Turning off Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling (HAGS) in Windows 11 might seem like a small thing, but if you’re battling lag or stuttering in some games or heavy-duty apps, it can make a decent difference. Honestly, HAGS is meant to help optimise graphics by offloading tasks to the GPU, but on some setups—especially if your drivers or hardware aren’t quite right—it can do more harm than good. So, giving it a turn-off is worth a crack—especially if you notice performance issues after a Windows update or driver tweak. Just remember, it’s not a magic fix for everything, but it’s easy enough to try, and sometimes that’s all you need.
How to Turn Off HAGS in Windows 11
Disabling HAGS isn’t too tricky, but you’ll need to jump into a couple of settings menus — and sometimes Windows can be a bit stubborn about making these changes. The main thing is to flip that toggle off for “Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling” in the Display settings, which might help make your graphics run more smoothly. Results can vary — on some systems, it’s instant, on others, a restart might be needed. Either way, it’s worth giving it a go to see if your system feels snappier afterward.
Access the Graphics Settings via Display Properties
- First up, right-click on the desktop and select Display settings. Or, hit Win + I to open Settings and go to System > Display.
- Scroll down to find Graphics or look for something like Advanced graphics settings. If it’s not immediately obvious, click on Advanced display settings at the bottom, then head over to the graphics menu in your hardware options.
Find and Turn Off Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling
- On the Graphics Settings page, look for the Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling toggle. It’s usually under Related Settings. If you don’t see it, your GPU might not support it, or it’s controlled via the manufacturer’s control panel instead.
- Switch the toggle to Off. You might see it labelled as “Use hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling,” just uncheck or disable it.
- Click Apply if it asks. On some setups, changes take effect straight away, but others might need a restart. Sometimes, toggling it off might feel like it makes no difference, but on other setups, it’s like night and day.
Of course, Windows can be a bit frustrating sometimes — the setting might not even show up unless you’ve got compatible hardware and the latest drivers. If after restarting things still feel off, try toggling it back on, or better yet, update your graphics driver from the manufacturer’s website (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel). Often, a driver update sorts out mismatches that cause HAGS to act up.
Tips for Turning Off HAGS in Windows 11
- Back-Up Your Settings: It’s a good idea to note down your current driver version or create a restore point, just in case things go pear-shaped. Better safe than sorry, mate.
- Test Your Performance: Fire up your fave game or app, then toggle HAGS back on to compare. Sometimes it’s a clear winner, other times… not so much.
- Update Your Graphics Drivers: Head to AMD’s, NVIDIA’s, or Intel’s official sites—AMD Support, NVIDIA Driver Downloads, or Intel Driver & Support Assistant)—and grab the latest drivers. Outdated drivers can cause all sorts of issues.
- Test Different Games & Apps: Some titles are more sensitive to HAGS than others—if you’re getting stuttering or input lag, try turning it off and see if it clears up.
- If No Joy, Re-Enable HAGS: If it doesn’t help, turn it back on, and maybe check your GPU control panel (like NVIDIA’s Control Panel or AMD Radeon Settings) for overrides. Sometimes, Windows and GPU settings don’t sync perfectly, which can be a pain.
If after trying all that, it’s still not helping, maybe turn it back on — or look into other tweaks like cleaning your GPU drivers, closing background apps, or checking your system temps. Sometimes, hardware quirks or driver bugs cause hassle, so don’t be surprised if reinstalling graphics drivers or updating Windows sorts things out.