Photoshop graphics processor (GPU) card FAQ

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Applies to: Adobe Photoshop

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Find answers to commonly asked questions about Photoshop and graphics processor (GPU) card usage.

How does Photoshop leverage the graphics processor?

A compatible graphics processor (also called a graphics card, video card, or GPU) lets you experience better performance with Photoshop and use more of its features. Also, display problems, performance issues, errors, or crashes can occur if your computer’s graphics processor or its driver is incompatible with Photoshop.

Features that won't work without a GPU

If your graphics processor is unsupported or its driver is defective, the following Photoshop features won't work:

  • Perspective Warp (more info)
  • 3D
  • Oil Paint
  • Render – Flame, Picture Frame, and Tree
  • Scrubby Zoom
  • Birds Eye View
  • Flick Panning
  • Smooth Brush Resizing

Features that require a GPU for acceleration

  • Lens Blur (more info)
  • Artboards
  • Camera Raw (more info)
  • Image Size – Preserve Details
  • Select Focus
  • Blur Gallery - Field Blur, Iris Blur, Tilt-Shift, Path Blur, Spin Blur (OpenCL accelerated)
  • Smart Sharpen (Noise Reduction – OpenCL accelerated)
  • Select and Mask (OpenCL accelerated)

Note:

For help with common Photoshop graphics processor issues or error messages, see Graphics processor (GPU) troubleshooting.

Which graphics cards are tested?

Tested cards

Adobe has tested the laptop and desktop versions of the following graphics processor card series:

  • nVidia GeForce: 400, 500, 600, 700 series 
  • nVidia GeForce GTX 965M & 980M
  • nVidia GeForce GTX 1050, 1080, 1660
  • nVidia Quadro: 2000, 4000 (Windows® and Mac OS), CX, 5000, 6000, K600, K2000, K4000, K5000 (Windows® and Mac OS), M4000, M5000, P2000, P4000, P5000, T1000
  • nVidia GRID K1, K2
  • AMD/ATI Radeon: 5000, 6000, 7000, R7, R9 series, 7950 Mac OS
  • AMD/ATI FirePro: 3800, 4800, 5800, 7800, 8800, 9800, 3900, 4900, 5900, 7900, W8100, W9100, D300, D500, D700
  • AMD/ATI FireGL: W5000, W7000, W8000
  • AMD RX 480
  • Intel® HD Graphics: P530, P630, 5000, 515, 520
  • Intel® Iris Pro Graphics: P5200, P6300, P580
  • Intel HD Graphics 515 and 520

Caution:

Tested cards may not meet the minimum bar for use with all GPU features. In addition to basic functionality, some Photoshop features, especially those which use APIs like OpenCL, require greater bandwidth (cutoff of 1.2e+10), memory, or compute resources than other Photoshop features. These requirements can pose significant challenges when cards are placed in older machines, such as ones with low-powered motherboards or machines that make use of a single DIMM for their system memory, effectively halving the bandwidth between the system memory and the GPU memory.

Additionally, the relevant tests are performed when Photoshop starts up. On computers barely meeting the requirements, other running software may tip the balance from a card passing to failing. At times, OS updates, patches, and driver updates may cause issues with cards that were previously working fine.

We recommend you use the latest system and GPU hardware to make the most of GPU features in Photoshop.

Note:

Ensure that you have the latest driver for your specific graphic processor installed. Laptop and desktop versions of the graphics processor have slightly different names.

Don't see your card in the list?

The list of graphics processor cards above is updated as newly released cards are tested. However, Adobe cannot test all cards in a timely manner. If your cards is not listed above, but meets the following requirements, you can assume that it works with the latest version of Photoshop:

  • The card was released in the year 2014 or afterwards
  • It has the minimum amount of graphics processor VRAM required for Photoshop (512 MB). The recommended amount of VRAM is 2 GB or more, though.

Unsupported card series

The following card series are no longer being tested and are not officially supported in Photoshop:

  • AMD/ATI 100, 200, 3000, and 4000 series
  • nVidia GeForce 7000, 8000, 9000, 100, 200, 300 series
  • Older Intel® HD Graphics (for example 2000, 3000, 4000 series) cards

Some GL functionality may be available for these cards, but newer features won't work.

What are the minimum graphics processor and display requirements?

  • 1024 x 768 display (1280 x 800 recommended) with 16-bit color and 512 MB of VRAM (2 GB or greater of VRAM is recommended)
  • To use OpenGL acceleration, your system must support OpenGL v2.0 and Shader Model 3.0 or later
  • To use OpenCL acceleration, your system must support OpenCL v1.1 or later

Note:

For help with common Photoshop and graphics processor issues or error messages, see Graphics processor (GPU) troubleshooting.

How do I use the Performance preferences for the graphics processor in Photoshop?

  1. Choose Edit > Preferences > Performance (Windows®) or Photoshop > Preferences > Performance (macOS).

  2. In the Performance panel, make sure that Use Graphics Processor is selected in the Graphics Processor Settings section.

  3. Click Advanced Settings and specify the following options:

    Drawing Mode:

    • Basic: Uses the least amount of graphics card memory (VRAM) and enables basic graphics processor features
    • Normal: Uses more graphics card memory (VRAM) and enables graphics processor-based color matching, tone mapping, and checkerboard blending
    • Advanced: Provides the benefits of Normal mode and newer graphics processor advances that can result in improved performance

    Use Graphics Processor to Accelerate Computation: Enable to improve the interactivity of Warp and Puppet Warp previews

    Use OpenCL: Enable to accelerate the new Blur Gallery filters, Smart Sharpen, Select Focus Area, or Image Size with Preserve Details selected (Note: OpenCL is available only on newer graphics cards that support OpenCL v1.1 or later.)

    Anti-alias Guides and Paths: Allows the graphics processor to smooth the edges of drawn guides and paths

    30-bit Display (Windows® only): Allows Photoshop to display 30-bit data directly to screen on video cards that support it

Note:

30-bit display is not functioning correctly with current drivers. We are working to address this issue as soon as possible.

Note:

For help with common Photoshop and graphics processor issues or error messages, see Graphics processor (GPU) troubleshooting.

Does Photoshop take advantage of more than one graphics processor or graphics card?

Photoshop currently doesn't take advantage of more than one graphics processor. Using two graphics cards does not enhance Photoshop's performance.

Multiple graphics cards with conflicting drivers can cause problems with graphics processor accelerated features in Photoshop.

For best results, connect two (or more) monitors into one graphics card.

If you have to use more than one graphics card, make sure that they are the same make and model. Otherwise, crashes and other problems can occur in Photoshop.

Note:

For help with common Photoshop and graphics processor issues or error messages, see Graphics processor (GPU) troubleshooting.

Do features that require the graphics processor run under a virtual machine (VM)?

Running Photoshop under virtual machines (VMs) is not tested extensively nor officially supported because of known issues with features that rely on the graphics processor in VM environments.

Note:

For help with common Photoshop and graphics processor issues or error messages, see Graphics processor (GPU) troubleshooting.

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