Where to find Resizable Bar status in Radeon Settings

Open Radeon Settings by right-clicking on your desktop and selecting "Radeon Settings" from the menu. If that option does not appear, search for "Radeon Settings" in your Windows Start menu. Once the application opens, look for the Gaming tab at the top of the window.

In the Gaming tab, select Global Graphics Settings from the left sidebar. Scroll down until you see the option labeled Resizable BAR (or sometimes listed as Smart Access Memory on some AMD cards). The toggle next to it will show either "On" or "Off". If it shows "On" in green, Resizable Bar is enabled. If it shows "Off" or appears grayed out, it is either disabled or not supported by your hardware.

If you cannot find this option at all, your GPU may not support Resizable Bar, or your driver version is too old. Check the AMD website for the latest Radeon driver for your specific graphics card model.

Key Takeaways

  • Resizable Bar status appears in Radeon Settings under Gaming > Global Graphics Settings as a toggle switch.
  • A green "On" indicator means Resizable Bar is active; "Off" or grayed out means it is disabled or unsupported.
  • If the option does not appear in your Radeon Settings, your GPU model or driver version may not support this feature.
  • Updating to the latest Radeon driver from AMD's website may add Resizable Bar support if your GPU is compatible.

What Resizable Bar actually does

Resizable Bar (also called Smart Access Memory on some AMD cards) allows your CPU to access your entire GPU memory at once, instead of in small chunks. Without it, the CPU can only see a small window of your GPU's VRAM at a time, which can slow down data transfers between the two components.

When enabled, Resizable Bar can improve frame rates in some games, though the benefit varies widely depending on the game and your hardware. Some games see a 5 to 15 percent improvement; others see almost no change. It is most noticeable in games that move large amounts of data between CPU and GPU frequently.

Requirements for Resizable Bar to work

Your hardware must meet several conditions for Resizable Bar to function. You need an AMD Radeon GPU from the RDNA generation or newer (RX 5700 XT and later, or RX 6000 series and newer). Older cards like the RX 580 or RX Vega do not support this feature.

Your motherboard BIOS must also support Resizable Bar, which is called Above 4G Decoding or Resizable BAR Support in the BIOS menu. You may need to update your motherboard BIOS to enable this option. Finally, your power supply and system RAM do not directly affect Resizable Bar, but your CPU and motherboard combination must be relatively recent to support it.

How to enable Resizable Bar if it is disabled

If Resizable Bar appears in Radeon Settings but shows "Off", click the toggle to turn it on. You will usually be prompted to restart your computer for the change to take effect. Restart and then return to Radeon Settings to confirm it now shows "On".

If the toggle is grayed out or does not respond, your motherboard BIOS may not have the feature enabled. Restart your computer and enter the BIOS setup (usually by pressing Delete, F2, or F12 during startup — the key depends on your motherboard brand). Look for an option called Above 4G Decoding, Resizable BAR, or Smart Access Memory in the BIOS menu, typically under Advanced or Chipset settings. Enable it, save your changes, and restart. Then return to Radeon Settings and try enabling Resizable Bar again.

Checking your GPU model and driver version

To confirm your GPU supports Resizable Bar, right-click on your desktop and select "Radeon Settings". Go to the System tab and look for "Graphics" or "GPU". This will show your exact GPU model. Cross-reference it with AMD's official list of RDNA-generation cards to confirm support.

In the same System tab, you can also see your current driver version. If it is more than a few months old, visit the AMD Radeon driver download page, enter your GPU model, and download the latest driver. Installing a newer driver may add Resizable Bar support if your GPU is compatible but the feature was not available in your previous version.

Troubleshooting when Resizable Bar will not stay enabled

If Resizable Bar turns itself off after restart, or if you see it enabled in Radeon Settings but games do not recognize it, the problem is usually a BIOS setting. Return to your BIOS and double-check that Above 4G Decoding is actually enabled — sometimes the setting appears to be on but is not fully applied.

Another common issue is driver conflicts. If you recently updated your driver and Resizable Bar stopped working, try rolling back to the previous driver version through Radeon Settings (System tab > Driver). If rolling back fixes it, wait for the next driver release before updating again, as the newer version may have a bug.

If neither of these steps works, your motherboard may have a BIOS update available that improves Resizable Bar stability. Check your motherboard manufacturer's website (ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte, etc.) for the latest BIOS version and follow their instructions to update it.

Performance impact and whether to enable it

Enabling Resizable Bar is safe and has no downside if your hardware supports it. It will not harm your GPU, cause crashes, or reduce performance in games that do not benefit from it. In the worst case, a game simply will not see any frame rate change.

The only reason to leave it disabled is if you encounter a specific game that crashes or performs worse with it on. This is rare but does happen with older games or poorly optimized titles. If you suspect a game has an issue with Resizable Bar, disable it in Radeon Settings, restart, and test the game again. If performance improves, you can leave it off for that game and keep it on globally for others.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Resizable Bar work with NVIDIA graphics cards?

No, Resizable Bar is AMD-specific. NVIDIA calls their equivalent feature Resizable BAR as well, but it is a separate implementation. NVIDIA cards use their own driver settings to enable it. If you have an NVIDIA GPU, look in NVIDIA Control Panel instead of Radeon Settings.

Will enabling Resizable Bar increase my power consumption?

No. Resizable Bar does not increase power draw. It only changes how your CPU and GPU communicate with each other. Your power supply does not need to be upgraded to use this feature.

Can I enable Resizable Bar without updating my BIOS?

It depends on your motherboard. Some boards have Resizable Bar support in older BIOS versions, but many require a BIOS update to unlock it. If the option does not appear in your BIOS menu, a BIOS update is likely necessary. Check your motherboard manufacturer's website to see if a newer BIOS version adds the feature.

What if Resizable Bar is not in my Radeon Settings at all?

This usually means your GPU is older than the RDNA generation and does not support the feature. Cards like the RX 580, RX Vega, and RX 5500 XT do not have Resizable Bar capability. If you have a newer card and the option still does not appear, update your Radeon driver to the latest version from AMD's website.

Does Resizable Bar improve performance in all games?

No. Some games see a noticeable improvement, while others see almost none. Newer games and games that move large amounts of data between CPU and GPU tend to benefit more. The only way to know if a specific game benefits is to enable it and compare frame rates, or check reviews of that game with Resizable Bar on and off.