If your system has multiple GPUs, you may find that Windows sometimes uses one of them to drive your apps and games when it should actually prioritize the other. Obviously, you want a powerful GPU to handle the graphical requirements of your high-end games or software. Luckily, you can tell the operating system which GPU should be preferred for a specific app with a simple change in settings. Here we will show you how.
How to use integrated graphics instead of GPU
It is best to use a GPU when playing a game or doing video editing. However, integrated graphics on your CPU will still work in a pinch.
Setting a primary GPU in Windows
Windows itself now decides which GPU it should call on for various applications. Forget whatever preference you made in Nvidia Control Panel or AMD Adrenaline - Windows now ignores it in most cases.
There are some advantages and disadvantages to this. The advantage of this method is that it's now easier to specify which GPU should be used for each game individually, which is great if you don't want the same setting for everything. The downside is that it may take you a while to specify which GPU each title should use.
Whatever the case may be, here's how to choose which GPU your Windows apps and games should employ.
- Right-click theWindows icon in the taskbar, then selectSettings.
- ClickSystem > Display > Graphics.
- You'll see a list of apps and games. If the one you're looking for doesn't appear, expand the drop-down menu under "Add an app" and select the app type (Desktop app or Microsoft Store app). Then, clickBrowseto locate and add the app's executable file.
- Select your app, then clickOptions.
- Choose theGraphics setting you prefer.
- Power saving uses your integrated GPU, which is perfect for lightweight apps.
- High performance uses your discrete GPU, which is what you'll want for games, video editing, and other intensive tasks.
- ClickSave.
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Put that GPU to use to get the best performance
Should you change your GPU settings?
It's important to note that, in most cases, Windows does an effective job of deciding which GPU should power each of your applications. So, it's not a bad idea for most users to let Windows do its thing, especially if you're not sure if your discrete GPU is necessary for certain processes.
However, there may be times when Windows doesn't get it right, in which case you may experience poor performance when playing games or working with intensive applications, even though you have aperfectly capable GPU installed in your system. When this happens, manually assigning a GPU to the app is usually the fix.
It's also worth noting that even if you're using ahigh-end laptop, Windows may prioritize your integrated GPU over the discrete GPU when you're not plugged into power or while you're low on battery.Power saving mode becomes the default to conserve energy, but you can override it by taking the steps below.
- Click thebattery icon on the right side of the taskbar.
- Click the battery icon again in theQuick Settings panel.
- UnderPower mode, selectBest performance.
How to match your CPU and GPU
A badly matched CPU and GPU can severely affect your PC's performance, which needs to be avoided at all costs.
Take control of your GPU
If you have a dedicated GPU in your system, you obviously want to take advantage of it for thebest possible graphics performance. Most of the time, Windows will ensure that your dedicated GPU is called into action when it's needed, but if that fails, at least you have the power to take control from within the Settings app.
