Windows · Devices
Configure Per-App Graphics Preferences
Graphics Settings lets you assign specific apps to your PC's high-performance or power-saving GPU on laptops with both integrated and dedicated graphics, override the automatically chosen graphics preference, and enable Auto HDR and Variable Refresh Rate for supported games. It's most relevant on 2-in-1s and gaming laptops with more than one graphics processor installed.
How to open Graphics Settings
- Open Settings → System → Display → Graphics.
- Click 'Browse' or select a recently used app to add it to the list.
- Click the app and choose 'Options' to set High performance or Power saving.
- Toggle Auto HDR and Variable refresh rate near the top of the page if supported.
What you should know
- Add a specific app and set its preference to 'Power saving' (integrated GPU) or 'High performance' (dedicated GPU).
- Enable 'Auto HDR' to extend the color and contrast range of supported SDR games automatically, on an HDR-capable display.
- Enable 'Variable refresh rate' if your monitor and GPU both support adaptive sync technologies like G-Sync or FreeSync.
- Enable 'Optimizations for windowed games' to improve responsiveness for games running in a window rather than full screen.
Graphics preference only applies to laptops or desktops with more than one graphics processor — on a system with a single GPU, the per-app override options have nothing to switch between and won't change performance.
Why it matters
On a laptop with both an integrated and dedicated GPU, letting Windows decide which one an app uses can lead to a game running on the weaker integrated chip, or a simple utility unnecessarily waking the power-hungry dedicated GPU and draining the battery faster. Manually assigning graphics preference per app fixes both problems at once — better performance where you need it, and better battery life everywhere else. Auto HDR and Variable Refresh Rate specifically improve visual quality and smoothness in games that support them, often noticeably, for no cost beyond enabling the toggle.
Best practices
- Set demanding games and creative apps to 'High performance' explicitly rather than trusting Windows' automatic detection, especially for less common software.
- Set background utilities and simple productivity apps to 'Power saving' to keep the dedicated GPU idle and extend battery life.
- Enable Variable refresh rate only if you've confirmed both your monitor and GPU support a compatible adaptive sync standard.
- Turn on Auto HDR only on a display that's actually HDR-capable, since it does nothing useful on a standard SDR monitor.
- Recheck graphics preference assignments after installing a new game, since it isn't added to the list automatically.
Common problems and fixes
- A game runs poorly despite having a capable dedicated GPU installed.
- Add the game manually under Graphics settings and set its preference to 'High performance' instead of relying on the automatic default.
- Battery drains quickly even during light everyday use.
- Check whether background apps are set to 'High performance' unnecessarily, and switch them to 'Power saving' so the dedicated GPU can stay idle.
- Variable refresh rate option is greyed out or unavailable.
- Confirm both the monitor and the connection (DisplayPort or HDMI, depending on the standard) support adaptive sync, since the toggle only appears when compatible hardware is detected.
Tips and tricks
- Use 'Browse' under Graphics settings to add a specific .exe directly if an app doesn't show up in the recently-used app list.
- Check your GPU manufacturer's own control panel (like NVIDIA Control Panel) for additional per-app graphics options beyond what Windows exposes here.
Frequently asked questions
Does changing graphics preference apply immediately, or does the app need to restart?
The app needs to be closed and reopened, since the graphics preference is applied when the app launches, not while it's already running.
Is Auto HDR the same as native HDR support in a game?
No, Auto HDR is an approximation applied by Windows to standard-range (SDR) games, while native HDR is authored by the game developer directly — both can look great, but native HDR is generally more accurate.
Can I set a default graphics preference for all apps instead of configuring each individually?
There's no single global override for every app, but you can set the default preference for the two main global options (Windows default) and add exceptions per app as needed.
Related settings
- Display SettingsDisplay settings allow you to adjust screen resolution, brightness, scaling, and multiple monitor configurations. Proper display configuration improves visual clarity and productivity.
- Device ManagerDevice Manager is a classic Windows tool (devmgmt.msc) that lists every piece of hardware attached to your PC — display adapters, network adapters, storage controllers, USB devices, and more — organized into categories. It's where you update, roll back, disable, or uninstall a specific driver, and where a small yellow warning icon points you directly at hardware Windows is having trouble with.
- Game ModeGame Mode prioritizes system resources for the game you're actively playing, preventing Windows Update from installing updates or restarting the PC mid-session, and reducing background activity that could interrupt gameplay. It's a single toggle designed to squeeze more consistent performance out of the same hardware during full-screen gaming.
More Devices guides for Windows
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