To turn off hardware acceleration in Microsoft Edge, open Settings, go to System and performance, switch off Use graphics acceleration when available, and then select Restart. The steps are the same in Edge for Windows and Mac. If the switch is grayed out, your organization manages that setting, and only your IT admin can change it.
With the setting off, Edge draws pages with your computer’s processor instead of its graphics card. That often clears up flickering, black video windows, or garbled page areas, but video and graphics-heavy sites may run less smoothly.
Turn off hardware acceleration in Edge
Edge has to restart for the change to work, so finish anything you’re typing in a web form before you begin.
- Open Microsoft Edge.
- Select Settings and more, the three dots in the top-right corner of the window.
- Choose Settings.
- Select System and performance in the left pane. If the pane is hidden because the window is narrow, select the menu icon (three lines) next to Settings first.
- In the System section, turn off the Use graphics acceleration when available switch.
- Select the Restart button that appears next to the switch. Edge closes and reopens with your tabs.
Can’t find the option? Type graphics into the Search settings box at the top of the Settings page, and Edge will jump straight to it.
Check that it worked
- Type edge://gpu in the address bar and press Enter.
- Look at the Graphics Feature Status list near the top of the page.
- Confirm that most entries now say Software only, hardware acceleration unavailable.
If the entries still say Hardware accelerated, Edge hasn’t fully restarted. Go back to the setting and use the Restart button, or restart your computer.
When turning it off helps
Hardware acceleration is on by default because it usually makes Edge faster and smoother. Turning it off is a troubleshooting step, not a general speed boost. It’s worth trying when you see problems like these only in Edge:
- Pages flicker, flash, or show black or blank boxes.
- Videos play sound but show a black or green picture.
- Text or images look scrambled, stretched, or blurry.
- Edge freezes or crashes while scrolling or playing video, especially after a graphics driver update.
Before you leave acceleration off for good, update your graphics driver through Windows Update or your PC maker’s support site, then turn the setting back on. A driver fix often solves the underlying problem so you don’t lose the performance benefit.
If turning acceleration off doesn’t change anything, switch it back on. The graphics card wasn’t the cause, and leaving it off only makes Edge work harder.
Turn hardware acceleration back on
- Go to Settings and more > Settings > System and performance.
- Turn on Use graphics acceleration when available.
- Select Restart.
If the switch is grayed out or won’t change
On a work or school computer, the setting may be locked by a policy. Edge then shows an icon or note saying the setting is managed by your organization. Admins control it with the Use graphics acceleration when available policy, and users can’t override it, so contact your IT team.
If the switch moves but nothing changes, the restart didn’t happen. Use the Restart button in Settings rather than closing a single window, since Edge can keep running in the background.
Common questions
Does this affect other browsers or Windows?
No. The switch only changes how Edge draws pages. Chrome, Firefox, and the rest of Windows keep using your graphics card as usual.
Will Edge be slower with acceleration off?
It can be. Scrolling, video, and web apps with animations or 3D graphics lean on the graphics card. Most people notice little difference on everyday pages, but a laptop may use more processor power during video playback.
While you’re in Edge’s settings, you can also switch Edge to its dark theme or choose which page Edge opens at startup.
Matt has been writing about Microsoft Windows and other Microsoft products since the days of Windows XP. He spends much of his time writing for sites like WindowBrain.com