Viewer FAQ

Find answers to frequently asked questions about viewing files in the Files tool.

• High Performance Graphics
  • Why are my models slow, crashing, or not performing as expected on Windows?
  • How can I configure my system to use the high-performance graphics card?

High Performance Graphics

Why are my models slow, crashing, or not performing as expected on Windows?

Model performance in ACC can vary depending on size of models, complexity, and hardware. Many laptops and notebooks often come equipped with dual graphics hardware, combining a graphics adapter integrated into the motherboard with a faster, discrete graphics adapter. This setup is designed to balance performance with energy consumption.

Typically, the discrete, high-performance adapter is used for demanding tasks such as gaming, video editing, and graphics-intensive applications, while the energy efficient adapter handles routine tasks to conserve battery life.

When working with Autodesk products or tools that are graphically intense, such as the viewer in Model Coordination, switching between graphics adapters in the middle of an operation can lead to display and performance issues or program crashes. Also, by default, Windows defaults to the energy efficient option. Configuring your browser to always use the high-performance adapter when working in the Autodesk viewer, including in Model Coordination, will avoid these issues.

This will not impact those with commodity hardware with no high-performance GPU, but will impact anyone using higher specification machines.

How can I configure my system to use the high-performance graphics card?

On Windows, you can configure the graphics settings for your internet browser or for your graphics card, to use high-performance graphics by default.

On Windows 11:

1. If applicable, check that you have the latest version of your graphics card video driver installed. For example:

   • NVIDIA downloads
   • AMD support
   • Intel Graphics Software

2. Right-click the desktop and then click Display settings to open the System > Display dialog.

3. Depending on your system, either access the Related settings section and click Graphics, or click the Graphics settings option.

4. Search for or browse to your browser app or your graphics card app as appropriate.

   Tip: To add your preferred browser:
   1. Click Add desktop app.
   2. Use Windows explorer to search for or browse to the required app. For example, C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\Chrome.
   3. Click Add.

5. Expand the required item and click the GPU preference drop-down list. For example:

   

   Tip: This may look different depending on your system. Alternatively there may be an Options button that enables you to specify the graphics specifications for each app.

6. Select the High Performance option.

7. Reload or restart your browser to confirm that the new settings have been applied.

It's also possible to configure settings for your graphics card directly. See How to configure Autodesk software to use high-performance graphics for more information.