DirectX 12 Games Are Not Using the GPU? How to Force Them

Reinstall your graphic card drivers to avoid underutilization of GPU

5 min. read

Updated onOctober 4, 2023

updated onOctober 4, 2023

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So you just got yourself the best graphics card money can buy. But wait. There’s a problem. YourDirectX 12games register low GPU usage. If you’re a gamer, you know there’s nothing as bad as your graphics card not running at full potential.

According to user reports, the GPU usage is missing or extremely low. If you’re in a similar situation, here’s how to ensure your GPU utilizes all its resources.

Why are my DirectX 12 games not using my GPU?

If you’re trying to play a game that uses DirectX 12 and your graphics card isn’t being used, below are the most common reasons why:

How do I know if my GPU supports DirectX 12?

If you have a relatively recent graphics card, your GPU should support DirectX 12. However, this is not the benchmark for DirectX 12 support. A more sure way of determining this is using the built-inWindows DirectX Diagnostic Tool:

How do I get my graphics card to support DirectX 12?

Ensure you fulfill the following prerequisites before anything else:

1. Reinstall your drivers offline

2. Enable hardware acceleration

3. Disable your integrated GPU

Users were quick to tell us that the low GPU usage with DirectX 12 games registered in Task Manager was inaccurate. Task Manager is not considered an accurate performance monitoring tool.

All this could be true, but you can always verify these claims by seeking a second opinion. We have an excellent library of otherperformance monitoring toolsto inform you of your GPU usage.

If the GPU is showing 0 in the Task Manager and a different figure in another platform, you can relax. However, if the results concur, the above methods are sufficient to help you ensure your GPU is not underutilized.

And that’s pretty much it. Don’t hesitate to reach out using the comment box for any additional suggestions or clarifications.

DirectX 12 Games Are Not Using the GPU? How to Force Them#

Why are my DirectX 12 games not using my GPU?#

How do I know if my GPU supports DirectX 12?#

How do I get my graphics card to support DirectX 12?#

1. Reinstall your drivers offline#

2. Enable hardware acceleration#

3. Disable your integrated GPU#