Solved How to force iGPU only for Epic Games Launcher


We know the issue: EGL a while ago decided to privilege at launch dGPU over iGPU on (Advanced) Optimus systems (e.g. laptops with iGPU and dGPU). This can be a problem wasting a lot of energy by background task 'epicgameslauncher.exe' (x64)...

After many (failed) attempts I've found a working solution:

  1. launch EGL at least once, then open logfile: %LocalAppData%\EpicGamesLauncher\Saved\Logs\EpicGamesLauncher.log
  2. in this logfile look for string "Testing D3D11 adapter:". You should find adapter 0 and 1 (your iGPU and dGPU). Now take note of the Adapter integer number of your iGPU (should be always: 0).
  3. run your EGL with this launch parameter:
    "C:\Program Files (x86)\Epic Games\Launcher\Portal\Binaries\Win64\EpicGamesLauncher.exe" -ExplicitAdapterValue=0
In case of dGPU-only display mode, EGL will fall back to your dGPU of course.

Enjoy EGL finally not wasting dGPU power anymore on laptops!

rich text editor image


EDIT: changed the adapter deviceID in this guide, which should be always 0 for iGPU.
 
Windows Build/Version
Windows 11 25H2 (26200.7462)
Last edited:
Click to expand...
... wanted to add this parameter in some of the INIs in path: "%LocalAppData%\EpicGamesLauncher\Saved\Config\WindowsEditor" but I didn't manage it.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS ROG SCAR 18
    CPU
    Intel i9-13980HX
    Memory
    32GB DDR5 5600MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVidia GTX 4090 Laptop 256bit 16GB 175W
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC285 + Dolby Atmos
    Monitor(s) Displays
    G-Sync NE180QDM-NZ2 18" 16:10, FreeSync Premium XiaoMi Mi 34" 21:9
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1600@240Hz (internal), 3440x1440@144Hz (external)
    Hard Drives
    NVMe Lexar NM790 1TB 6GB/s, NVMe Lexar NM790 4TB 6GB/s
    PSU
    330W (laptop PSU)
    Mouse
    ROG Strix Carry Wireless-BT mouse
    Other Info
    4K UHD USB Archgon Star Blu-Ray 4K UHD,
    8BitDo Arcade Stick,
    Vader 4 Pro controller
Very interesting solutions provided. However, the first version of the solution (SDB method) worked for me, as I am on a hybrid graphics hardware (Nvidia Optimus).
As for the revised method, it resulted in EGL crash upon launch - and thus wasn't working for me.

Perhaps, I'd like to suggest you might want to have 2 separate solutions, depending on the user's hardware setup and configuration (iGPU/dGPU-mode display).

Nevertheless, it's a brilliant execution and discovery after all that frustration Epic Games has been putting - especially the graphics settings no longer be respected in Windows Setting.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Razer
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-10875H
    Motherboard
    Razer CH551
    Memory
    64GB DDR4-3200 SO-DIMM
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q
    Sound Card
    N/A
    Monitor(s) Displays
    N/A
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080@165Hz
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 990 Evo 2TB
    PSU
    N/A
    Case
    N/A
    Cooling
    N/A
    Keyboard
    N/A
    Mouse
    Razer DeathAdder V2 Pro
    Antivirus
    Symantec Endpoint Protection
TurboTacho said:
... the first version of the solution (SDB method) worked for me, as I am on a hybrid graphics hardware (Nvidia Optimus).
As for the revised method, it resulted in EGL crash upon launch - and thus wasn't working for me...
Click to expand...
Very strange it crashes: should gracefully fall back to whatever your GPU is at the moment (iGPU first, or dGPU just in case). It does here.

Do you have an external screen? Do you have Advanced Optimus (MUX switch doesn't require reboot for dGPU-only mode) or just Optimus? Can you provide me in PM your "EpicGamesLauncher.log" (quit EGL, delete the logfile, make it crash and send me the new log)? Did you remove any previously set compatibility setting from EGL exe (if any)? Did you also set in Windows settings > Graphics: Epic Games Launcher = iGPU? Are you sure you selected the correct DeviceID corresponding to your iGPU? What's your full config (Windows ver, video drivers, screens...)?

I removed the old .sdb method because it has an annoying problem: if your laptop is temporary in dGPU-only mode (e.g. on external screen) EGL will repeatedly fail to launch and can't open its UI, since can't load NVidia drivers by design of this old aggressive workaround-patch...
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS ROG SCAR 18
    CPU
    Intel i9-13980HX
    Memory
    32GB DDR5 5600MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVidia GTX 4090 Laptop 256bit 16GB 175W
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC285 + Dolby Atmos
    Monitor(s) Displays
    G-Sync NE180QDM-NZ2 18" 16:10, FreeSync Premium XiaoMi Mi 34" 21:9
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1600@240Hz (internal), 3440x1440@144Hz (external)
    Hard Drives
    NVMe Lexar NM790 1TB 6GB/s, NVMe Lexar NM790 4TB 6GB/s
    PSU
    330W (laptop PSU)
    Mouse
    ROG Strix Carry Wireless-BT mouse
    Other Info
    4K UHD USB Archgon Star Blu-Ray 4K UHD,
    8BitDo Arcade Stick,
    Vader 4 Pro controller
hexaae said:
Very strange it crashes: should gracefully fall back to whatever your GPU is at the moment (iGPU first, or dGPU just in case). It does here.

Do you have an external screen? Do you have Advanced Optimus (MUX switch doesn't require reboot for dGPU-only mode) or just Optimus? Can you provide me in PM your "EpicGamesLauncher.log" (quit EGL, delete the logfile, make it crash and send me the new log)? Did you remove any previously set compatibility setting from EGL exe (if any)? Did you also set in Windows settings > Graphics: Epic Games Launcher = iGPU? Are you sure you selected the correct DeviceID corresponding to your iGPU? What's your full config (Windows ver, video drivers, screens...)?

I removed the old .sdb method because it has an annoying problem: if your laptop is temporary in dGPU-only mode (e.g. on external screen) EGL will repeatedly fail to launch and can't open its UI, since can't load NVidia drivers by design of this old aggressive workaround-patch...
Click to expand...
Sorry for the late response as I was on holidays out and couldn't access my laptop.

With regards to your questions - let me split them part by part:
Do you have an external screen?
Click to expand...
No.
Do you have Advanced Optimus (MUX switch doesn't require reboot for dGPU-only mode) or just Optimus?
Click to expand...
Just Nvidia Optimus.
Can you provide me in PM your "EpicGamesLauncher.log" (quit EGL, delete the logfile, make it crash and send me the new log)?
Click to expand...
I've provided logs to you via DM. This is the -ExplicitAdapterValue workaround method.
Did you remove any previously set compatibility setting from EGL exe (if any)?
Click to expand...
Nope, no compatibility settings were applied.
Did you also set in Windows settings > Graphics: Epic Games Launcher = iGPU?
Click to expand...
Yes, explicitly set to iGPU.
Are you sure you selected the correct DeviceID corresponding to your iGPU?
Click to expand...
Yes.
What's your full config (Windows ver, video drivers, screens...)?
Click to expand...
Windows 11 Pro 25H2, build 26200.7462
Intel UHD Graphics 31.0.101.2140
Nvidia RTX 2080 Super Max-Q 591.67
Screen: 1920 by 1080, 165Hz laptop panel


Hope these would help better refine your search for a decent solution. :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Razer
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-10875H
    Motherboard
    Razer CH551
    Memory
    64GB DDR4-3200 SO-DIMM
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q
    Sound Card
    N/A
    Monitor(s) Displays
    N/A
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080@165Hz
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 990 Evo 2TB
    PSU
    N/A
    Case
    N/A
    Cooling
    N/A
    Keyboard
    N/A
    Mouse
    Razer DeathAdder V2 Pro
    Antivirus
    Symantec Endpoint Protection
Modified the guide.
It seems the correct value to use is 0 = iGPU, not the deviceId hex-number.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS ROG SCAR 18
    CPU
    Intel i9-13980HX
    Memory
    32GB DDR5 5600MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVidia GTX 4090 Laptop 256bit 16GB 175W
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC285 + Dolby Atmos
    Monitor(s) Displays
    G-Sync NE180QDM-NZ2 18" 16:10, FreeSync Premium XiaoMi Mi 34" 21:9
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1600@240Hz (internal), 3440x1440@144Hz (external)
    Hard Drives
    NVMe Lexar NM790 1TB 6GB/s, NVMe Lexar NM790 4TB 6GB/s
    PSU
    330W (laptop PSU)
    Mouse
    ROG Strix Carry Wireless-BT mouse
    Other Info
    4K UHD USB Archgon Star Blu-Ray 4K UHD,
    8BitDo Arcade Stick,
    Vader 4 Pro controller
A brilliant solution, but sadly not working for me. I've tried -ExplicitAdapterValue=x, where x is 0, 1 or 2. All three result in EGL still using my NVIDIA graphics and not my Intel UHD graphics (as shown by the NVIDIA GPU Activity taskbar icon/widget showing it as in use by EpicGamesLauncher.exe.

I'm running a Lenovo Legion laptop with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050.

Any ideas welcome :-)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo
Very strange... are you using latest EGL client? You have to look into logfile:
%LocalAppData%\EpicGamesLauncher\Saved\Logs\EpicGamesLauncher.log why it fails.

You can try with the exact adapter number of your iGPU (will be in the log: "DeviceId: ", f.e. my iGPU is:
-ExplicitAdapterValue=a788), instead of generic placeholders 0 (iGPU), 1 (dGPU).
You can also list your graphics adapters from CMD prompt or PS (PowerShell):

CMD: wmic path win32_VideoController get Name,PNPDeviceID
PS: Get-WmiObject Win32_VideoController | Select-Object Name, PNPDeviceID

(e.g.: PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_A788&SUBSYS_21FD1043&REV_04\3&11583659&0&10)

... and, obviously you have to fully quit EGL and restart it after launch option changes.
Be also sure you're not in TURBO/PERFORMANCE/BEAST laptop mode (i.e. dGPU-only).

P.S.
It seems to me with recent EPIC client update the issue has been solved however... and now prioritizes iGPU again.
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS ROG SCAR 18
    CPU
    Intel i9-13980HX
    Memory
    32GB DDR5 5600MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVidia GTX 4090 Laptop 256bit 16GB 175W
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC285 + Dolby Atmos
    Monitor(s) Displays
    G-Sync NE180QDM-NZ2 18" 16:10, FreeSync Premium XiaoMi Mi 34" 21:9
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1600@240Hz (internal), 3440x1440@144Hz (external)
    Hard Drives
    NVMe Lexar NM790 1TB 6GB/s, NVMe Lexar NM790 4TB 6GB/s
    PSU
    330W (laptop PSU)
    Mouse
    ROG Strix Carry Wireless-BT mouse
    Other Info
    4K UHD USB Archgon Star Blu-Ray 4K UHD,
    8BitDo Arcade Stick,
    Vader 4 Pro controller
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