding the paging file increases the amount of Virtual Memory games can utilize on your PC, which can resolve memory-related issues like the ERR_GFX_D3D_DEFERRED_MEM error. This is how you can increase the paging file on your Windows 11/10 PC.
- First, press the Windows logo + S keys to access a tool for searching and finding files.
- Enter a view advanced system settings keyword and select the result that matches the search phrase.
- Click Settings for performance inside the System Properties window.
- Next, click Advanced > Change in the Performance options window.
The Change button
- Disable the Automatically manage page filing setting by clicking its checkbox.
- Select your PC’s drive partition that includes Red Dead Redemption 2.
- Click on the Custom size circle.
- Enter a value 1.5 times higher than C’s total RAM in the Initial size box. For example, you would need to enter 12000 megabytes in that box if your PC has eight GB RAM.
- Input a value three times greater than your PC’s total RAM into the Maximum size box. For example, input 24000 megabytes if your PC has eight gigabytes of RAM.
The Virtual Memory option
- Press Set to save your selected settings.
- Exit the Virtual Memory window by clicking OK.
Clear the DirectX 12 Shader Cache
Clearing the DirectX 12 shader cache has fixed the Red Dead Redemption 2 ERR_GFX_D3D_DEFERRED_MEM error for some players. The Windows cleaner tool includes an option for clearing that cache. You can clear the DirectX 12 shader cache with the Disk Cleanup tool as follows.
- Open Windows’ search tool via the taskbar and enter a Disk Cleanup keyword into that utility.
- Select Disk Cleanup to start that tool.
- Next, select the C: drive within the drop-down menu and click OK.
- Click the DirectX Shader Cache checkbox to select it.
The Disk Cleanup tool
- Press the OK and Delete Files buttons.
Disable MSI Afterburner
Some RDR2 players say disabling the MSI Afterburner fixed the ERR_GFX_D3D_DEFERRED_MEM on their PCs. Do you have MSI Afterburner on your PC? If so, make sure that software isn’t running in the background by disabling it as follows.
- Start Task Manager by using the Ctrl + Shift + Esc key combination to open it.
- Click the Startup tab.
- Select MSI Afterburner and click Disable to remove that app from the Windows startup.
The Startup tab
- Next, click Processes in Task Manager’s tab bar.
- Select MSI Afterburner processes in that tab and click End task to stop that program running in the background.
The Processes tab
- Try launching Red Dead Redemption 2 with MSI Afterburner disabled.
Turn Off Third-Party Software Overlays
Overlays are those overlapping tool features you can activate when playing games. Players have also confirmed disabling such overlays can resolve the ERR_GFX_D3D_DEFERRED_MEM error. Steam, GeForce Experience, Discord, Overwolf, RivaTuner, and Twitch are some of the more notable software packages with overlay features. So, try disabling those overlays if you’ve installed any of their software packages on your PC.
The In-Game Overlay option in GeForce Experience
Other Potential Ways to Fix the ERR_GFX_D3D_DEFERRED_MEM Error
The resolutions above are the more widely confirmed ways to fix the ERR_GFX_D3D_DEFERRED_MEM error. However, these additional troubleshooting methods could also feasibly resolve that issue for some RDR2 players:
- Update the graphical driver for your laptop’s or desktop’s GPU.
- Strip away third-party background apps and services by clean-booting Windows, as instructed on this Microsoft webpage.
- Reinstall the Red Dead Redemption 2 game on your PC.
The potential fixes in this troubleshooting guide have resolved the ERR_GFX_D3D_DEFERRED_MEM error on many players’ PCs. That doesn’t mean they will work for all Red Dead Redemption 2 players, but they’re worth trying. You can contact RDR2’s technical support team by clicking Contact Us on this Rockstar help page for further potential ERR_GFX_D3D_DEFERRED_MEM error fixes.
