Last updated: October 21, 2026

To switch to your dedicated GPU, open Windows Settings > System > Display > Graphics, select the app or game, and set its GPU preference to High performance. This tells Windows to run that program on your discrete graphics card (NVIDIA GeForce or AMD Radeon) instead of the integrated GPU.

That is the quickest method, and it works on almost every Windows 10 and Windows 11 laptop. However, it is not the only one. You can also force the dedicated GPU through NVIDIA Control Panel, AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition, your laptop’s BIOS/UEFI, or a MUX switch on gaming laptops. This guide covers every method step by step, explains how to confirm the switch worked, and helps you decide whether you should use the dedicated GPU all the time.

Last updated: October 2026

What Does Switching to a Dedicated GPU Mean?

Switching to a dedicated GPU means making an app render its graphics on your discrete graphics card rather than on the integrated GPU built into your processor.

Most modern laptops have two graphics processors. The first is the integrated GPU (iGPU), such as Intel UHD Graphics, Intel Iris Xe, Intel Arc integrated graphics, or AMD Radeon Graphics inside a Ryzen processor. It shares system RAM and uses very little power. The second is the dedicated GPU (dGPU), such as an NVIDIA GeForce RTX or AMD Radeon RX card, which has its own VRAM and far more processing power. If you are unsure how these two differ, read our guide on integrated vs discrete graphics.

Laptops use the integrated GPU by default to save battery and reduce heat. Technologies like NVIDIA Optimus and AMD Switchable Graphics are designed to wake the dedicated GPU automatically when a demanding app starts. In practice, this automatic detection often fails. A game, video editor, or 3D program may end up on the weaker integrated GPU, which causes low FPS, stuttering, and slow rendering. Switching manually fixes this.

Desktop PCs work differently. If your monitor cable is plugged into the graphics card instead of the motherboard, the desktop is already using the dedicated GPU.

How to Check Which GPU Is Currently Being Used?

You can check which GPU an app is using through Task Manager. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc and open the Performance tab. You will usually see two entries: GPU 0 (normally the integrated GPU) and GPU 1 (normally the dedicated GPU). Click each one to see its name and live usage.

To see which GPU a specific app uses:

1. Open the Processes tab in Task Manager.
2. Right-click any column header and enable GPU engine.
3. Launch your game or app and look at its row. The column will show something like “GPU 1 – 3D”, which tells you exactly which GPU is doing the work.

If you don’t know your graphics card model yet, see how to see what graphics card you have.

How to Switch to Dedicated GPU Using Windows Graphics Settings?

Windows Graphics Settings is the recommended method because it works for both NVIDIA and AMD GPUs and Windows remembers the setting per app.

1. Open Settings > System > Display, scroll down, and click Graphics settings.
2. Choose Desktop app or Microsoft Store app, then click Browse and select the program.
3. Click the app, then Options.
4. Select High performance and click Save.

What “Power saving” and “High performance” mean

Power saving runs the app on the integrated GPU to extend battery life. High performance runs it on the dedicated GPU for maximum speed. Let Windows decide leaves the choice to Windows, which is exactly the automatic behavior that sometimes fails. For games and creative software, always pick High performance.

Note that the Windows setting usually overrides the NVIDIA and AMD app settings on recent Windows versions, so if you set both, the Windows choice generally wins.

How to Switch to Dedicated GPU Using NVIDIA Control Panel?

If your laptop has an NVIDIA GPU, NVIDIA Control Panel lets you set the dedicated GPU globally or per app. Right-click the desktop and select NVIDIA Control Panel (on Windows 11, click Show more options first). If it’s missing, install it from the Microsoft Store or reinstall your drivers using our guide on how to update GPU drivers.

Global Settings method

1. Go to Manage 3D settings in the left panel.
2. Open the Global Settings tab.
3. Set Preferred graphics processor to High-performance NVIDIA processor.
4. Click Apply.

This makes every app prefer the NVIDIA GPU. It is the simplest option, but it will reduce battery life because even light apps will wake the dedicated GPU. On some newer drivers this dropdown is hidden and NVIDIA directs you to Windows Graphics Settings instead; if so, use the Windows method above.

Program Settings (per-app) method

1. In Manage 3D settings, open the Program Settings tab.
2. Under “Select a program to customize,” pick your app or click Add to browse for its .exe.
3. Under “Select the preferred graphics processor for this program,” choose High-performance NVIDIA processor.
4. Click Apply.

This is the better choice for most users because only the apps that need power use the dedicated GPU.

“Run with graphics processor” right-click option

NVIDIA can add a handy right-click shortcut for one-time launches:

1. In NVIDIA Control Panel, click the Desktop menu at the top.
2. Enable Add “Run with graphics processor” to Context Menu.
3. Now right-click any app shortcut and choose Run with graphics processor > High-performance NVIDIA processor.

This is useful for testing whether an app performs better on the dedicated GPU before making the change permanent.

How to Switch to Dedicated GPU Using AMD Software (Adrenalin)?

On laptops with an AMD Radeon dedicated GPU, use AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition and its Switchable Graphics feature.

1. Right-click the desktop and open AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition.
2. Click the gear icon (Settings) and go to the System tab.
3. Find Switchable Graphics and open it.
4. Locate your app in the list (or use Browse to add it).
5. Change its mode from Power Saving to High Performance.

Some laptops that combine an AMD Ryzen processor with an AMD Radeon RX GPU handle switching automatically through AMD SmartShift. If the Switchable Graphics option is missing in your version of the software, use Windows Graphics Settings instead; it controls the same preference.

How to Switch to Dedicated GPU in BIOS?

You can force the dedicated GPU at the hardware level through BIOS/UEFI, but only on laptops and desktops that offer this option. The steps vary by manufacturer, but the general process is:

1. Restart your PC and press the BIOS key during boot (usually F2, Del, F10, or Esc).
2. Look under Advanced, Chipset, Graphics Configuration, or Display.
3. Find an option like Primary Display, Graphics Device, iGPU Multi-Monitor, or Display Mode.
4. Set it to Discrete, dGPU only, or PEG/PCIe, depending on what your BIOS shows.
5. Save and exit (usually F10).

On desktops, you can also disable the integrated GPU entirely if you are using a graphics card. For more detail, see our guides on enabling the GPU in BIOS and disabling integrated graphics.

Warning: On many laptops, the built-in screen is physically wired to the integrated GPU. Disabling the iGPU on such a laptop without a MUX switch can leave you with a black screen. Only change these settings if your BIOS clearly offers a “Discrete” or “dGPU only” mode, and note down the original values so you can reset them (or use “Load Optimized Defaults”) if something goes wrong.

How to Use a MUX Switch or Advanced Optimus?

A MUX switch is a hardware chip that connects the laptop’s display directly to the dedicated GPU, bypassing the integrated GPU completely. In normal Optimus mode, frames rendered by the NVIDIA GPU are passed through the integrated GPU to reach the screen, which adds overhead. A MUX switch removes that step, often improving FPS in games, sometimes by a noticeable margin in CPU-heavy titles, and reducing latency.

Common ways to enable it on gaming laptops:

• ASUS ROG/TUF: Open Armoury Crate and set GPU Mode to Ultimate.
• Lenovo Legion: Open Lenovo Vantage or Legion Space and turn off Hybrid Mode (switching to discrete GPU mode).
• MSI: Open MSI Center and choose Discrete Graphics Mode in the GPU switch setting.

Most MUX changes require a restart, and battery life drops significantly while the dedicated GPU drives the display.

Advanced Optimus is NVIDIA’s smarter version of this. It uses a dynamic display switch to move the screen between the integrated and dedicated GPU automatically, without a restart, depending on what you’re running. If your laptop supports Advanced Optimus, you get MUX-like gaming performance with good battery life in daily use. Check your laptop’s specifications or the NVIDIA Control Panel’s Manage Display Mode page to see if it’s available.

How to Force a Game to Use the Dedicated GPU?

To force a game onto the dedicated GPU, add the game’s actual executable, not just its launcher, to Windows Graphics Settings with High performance selected.

This detail matters. Launchers like Steam, Epic Games Launcher, Battle.net, and Riot Client start a separate game .exe. If you only set the launcher to High performance, the game itself may still run on the integrated GPU. Find the game’s folder (in Steam, right-click the game > Manage > Browse local files) and add the main .exe directly.

Also check the game’s own settings. Many games have a Display Adapter, Graphics Device, or Renderer option in their video settings. Select your NVIDIA or AMD GPU there. Minecraft Java Edition is a common exception: you need to set javaw.exe (found inside the Minecraft runtime folder) to High performance, not the launcher.

How to Verify the Switch Worked?

The easiest way to verify the switch is to open Task Manager with the GPU engine column enabled while your game or app is running. If it shows the GPU number of your dedicated card (usually GPU 1), the switch worked.

Other ways to confirm:

• Performance tab: Watch the dedicated GPU’s usage graph rise when the game is running.
• GPU overlays: Use the NVIDIA app overlay (Alt + Z), AMD Software overlay (Ctrl + Shift + O), or MSI Afterburner to see live GPU usage, clock speed, and temperature.
• FPS comparison: Note your FPS before and after the change. A big jump is a clear sign the dedicated GPU is now active.
• NVIDIA GPU Activity icon: In NVIDIA Control Panel, enable Desktop > Display GPU Activity Icon in Notification Area to see which apps are using the NVIDIA GPU at any moment.

Why Is My Laptop Not Using the Dedicated GPU?

Your laptop usually isn’t using the dedicated GPU because the app is set to Power saving, the GPU drivers are outdated or corrupted, the laptop is running on battery with a power-saving profile, or you set the launcher instead of the game’s .exe.

Quick checks: plug in your charger, set Windows power mode to Best performance, update both the integrated and dedicated GPU drivers, and recheck the app’s setting in Windows Graphics Settings. If the dedicated GPU doesn’t appear in Device Manager at all, the problem is different and needs separate troubleshooting. Our full guide on fixing a laptop that won’t use its dedicated GPU covers every cause in detail.

Should You Always Use the Dedicated GPU?

No, you shouldn’t run everything on the dedicated GPU. It’s best to use it only for demanding tasks like gaming, video editing, 3D rendering, and AI workloads, and leave light tasks on the integrated GPU.

The tradeoff looks like this. The dedicated GPU gives much higher performance, but it consumes far more power, so battery life can drop from many hours to just one or two. It also produces more heat and makes laptop fans louder. For browsing, documents, and video streaming, the integrated GPU is more than enough and keeps your laptop cool and quiet.

The per-app method gives you the best balance: games and creative apps get full power, everything else stays efficient. If you notice your dedicated GPU running very hot during long sessions, compare your readings with our guide on normal GPU temperature.

FAQs

Can I switch GPU without restarting?

Yes. Changes made in Windows Graphics Settings, NVIDIA Control Panel, and AMD Software only require restarting the app, not the whole PC. BIOS changes and most MUX switch changes do require a full restart. Advanced Optimus switches automatically without a restart.

Does an external monitor use the dedicated GPU?

On many gaming laptops, the HDMI or USB-C/DisplayPort output is wired directly to the dedicated GPU, so an external monitor connected to that port runs on it. On thin-and-light laptops, ports are often wired to the integrated GPU instead. Check your laptop’s specifications or use Task Manager to see which GPU becomes active when you connect a monitor.

Can switching to the dedicated GPU damage it?

No. Using the dedicated GPU is exactly what it is designed for, and switching between GPUs causes no harm. The only real concern is heat during long gaming sessions, so keep the laptop’s vents clear, use it on a hard surface, and consider a cooling pad if temperatures stay very high.

Why don’t I see “High performance” as an option?

If only one GPU appears in Windows Graphics Settings, Windows may not detect your dedicated GPU. Check Device Manager under Display adapters. If the dedicated GPU is missing or shows an error, update or reinstall its driver.

Is the dedicated GPU used automatically when gaming?

It should be, through NVIDIA Optimus or AMD Switchable Graphics, but automatic detection isn’t always reliable, especially for new, older, or less popular games. Setting the preference manually is the only way to be sure.