Adobe · Windows & macOS

How to Enable GPU Acceleration in After Effects

Source-checked About 2 minutes

Answer

Open File > Project Settings > Video Rendering and Effects. Set Use to the Mercury GPU Acceleration option After Effects offers, then select OK. If the menu shows only Mercury Software Only, After Effects is not currently offering a compatible GPU renderer. This project setting accelerates supported effects, not every part of every render.

Guide steps3 steps
  1. Open Project Settings
  2. Choose the offered GPU renderer
  3. Confirm the project setting
  4. If it still does not work

Open Project Settings

Open the project, choose File > Project Settings, then select Video Rendering and Effects. The Use menu shows the renderer available to this project.

Choose the offered GPU renderer

Open Use and select the available Mercury GPU Acceleration option: CUDA or OpenCL on supported Windows systems, or Metal on macOS. Select OK. If the menu offers only Mercury Software Only, stop here and use the first troubleshooting item below.

Confirm the project setting

Reopen Video Rendering and Effects and check that the selected Mercury GPU Acceleration option is still shown. The setting belongs to this project and does not mean every effect will use the GPU.

If it does not work

  • If only Mercury Software Only appears, open After Effects' System Compatibility Report and compare the GPU and driver with Adobe's current requirements. Install a compatible driver from the computer or GPU manufacturer; do not edit support files or force an unlisted GPU.
  • If previews or renders show artifacts after the change, return to File > Project Settings > Video Rendering and Effects, select Mercury Software Only, and retest the same project. A difference isolates the GPU renderer but does not identify whether the driver, GPU, or one effect is responsible.
  • If one third-party effect stays slow or fails, use that publisher's GPU guidance. Some plug-ins use the GPU independently of the After Effects project setting.
Sources and verification

Checked against official documentation on . Scope: Windows, macOS.

Adobe documents Mercury GPU Acceleration as a project setting for supported effects; the offered technology depends on the operating system and compatible GPU.

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