Fixing Artifacting Issues in Chrome: A Guide for NVIDIA Users

Experiencing strange visual glitches, or "artifacting," specifically in Google Chrome or other Chromium-based applications like Steam or Discord can be incredibly frustrating. Before you rush to replace your graphics card, it's worth exploring a potential software-related fix. This guide will walk you through a solution that addresses artifacting issues stemming from a conflict between NVIDIA drivers and Chrome.

The Culprit: NVIDIA Drivers and Chrome Rendering

Many users have reported that recent NVIDIA drivers can sometimes cause compatibility issues with Chrome's default rendering settings. This can manifest as visual artifacting, where textures appear distorted or broken within the browser and related applications. Fortunately, there's a relatively simple workaround that involves tweaking Chrome's internal settings.

The Solution: Changing Chrome's ANGLE Graphics Backend

The key to resolving this artifacting problem lies in modifying Chrome's ANGLE (Almost Native Graphics Layer Engine) graphics backend. ANGLE acts as a translator between Chrome's code and your graphics card. By switching to a different rendering method, you can bypass the conflict causing the artifacting.

Here's how to change the ANGLE graphics backend in Chrome:

1. Open Chrome and type chrome://flags in the address bar. This will take you to Chrome's experimental features page.
2. Search for "ANGLE graphics backend." Use the search bar at the top of the page to quickly locate the relevant setting.
3. Change the setting from "Default" to "OpenGL." Click the dropdown menu next to "ANGLE graphics backend" and select "OpenGL."
4. Restart Chrome. A prompt will appear at the bottom of the page asking you to relaunch Chrome for the changes to take effect. Click the "Relaunch" button.

What if OpenGL Doesn't Work?

While OpenGL is the recommended alternative, some users have reported that it doesn't resolve the artifacting issue in their specific setup. If this is the case, don't worry! Chrome offers several other ANGLE options to experiment with:

• D3D9: An older version of DirectX.
• D3D11: A more recent version of DirectX.
• Vulkan: A modern, cross-platform graphics API.

Try each of these options one at a time, restarting Chrome after each change, to see if any of them eliminate the artifacting.

Rolling Back NVIDIA Drivers

If changing the ANGLE graphics backend doesn't solve the problem, another viable solution is to revert to an older version of your NVIDIA drivers. Some users have found that drivers released a few months prior to the issue's onset work without causing artifacting.

You can download older drivers from the NVIDIA Driver Downloads page. Be sure to select the correct operating system and graphics card model.

Additional Troubleshooting Steps

If you've tried both the ANGLE backend change and driver rollback without success, consider these additional troubleshooting steps:

• Check for Chrome Updates: Ensure you're running the latest version of Chrome, as updates often include bug fixes and performance improvements.
• Disable Hardware Acceleration: In Chrome settings, try disabling hardware acceleration to see if it resolves the issue. You’ll find this option under "System" in the settings menu.
• Test with a Clean Chrome Profile: Create a new Chrome profile to rule out any conflicts with extensions or settings in your current profile.

Conclusion

Artifacting in Chrome can be a perplexing issue, but it's often resolvable with a few simple tweaks. By adjusting the ANGLE graphics backend or rolling back your NVIDIA drivers, you can likely eliminate the visual glitches and restore Chrome to its proper functionality. Remember to experiment with the different ANGLE options and explore other troubleshooting steps if the initial solution doesn't work.