Alex Ruben
How To Fix GTA V Error SYS SYSREQ: Your GPU Doesn’t Meet System Requirements
Encountered that annoying message “Your video card does not meet the system requirement” when launching GTA V, even though your GPU should handle it? Yeah, I’ve been there. Sometimes, it’s just up to a few little misconfigurations or outdated drivers giving trouble. Here’s what’s worked for me before, hopefully it helps someone else dodge the same frustration.
Step 1: Update Windows
Windows updates are often the first culprits or saviors here. Because of course, Windows has to make it harder than necessary, right? Anyway, keep your system fresh:
- Open Settings.
- Go to Update & Security > Windows Update.
- Click Check for updates. If there’s anything waiting, hit Download and Install.
This helps with all kinds of compatibility stuff — especially RAM, drivers, and system libraries that GTA V and your GPU rely on.
On some setups, doing this resolves the issue temporarily, but sometimes you need more. Just keep that in mind.
Step 2: Launch the Game Correctly
Using the wrong launcher — say, launching through Steam or Epic directly, instead of the actual game executable — can trip the system into thinking your card isn’t compatible. So, here’s a pro tip:
- Navigate to your GTA V install folder, like
F:\Steam\steamapps\common\Grand Theft Auto V(or wherever you installed it). - Find
play GTA5.exe. - Right-click that file and choose Run as administrator. It sometimes helps bypass weird permission hiccups.
- Pro tip: avoid launching it through launcher shortcuts or overlays — sometimes they inject weird flags or prevent the game from recognizing hardware properly.
It’s kind of weird, but it’s a reliable trick that worked for me on multiple systems.
Step 3: Update Graphics Drivers
This is kinda obvious but, yeah, outdated drivers are a classic issue. Head over to your GPU maker’s site:
Download the latest version for your GPU model. Sometimes, just installing the newest drivers can fix compatibility flags or misreads that cause this error. After updating, restart your PC. No excuses, just do it.
On one setup it worked immediately, on another, I had to reboot twice and do a clean driver install. Not sure why it works sometimes and not others, but worth a shot.
Step 4: Delete the Problematic File
This one caught me off guard. Sometimes, especially if the game crashed or was improperly shut down, junk files like dxgl.dll hang around and confuse the game. So, here’s what to do:
- Open your GTA V folder.
- Search for
dxgl.dll. If it’s there, delete it. - Then, try launching the game again, preferably after a quick reboot. Weirdly, this has helped in cases where the game kept falsely flagging your hardware as incompatible.
Worth noting: some folks say to delete other cache or config files, but dxgl.dll is the main culprit around compatibility errors like this.
Step 5: Reinstall the Game Cleanly
If none of the above do the trick, a full clean reinstall might be necessary. Uninstall everything GTA V related, including Rockstar Launcher, SDKs, and residual files:
- Grab Revo Uninstaller — it’s really handy for thorough removal.
- Run it as admin, uninstall Rockstar Launcher, and GTA V. Make sure to tick all the options to remove leftovers.
- Reboot your PC.
- Reinstall GTA V from scratch, preferably from the official source. If you’re on Steam or Epic, let it do its thing, and make sure to clear cache or registry leftovers if needed (sometimes a bit of manually deleting registry entries or game folders helps). For example, check HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Rockstar Games for leftover entries if issues persist.
Extra Tips & Common Issues
Few extra things that could help:
- Make sure your PC actually meets the minimum specs for GTA V, especially GPU VRAM and driver support.
- Double-check your GPU settings — some control panels have compatibility or VRAM restrictions that need disabling.
- Using something like Exitlag or TCP optimizer might help reduce lag or conflicts, but that’s more for performance than fixing this error directly.
Conclusion
If you follow these steps, the “Your video card does not meet the system requirement” error tends to clear up. The weird part is that sometimes it’s a mix of driver updates, file deletions, or improper launch methods that cause it. Keeping Windows and drivers updated seems to be the biggest factor. Good luck.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if my GPU is totally up to date, but I still get the error?
Double-check that you’re launching the game directly via play GTA5.exe as admin, and also ensure no driver conflicts or weird leftover files are causing issues. Sometimes, older game files or corrupt configs linger and mess up recognition.
Can I run GTA V on older hardware?
If your hardware is well below the minimum requirements, especially GPU-related, it’s unlikely you’ll get past this error. Upgrading your GPU or lowering in-game settings might be your best bet if that’s the case.
What if uninstalling the game doesn’t work?
Make sure to do a thorough cleanup — use tools like Revo Uninstaller and delete related folders and registry entries. Sometimes, leftover files fool the game into thinking your hardware isn’t compatible, even after reinstalling.
Summary
- Update your Windows
- Launch the game correctly with play GTA5.exe
- Update your GPU driver from the official website
- Delete any suspicious files like
dxgl.dll - Reinstall cleanly if needed
Hopefully this shaves off a few hours for someone. Fingers crossed this helps.