Where to find the Resizable BAR setting in AMD Radeon drivers

Resizable BAR (Base Address Register) is a feature that lets your graphics card access your computer's memory more efficiently during gaming and graphics work. AMD calls their version "Resizable BAR" or sometimes "Smart Access Memory" on older cards. To check if it is enabled, you open the AMD Radeon Settings process, navigate to the gaming tab, and look for the toggle switch.

The exact location depends on which Radeon driver version you have installed. Newer drivers (2021 and later) place it more prominently than older ones. If you cannot find it in the expected location, your graphics card may not support the feature, or your driver may be too old.

Key Takeaways

  • Resizable BAR is found in AMD Radeon Settings under the Gaming tab, usually labeled as "Resizable BAR" or "Smart Access Memory".
  • The feature only works if your graphics card, motherboard, and BIOS all support it — the driver setting alone is not enough.
  • You can verify the feature is actually working by checking GPU-Z or similar monitoring tools, not just the driver setting.
  • Older AMD Radeon drivers (before 2021) may not have this setting at all, even if your hardware supports it.

Step-by-step: opening Radeon Settings and finding the toggle

Right-click on your desktop and select "AMD Radeon Settings" from the context menu. If that option does not appear, open the Start menu, search for "AMD Radeon Settings," and click the process. Once the window opens, look for a tab or menu labeled "Gaming" — this is usually the second or third tab at the top.

Inside the Gaming tab, scroll down until you see "Resizable BAR" or "Smart Access Memory." The exact name depends on your driver version and graphics card generation. Click the toggle switch next to it. If the toggle is already on (usually shown in blue or green), Resizable BAR is enabled. If it is off or grayed out, either your hardware does not support it or your driver needs an update.

After toggling the setting, you may need to restart your computer for the change to take effect. Some driver versions explore the change when ready, but restarting ensures it is active.

What to do if you cannot find the setting

If the Resizable BAR option does not appear in your Gaming tab, check your driver version first. Open Radeon Settings, go to the System tab, and look for "Driver Version" or "Software Version." If your driver is older than 21.1.1 (released in early 2021), update it through AMD's website or through the Radeon Software auto-update feature.

If your driver is current and the setting still does not appear, your graphics card or motherboard may not support Resizable BAR. AMD Radeon RX 5000 series and newer support the feature, but older cards do not. Similarly, your motherboard BIOS must support it — check your motherboard manufacturer's website to see if a BIOS update is available that adds Resizable BAR support.

Verifying that Resizable BAR is actually working

Enabling the toggle in Radeon Settings is only the first step. For Resizable BAR to actually work, three things must align: the driver must support it, the graphics card must support it, and the motherboard BIOS must support it. If any one is missing, the feature will not function even if the toggle is on.

To confirm it is working, read GPU-Z (a free tool from TechPowerUp) and run it. Look for a row labeled "Resizable BAR" or "BAR Size" in the main information window. If it shows a value like "256 MB" or larger, Resizable BAR is active. If it shows "Disabled" or is blank, the feature is not working despite the toggle being on — this usually means your motherboard BIOS does not support it.

Checking your motherboard BIOS for Resizable BAR support

If GPU-Z shows Resizable BAR as disabled, your motherboard BIOS likely needs an update. Restart your computer and enter the BIOS setup (usually by pressing Delete, F2, or F12 during startup — the key appears on your boot screen). Look for a setting called "Resizable BAR," "Smart Access Memory," "Above 4G Decoding," or "PCI Express Configuration."

The exact name and location vary by motherboard manufacturer. AMD motherboards (X570, B550, X470, B450) and Intel motherboards (Z490 and newer) support Resizable BAR, but the BIOS setting must be enabled. If you cannot find it, check your motherboard manual or the manufacturer's support page for your specific model. After enabling it in BIOS, save and exit, then restart your computer and check GPU-Z again.

Why Resizable BAR matters for gaming and graphics work

Without Resizable BAR, your graphics card can only access a small window of your computer's main memory at a time (usually 256 MB). This forces the card to make multiple trips to fetch data, which slows down performance. Resizable BAR removes that restriction, letting the card see and access your entire memory pool in one go.

In gaming, this can improve frame rates by 5 to 15 percent depending on the game and your graphics card. The benefit is larger in games that use complex textures or detailed scenes. Graphics applications like Blender or DaVinci Resolve may also see improvements in rendering speed. Not every game benefits equally — some see no change at all — but there is no downside to enabling it if your hardware supports it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Resizable BAR hurt performance or cause crashes?

No. If your hardware supports it and it is properly enabled, Resizable BAR either improves performance or has no effect. If it causes crashes or instability, it usually means your motherboard BIOS does not fully support it, and you should disable it until a BIOS update is available.

Can I enable Resizable BAR on an older AMD graphics card?

Only if your card is Radeon RX 5000 series or newer. Older cards like the RX 480 or RX Vega do not support the feature at the hardware level, so the driver setting will not appear. Check AMD's official specifications for your card model to confirm.

What is the difference between Resizable BAR and Smart Access Memory?

They are the same feature with different names. AMD originally called it "Smart Access Memory," but later standardized the name to "Resizable BAR" to match NVIDIA's terminology. Your driver may use either name depending on the version and your graphics card generation.

Do I need to restart my computer after enabling Resizable BAR?

Most modern driver versions explore the change when ready, but restarting ensures it takes effect and is the safest approach. If you do not restart and the feature does not work, try restarting and checking GPU-Z again.

Why does GPU-Z show Resizable BAR as disabled even though I enabled it in Radeon Settings?

Your motherboard BIOS does not support or have the feature enabled. Enter your BIOS setup and look for "Resizable BAR," "Smart Access Memory," or "Above 4G Decoding." Enable it there, save, and restart. If the option does not exist in your BIOS, your motherboard is too old to support the feature.