How can I set the default GPU for ALL APPS on Windows 10?

Question

How can I set the default GPU for ALL APPS on Windows 10?

Anonymous

I have an Optimus Laptop (A laptop with both an integrated GPU and a discrete NVIDIA GPU). In Settings -> System -> Display -> Graphics settings you can set if each program uses the power saving integrated GPU, or the high performance discrete GPU.

I leave my laptop plugged in all the time, so I would prefer that all apps use my discrete GPU by default, unless specified otherwise, which is the opposite of the current behavior (if I don't specify, all apps use the integrated GPU).

I saw the answer

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/how-to-change-default-graphics-universal-default/b23d0e3b-da70-4227-a015-7d4bb6fe2fe6

which said that I could change the (Default) string for the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\DirectX\UserGpuPreferences registry key. I set it to

GpuPreference=2;

and I removed all of the manually picked GPU selections from the settings menu. However, upon a computer restart, I booted up Minecraft to find that the GPU engine being used by Java(TM) Platform SE binary was GPU 0, which is my integrated GPU.

In the past, I could've selected the default GPU used by all applications inside of NVIDIA Control Panel, but now that Windows has taken control of this setting I don't see the option.

I would like to be able to select a default GPU that is used across all apps that do not have a manual entry in the settings menu. How can I do this?

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

3 answers

Answer 1

For Windows settings to override the daughtercard and proceed to make me have to select

each

app

seperately

even

when

in

the

same

parent

directory

Is utter madness. Not everyone has a skillset that lets them get into the boot to fix this.
Trust me, I do NOT want Windows to default to this Intel POS.. I paid several hundred for that card, and I want to use it. EVERYWHERE. The *only* circumstance for the Intel chip to kick in is if the nVidia card is blown. In which case the default GPU setting is the least of my problems....
M$Windows again makes a horrible call on defaults.

Answer 2

Anonymous

the answer of Edward is wrong. 0 means: let windows decide, 1 means: use the energy saving internal graphics card, 2: use the high performance card

0 comments

Answer 3

Thanks for your post in Microsoft Community.

Hello, I noticed that you set GpuPreference to 2. Do you have multiple discrete graphics cards installed in your computer?

If you only have your own integrated graphics card and a discrete graphics card, this value is usually set to 0/1

The specific GPU number represents the graphics card you can CTRL+SHIFT+ESC to open the Task Manager and click on the Performance tab, the bottom will be GPU0/GPU1 to represent your current graphics card usage number.

If you don't have more than one discrete graphics card and set GPuPreference to 2, it will not be able to call the information of the graphics card represented by this number, and it will automatically return to the integrated graphics card represented by 0.

At the same time, if you are using an NVIDIA graphics card, please go to the NVIDIA graphics control interface and the system's Start - Settings - Games - Game Mode - Graphics Settings, add Java.exe under the Java path to a separate control list, and then set it to a high-performance graphics card.

If anything is unclear, please do not hesitate to let me know.

Best Regards,

Edward - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Share via

How can I set the default GPU for ALL APPS on Windows 10?

3 answers