Fixing Artifacting Issues in Chrome: A Guide for NVIDIA Users
Experiencing strange visual glitches, or "artifacting," specifically within the Chrome browser can be incredibly frustrating. Before you jump to the conclusion that your graphics card is failing, it's important to investigate potential software conflicts. Many users have reported artifacting issues in Chrome and other Chromium-based apps due to conflicts between NVIDIA drivers and the browser's rendering engine. This article provides a step-by-step guide to troubleshoot and resolve this issue, saving you the potential cost and hassle of replacing hardware.
Understanding the Problem: NVIDIA Drivers and Chrome
The issue often arises from how Chrome utilizes your NVIDIA graphics card for rendering web pages. The browser uses a graphics backend called ANGLE (Almost Native Graphics Layer Engine) to translate OpenGL or Direct3D calls into something your GPU can understand. When there's a mismatch or bug between the NVIDIA driver and Chrome's ANGLE implementation, it can result in visual artifacts.
The Solution: Changing the ANGLE Graphics Backend
A common fix involves manually changing Chrome's ANGLE graphics backend. Here's how:
- Access Chrome Flags: In your Chrome address bar, type
chrome://flags and press Enter. This will open Chrome's experimental features page.
- Search for ANGLE: Use the search bar at the top of the page to find "ANGLE graphics backend."
- Modify the Setting:
- The default setting will be "Default". Click the dropdown menu to the right of the "ANGLE graphics backend" flag.
- Select "OpenGL" from the list of available options. Other options include "D3D9", "D3D11" and "D3D11on12".
- Restart Chrome: At the bottom of the page, a prompt will appear asking you to relaunch Chrome. Click the "Relaunch" button.
- Test: After Chrome restarts, browse the web as usual to see if the artifacting issue is resolved.
Alternative ANGLE Options
If setting ANGLE to OpenGL doesn't work, experiment with other available options like "D3D9" or "D3D11". Different configurations might work better depending on your specific hardware and driver version. Remember to relaunch Chrome after each change to apply the new setting.
Driver Rollback: Another Potential Fix
Another suggested solution involves rolling back your NVIDIA drivers to a previous version. This is especially useful if the artifacting started immediately after a driver update.
- Identify Recent Driver Updates: Determine when the artifacting started and which NVIDIA driver version you were using before the issue began.
- Download Older Drivers: Visit the NVIDIA Driver Downloads page and search for the older driver version you want to install.
- Install the Older Driver: Follow the on-screen instructions to install the older driver. It's recommended to perform a "clean install" to remove any remnants of the newer driver.
- Restart Your Computer: After the installation is complete, restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
Additional Troubleshooting Steps
If the above solutions do not resolve the artifacting, consider these additional steps:
- Disable Hardware Acceleration: In Chrome settings, search for "hardware acceleration" and disable the "Use hardware acceleration when available" option. Restart Chrome to apply the change.
- Update Chrome: Ensure you are using the latest version of Chrome. Outdated versions might have bugs that cause artifacting.
- Check for Conflicting Software: Some third-party software can interfere with Chrome's rendering. Try temporarily disabling recently installed programs to see if they are causing the issue.
- Monitor Hardware Temperatures: Overheating can sometimes cause artifacting. Monitor your GPU temperature to ensure it's within a safe range.
Conclusion
Artifacting in Chrome, especially for NVIDIA users, can often be traced back to driver incompatibilities. By adjusting the ANGLE graphics backend or rolling back drivers, you can often resolve the issue without needing to replace hardware. Remember to test each solution thoroughly and explore alternative troubleshooting steps if the initial fixes don't work.
