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How to force an app to use the discrete GPU in Windows 11
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How to force an app to use the discrete GPU in Windows 11

June 19, 2023
If your games or apps are running more slowly than you’d expect, you may need to force Windows 11 to run it using the discrete GPU. Here’s how.

Screenshot of the Graphics page in the Windows 11 Settings app open over the desktop background

These days, many of the best laptops, particularly gaming laptops or those aimed at content creators, come with two GPUs inside. It’s a bit of a technicality, but laptop processors, such as those from AMD or Intel, always have an integrated GPU that’s used for basic display output and rendering on basically every laptop. Gaming laptops may also have discrete GPUs from Nvidia or AMD, but the integrated GPU is still there.

A discrete GPU is much more powerful, though, so it may sometimes be beneficial to run a specific app using the discrete GPU. This usually happens automatically, but if you’re having trouble and apps are running slower than expected, you can force Windows 11 to run a specific app using a discrete GPU. In this guide, we’ll show you how to do just that.

How to force an app to run using a discrete (high-performance) GPU

Forcing an app to run on a discrete high-performance GPU can be done easily through the Windows 11 Settings app. Nvidia also offers this option through the Nvidia Control Panel, but using the Settings app makes things a bit more unified and easier. Here’s what you need to do:

  1. Open the Settings app (it should be in your Start menu).
  2. In the System section (which opens by default) choose Display.
  3. Scroll down and choose Graphics.
    Screenshot of the Windows 11 Settings app open to the Display section. The Graphics button is highlighted
  4. A few apps are already listed. To change the GPU settings for a listed app, skip to step 7.
  5. If the app you want isn’t listed, you can use the dropdown list near the top to add a Desktop app or a Microsoft Store app. Then, click Browse.
    Screenshot of the Graphics page in the Windows 11 Settings app. The option to select a desktop app to add is highlighted
  6. For desktop apps, navigate to the folder where the game or program is stored. For Microsoft Store apps, you’ll see a list of all the apps installed on your PC. Choose the app you want to add.
  7. Once the app is added to the list, select it and then click Options.
    Screenshot of the Graphics page in the Windows 11 Settings app. Geekbench 6 is selected and the Options button is highlighted
  8. Check the radio button that says High performance. The GPU is labeled underneath so you can make sure it’s the one you want to use.
    Screenshot of a pop-up window letting the user choose what graphics card the selected app should use. The high performance option is highlighted.
  9. Click Save.

You can repeat this process for any app you want to run using the discrete GPU, or you can also force an app to run using the power-saving GPU if you don’t need that much performance and you want to save battery. This option can even be useful in some desktop PCs if they have two or more GPUs. It’s unlikely, but the option is always there.

Microsoft is also currently testing the ability to change what GPU is labeled as “power saving” or “high performance”, so you’ll soon have even more control over these options. This is one of the many Windows 11 features currently in preview, which should be available in the near future.