In Windows 11, set an app to High performance under Settings > System > Display > Graphics, then restart it. To verify NVIDIA GPU activity, check the NVIDIA GPU Activity indicator if your system supports it. The Windows setting is a preference, not a guarantee that every part of an app’s work will run on the NVIDIA GPU.
Set an app to use the high-performance GPU in Windows 11
- Open Settings > System > Display > Graphics.
- Find the app or game under the app options. If it is not listed, use the add-app control in Graphics settings; its exact label or path may vary.
- Select the app, choose Options, and, if the PC has more than one GPU, select High performance. Choose Save.
- Close and reopen the app. A running program does not switch GPUs immediately after a preference change.
Windows offers a practical choice between letting Windows decide, prioritizing power saving, and prioritizing high performance. The high-performance option requests the performance-oriented GPU for that app; it does not promise a particular frame rate or guarantee that all rendering or compute tasks use NVIDIA hardware. Microsoft documents the per-app Graphics setting in its Windows 11 windowed-games guidance.
Check NVIDIA GPU activity
On supported NVIDIA Optimus systems, NVIDIA’s GPU Activity indicator can show programs and displays using the NVIDIA GPU.
- Open NVIDIA Control Panel.
- Open the Desktop menu and enable Display GPU Activity Icon in Notification Area if the icon is not visible.
- Open the GPU Activity icon in the notification area to inspect the programs and displays currently using the NVIDIA GPU.
The indicator is a more direct way to check NVIDIA activity than the Windows preference itself, but it is available only on systems that support NVIDIA’s power-saving GPU technology. NVIDIA explains the indicator and its Optimus context in Using NVIDIA’s Power-Saving GPU Technology and Using the Desktop Menu.
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Understand which setting takes priority
For Windows 10 version 20H1 and later, NVIDIA says Windows assigns the graphics processor when an app-specific Windows preference exists; that setting overrides the matching preferred-processor selection in NVIDIA Control Panel. Set the app preference in Windows Graphics settings first. If Windows has no preference for that app, NVIDIA Control Panel’s Manage 3D Settings > Preferred graphics processor can be used as a fallback. See NVIDIA’s Setting the Preferred Graphics Processor.
The older NVIDIA Control Panel command to run an app with a selected graphics processor was removed beginning with Windows 10 version 20H1, according to NVIDIA’s Desktop Menu help. Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025, so Windows 11 is the appropriate focus for these current instructions.
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Why an app may still use a different GPU
- Restart requirement: An app already running can keep its current GPU until you close and restart it.
- Driver or app requirements: NVIDIA says the driver may override a selection when an app requires a particular GPU, including some CUDA or advanced DirectX workloads.
- External display routing: Programs and videos launched on an external display driven by the NVIDIA GPU use that GPU regardless of the preferred-processor setting.
- PC-specific configuration: Labels and options vary with Windows version, driver, GPU configuration, and manufacturer. NVIDIA also notes that a manufacturer’s custom power plan can prevent programs from using the high-performance processor.
These behaviors are described in NVIDIA’s Optimus technology help.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choose a graphics preference that fits the app
| Preference | Best fit | Power and compatibility considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Let Windows decide | General use when you do not want to force a GPU choice. | Allows Windows to balance performance and power efficiency based on the task. |
| Power saving | Apps where conserving battery or power matters more than using the discrete GPU. | Integrated graphics are generally more power-efficient, according to Microsoft. |
| High performance | Apps that benefit from the discrete, performance-oriented GPU. | Can shorten battery life or cause some programs not to run correctly. NVIDIA recommends returning to Auto-select or the default if problems occur. |
Microsoft describes integrated GPUs as generally more power-efficient and discrete GPUs as suited to heavier processing tasks, with higher power use. The goal of switching based on task is a balance between performance and power efficiency, not maximum GPU use at all times. See Microsoft’s GPU overview. NVIDIA’s power and compatibility guidance is in Using NVIDIA’s Power-Saving GPU Technology.
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If the NVIDIA GPU does not appear active
- Confirm that you saved the Windows preference and fully restarted the app.
- Check the GPU Activity indicator only if the PC supports NVIDIA Optimus; its absence on another configuration does not by itself prove the app is using integrated graphics.
- Consider whether an external display is connected to a port driven by the NVIDIA GPU, since display routing can determine GPU use.
- If high-performance mode causes a problem, return the app to Windows’ default choice or NVIDIA Control Panel’s Auto-select setting.
- Check your PC maker’s graphics or power-management options if the expected GPU choices or behavior are unavailable.
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