Windows users often complain that their browsers consume a lot of CPU resources or drain the battery quickly. Ignoring this can have adverse effects on your Windows computer. Most of these issues are caused by the browser’s hardware acceleration feature.
But what is hardware acceleration and how do I turn it off? If you have the same question then this is the post where you need to be. Here we will explore how to disable hardware acceleration in different browsers. But before that, let’s see what happens when you enable hardware acceleration on your browser.
What does hardware acceleration do
Most modern browsers like Chrome and Edge have a nifty feature called Hardware Acceleration which can improve browser performance. Enabling this feature forces your browser to use your computer’s GPU instead of the CPU to perform graphics-intensive tasks.
If you have a powerful GPU, enabling hardware acceleration can do wonders. However, using it on a low-end device may cause more harm than good.
Enabling hardware acceleration on an older or incompatible system can cause issues such as high CPU usage and battery drain. Therefore, you will need to weigh the potential pros and cons of hardware acceleration when deciding whether to use it in your browser.
How to Disable Hardware Acceleration in Different Browsers
As mentioned above, if you have a low-end device or are having issues with your browser lately, disabling hardware acceleration can make a significant difference. Here’s how to disable hardware acceleration in different browsers:
Disable Hardware Acceleration in Google Chrome
Most Google Chrome issues often result from its hardware acceleration feature. So you need to disable this feature to get rid of such issues. Here’s how:
Step 1: Launch Google Chrome, click on three vertical dots in the upper right corner and choose Settings.
2nd step: Choose System from the left sidebar and turn off the toggle next to “Use hardware acceleration when available”.
After that, restart Google Chrome for the changes to take effect.
Disable Hardware Acceleration in Microsoft Edge
If Microsoft Edge is your default web browser, here’s how to disable hardware acceleration:
Step 1: Launch Microsoft Edge, click on three horizontal dots in the upper right corner and choose Settings from the pop-up menu.
2nd step: Choose System and Performance from the left sidebar and turn off the toggle next to “Use hardware acceleration when available”.
Step 3: Click the Restart button.
Disable hardware acceleration in Mozilla Firefox
It’s child’s play to disable this feature in Mozilla Firefox. Follow these steps to do so:
Step 1: Open Mozilla Firefox on your Windows PC, click the hamburger icon in the upper right corner and choose Settings from the menu that appears.
2nd step: Choose General from the left sidebar and uncheck “Use recommended performance settings”.
Step 3: Uncheck “Use hardware acceleration when available”.
Restart Mozilla Firefox to start using it without any problems.
Disable Hardware Acceleration in Brave
If you’re very concerned about your online privacy, you’ll need to use Brave as your default web browser. However, like any browser, Brave can occasionally experience issues.
Luckily, you can fix most of these issues by disabling hardware acceleration in Brave. Here are step-by-step instructions for doing so:
Step 1: Open Brave on your Windows PC, click on the hamburger option in the upper right corner and choose Settings from the pop-up menu that appears.
2nd step: Choose System in the left sidebar, then turn off the toggle next to “Use hardware acceleration when available” in the right pane.
Step 3: Click the Relaunch button to apply the changes.
Disable hardware acceleration in Opera
The Opera browser has recently gained popularity thanks to its revamped interface. Like other browsers, it also comes with a hardware acceleration feature that you can use to enhance your browsing experience.
However, if Opera crashes or takes forever to switch between tabs, stop using the hardware acceleration feature. Here’s how to turn it off:
Step 1: Launch Opera and click the gear icon in the left sidebar.
2nd step: Scroll down and click on the Advanced option in the right pane.
Step 3: Disable the “Use hardware acceleration when available” option in the System section.
Click the Relaunch button to save changes.
Improve browser performance
Undoubtedly, hardware acceleration is an amazing feature for browsers. If you have a high-end computer, you can enable it to load web pages faster, enjoy smooth video playback, and improve your overall browsing experience.
But enabling this feature on a low-end device has rarely benefited anyone. So use the steps above to disable hardware acceleration on your browser.