What hardware acceleration does and why you might want it
Hardware acceleration tells your computer to use its graphics processor (GPU) instead of its main processor (CPU) for certain tasks. This is faster for things like video playback, scrolling through web pages, and displaying 3D graphics. When hardware acceleration is off, your CPU does all the work, which can make your computer feel sluggish or cause videos to stutter.
Most modern computers have a dedicated graphics chip that sits idle while your CPU struggles. Turning on hardware acceleration is like giving your computer permission to use the right tool for the job. The downside is rare: on very old computers or with outdated graphics drivers, it can cause crashes or display problems. If that happens, you can turn it back off.
Hardware acceleration works differently depending on what program you are using. A web browser has its own setting. Video players have theirs. Windows and Mac have system-wide settings too. This guide covers the most common places you will need to look.
Key Takeaways
- Hardware acceleration uses your graphics chip instead of your main processor, making video and scrolling smoother on most computers.
- You control hardware acceleration separately in your web browser, in individual apps, and sometimes in your operating system settings.
- Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge all have hardware acceleration settings in their preferences, usually under Performance or Advanced.
- If turning it on causes crashes or display glitches, turn it back off and update your graphics driver.
- Restarting your browser or app after changing the setting is necessary for the change to take effect.
Enable hardware acceleration in Chrome
Open Chrome and click the three-line menu in the top right corner. Select Settings, then click System in the left sidebar. Look for the toggle next to "Use hardware acceleration" and click it to turn it on. The toggle will turn blue when it is active.
Chrome will ask you to relaunch the browser for the change to take effect. Click the Relaunch button that appears, or close and reopen Chrome manually. After the restart, hardware acceleration will be active for all your browsing.
If you do not see a "Use hardware acceleration" option, your version of Chrome may be very old. Update Chrome by clicking the three-line menu, going to Help, then About Google Chrome. Chrome will check for updates automatically.
Enable hardware acceleration in Firefox
Open Firefox and click the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) in the top right. Select Settings, then click General in the left sidebar. Scroll down to the Performance section. You will see a checkbox next to "Use recommended performance settings." Make sure this box is checked — Firefox enables hardware acceleration automatically when this is on.
If you want to control it manually instead, uncheck that box. Then look for the checkbox labeled "Use hardware acceleration when available" and check it. Close and reopen Firefox for the change to take effect.
Firefox sometimes disables hardware acceleration if it detects a problem with your graphics driver. If you see a message saying hardware acceleration is unavailable, update your graphics driver through Windows Update or your graphics card manufacturer's website.
Enable hardware acceleration in Safari and Edge
In Safari on Mac, click Safari in the menu bar at the top, then select Settings. Click the Advanced tab. Check the box next to "Enable WebGL" — this is Safari's version of hardware acceleration for web content. Close the settings window and restart Safari.
In Microsoft Edge, click the three-dot menu in the top right and select Settings. Click System in the left sidebar. Toggle on "Use hardware acceleration." Edge will ask you to restart the browser. Click the restart button or close and reopen Edge manually.
Both browsers enable hardware acceleration by default on most computers, so you may not need to change anything. Check these settings only if you are experiencing slow video playback or choppy scrolling.
Enable hardware acceleration in Windows system settings
Windows has its own hardware acceleration setting that affects the entire system. Right-click on your desktop and look for Display settings or Graphics settings. If you see Graphics settings, click it. If not, open Settings (press Windows key + I), click System, then Display, and scroll down to find Graphics.
In Graphics settings, look for an option called "Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling" or similar. Click the toggle to turn it on. Your computer will ask you to restart. Save your work and restart Windows for the change to take effect.
If you do not see this option, your version of Windows may not support it, or your graphics driver is too old. Update your graphics driver by opening Device Manager (right-click the Start button and select it), finding your graphics card under "Display adapters," right-clicking it, and selecting "Update driver."
Enable hardware acceleration in video and media players
Many video players have their own hardware acceleration settings. In Windows Media Player, right-click inside the player window and select Tools, then Options. Click the Performance tab and look for a slider labeled "Video acceleration." Move it all the way to the right.
In VLC Media Player, click Tools in the menu bar, then Preferences. Click Input / Codecs in the left sidebar. Under "Hardware-accelerated decoding," select your graphics card type from the dropdown (usually DXVA2, NVDEC, or VDPAU depending on your system). Click Save and restart VLC.
YouTube and Netflix use hardware acceleration through your browser, so enabling it in Chrome, Firefox, or Edge will speed up video on those sites automatically. You do not need to change settings in the sites themselves.
What to do if hardware acceleration causes problems
If turning on hardware acceleration causes your screen to flicker, freeze, or display strange colors, turn it back off immediately using the same steps you used to turn it on. The problem is usually an outdated or corrupted graphics driver.
Update your graphics driver by going to your graphics card manufacturer's website. If you have an NVIDIA card, visit nvidia.com and download the latest driver for your card model. If you have AMD, go to amd.com. For Intel graphics, visit intel.com. Download the driver and run the installer, then restart your computer.
After updating your driver, try enabling hardware acceleration again. If the problem returns, leave it off. Your computer will run slower for video and graphics, but it will be stable. Contact your graphics card manufacturer's support if the problem persists after a driver update.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will hardware acceleration make my computer faster overall?
It will make video playback, web scrolling, and graphics smoother, but it will not speed up everyday tasks like opening files or typing. You will notice the difference most when watching videos or playing games. On older computers with weak graphics chips, the difference may be small.
Is hardware acceleration safe to turn on?
Yes, it is safe on modern computers with up-to-date drivers. Manufacturers test it thoroughly. The only risk is on very old systems where the graphics driver may have bugs. If it causes problems, turn it off — there is no permanent damage.
Do I need to enable hardware acceleration in both my browser and Windows?
You can enable it in one, the other, or both. Enabling it in your browser will speed up web content. Enabling it in Windows will speed up the entire system. For best results, turn it on in both places if your computer supports it.
Why does my browser say hardware acceleration is unavailable?
Your graphics driver is likely outdated or incompatible. Visit your graphics card manufacturer's website and download the latest driver for your specific card model and operating system. Restart your computer after installing, then check the browser setting again.
Do I need to restart my computer every time I change the hardware acceleration setting?
You need to restart the specific program (browser, media player, or app) where you changed the setting. You do not always need to restart your entire computer, though restarting Windows will ensure the change takes effect everywhere.