As a video editor, you're always seeking ways to enhance your workflow and accelerate rendering times. When you encounter a slow render and are unsure of the cause, your first step is to review the effect settings. But what if you find out that the effect needs GPU acceleration, which your computer lacks?

GPU acceleration utilizes your computer's graphics processing unit (GPU) to boost rendering speeds. Certain effects depend on this acceleration to work correctly.

If you're editing videos and encounter the message "This effect requires GPU acceleration" in software like Adobe Premiere Pro or After Effects, it can be frustrating, especially if you're using a laptop with an integrated graphics card.

Table of Contents

• What Is GPU Acceleration In After Effects and Adobe Premiere?
• What Causes the “This Effect Requires GPU Acceleration” Error?
• How To Fix This Effect Requires GPU Acceleration
• Method 1. Adjust Mercury GPU Acceleration in Your Project Settings
• Method 2. Rearrange the Order of Effects on Your Clip(s)
• Method 3. Remove Any Third-Party Plugins
• Method 4. Update Your Graphics Card Driver
• Method 5. Reinstall Your Adobe Application
• TL;DR
• FAQ

Fortunately, there are several approaches you can take to resolve this issue. Let's explore some of the most effective solutions.

What Is GPU Acceleration In After Effects and Adobe Premiere?

GPU acceleration refers to the use of your computer's graphics processing unit (GPU) to enhance rendering speeds.

Some effects necessitate this acceleration to function properly. GPU acceleration can be applied to various tasks, including video decoding, encoding, and 3D rendering.

In After Effects and Adobe Premiere, GPU acceleration is employed for specific types of renders and previews. For instance, when working with 4K footage or performing color correction, you might notice a slowdown due to the high demand on your computer's resources.

Activating GPU acceleration can speed up these processes and improve efficiency. However, not all effects are compatible with GPU acceleration, and in some cases, it might even hinder performance.

What Causes the “This Effect Requires GPU Acceleration” Error?

Several factors might trigger the "This effect requires GPU acceleration" error in After Effects or Adobe Premiere.

The most frequent cause is the absence of a dedicated graphics card in your computer. This is often an issue with older computers or laptops equipped with integrated graphics cards.

Another reason for this error could be your system's configuration. For example, certain effects like the 3D Camera Tracker, ray-traced 3D renderer, or Warp Stabilizer VFX require GPU acceleration.

This error can also arise from third-party plugins or the sequence of effects in your editing software. Incorrect stacking of effects, particularly when using third-party effects, can lead to this problem.

Lastly, outdated or incompatible graphics card drivers might also cause this error message to appear.

How To Fix This Effect Requires GPU Acceleration

There are several strategies you can employ to address the "This effect requires GPU acceleration" error. Let's examine some of the most effective methods.

Note: If you don't have a dedicated graphics card, you might not be able to resolve this issue. In such cases, you'll need to render your project without GPU acceleration or find alternative ways to speed up the rendering process.

Method 1. Adjust Mercury GPU Acceleration in Your Project Settings

Start by modifying the Mercury GPU Acceleration setting in your project settings. This setting is found in the "Video Rendering and Playback" section of the settings menu.

By switching to a different GPU acceleration option, you can attempt to enable GPU acceleration for effects that require it.

This method applies to both Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects. We'll use the latest version to show how to change Mercury Playback Engine GPU Acceleration in Premiere Pro.

1. Begin by clicking on the File menu in your After Effects or Premiere Pro program. Navigate to Project Settings > General at the bottom of the File menu.
   
2. A new window will appear on your screen. Select the Mercury GPU Acceleration option from the drop-down menu in the Renderer section and choose one of the following:
   • Mercury Playback Engine GPU Acceleration (OpenCL) if you have an AMD graphics card
   • Mercury Playback Engine GPU Acceleration (CUDA) if you have an Nvidia graphics card
     
3. After making the necessary adjustments, click OK. Then, reapply your effects to check if the issue persists.

Method 2. Rearrange the Order of Effects on Your Clip(s)

Another potential cause of this problem is the sequence of effects in the Effects Control window. If one or more effects require GPU hardware acceleration, try altering the order of the effects you've applied in the Effects Control Window.

You can easily reorder the effects by dragging and dropping them. To resolve the issue, move the problematic effect to the top of the list and see if that helps. If not, try changing the general order of the effects and observe the results.

Additionally, some users have found that applying the problematic effect directly to the clip, rather than in the Effects Control panel, resolves the issue. If rearranging the order doesn't work, try this approach to see if the error message disappears.

Method 3. Remove Any Third-Party Plugins

If you're using third-party plugins, consider uninstalling them to see if that resolves the issue. In some cases, these plugins can interfere with GPU-accelerated effects.

One of Premiere Pro's strengths is its ability to integrate third-party plugins, which can enhance functionality. However, these plugins can sometimes cause issues, like the one you're facing.

This is particularly true if you have an older plugin and then update Premiere Pro. If you're still encountering the error about an effect requiring GPU acceleration in Premiere Pro or After Effects, try removing your plugins.

The method of uninstallation may vary depending on how you installed the plugin. Plugins can be installed via the Adobe app or a third-party installer. Follow the publisher's instructions to remove the plugin and ensure smooth operation with Mercury Playback Engine GPU Acceleration.

Method 4. Update Your Graphics Card Driver

Sometimes, the issue might be with your graphics card driver. Updating your driver could resolve the problem. You can typically find the latest drivers on your graphics card manufacturer's website.

Here are instructions for updating drivers on some of the most popular graphics cards:

How To Automatically Update Display Drivers on Windows

Windows update offers a feature to automatically update outdated drivers, which can help you quickly update your components without manually checking for new versions.

1. Access the Start menu by clicking the Windows symbol in the lower-left corner of your screen, then select Settings. Alternatively, press Windows I to open the menu.
   
2. Choose the Update & Security tile from the drop-down menu. This is where most of your Windows Update settings are located.
   
3. Navigate to the Windows Update section, and click on the View optional updates link if available.
   
4. Expand the Driver Updates section to see which components need updating. Check the boxes next to the drivers you want to update, then click the Download and Install button.
   
5. Allow Windows to download and update your outdated drivers, then restart your machine.

How To Manually Update Drivers on Windows

To manually update a potentially outdated driver, follow these steps. Remember to download drivers only from legitimate sites to avoid malware.

1. Press the Windows X keys on your keyboard and select Device Manager from the context menu.
   
2. Right-click on the graphics card you want to update and select Update driver from the context menu.
   
3. Choose how you want to update. You can let Windows automatically find a driver for you or manually search for a new driver file on your computer.

Method 5. Reinstall Your Adobe Application

If you're still seeing the "This effect requires GPU acceleration" error, you might need to reinstall your Adobe application. This will remove any preferences or settings that could be causing the problem.

When reinstalling, ensure you download the latest version of the software to have the most current drivers and software. Here's how to update Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, and other Adobe apps like Media Encoder.

1. Open the Adobe Creative Cloud application. Stay on the Apps page and wait for your applications to load.
2. Find Adobe Premiere Pro or After Effects among your installed apps, and click on the three dots on the right.
3. Select Uninstall from the options in the drop-down menu.
   
4. Click the Remove button to ensure all third-party plugins and potentially corrupted settings are removed from your computer.
   
5. After the uninstallation process is complete, restart your computer and relaunch the Adobe Creative Cloud app. Locate Premiere Pro or After Effects and install it again by clicking on the Install button.
   

That's it. We hope these steps have been helpful.

Adobe Premiere Pro users have reported encountering a specific error when applying effects to their videos. The error message states "This effect requires GPU acceleration," and it appears regardless of whether GPU acceleration is enabled. If you're facing the same issue, don't worry. We believe you now have several effective solutions to try.

TL;DR

• GPU acceleration is a feature that enhances the efficiency of your video editing software by utilizing your graphics card's power.
• If your graphics card doesn't support GPU acceleration, you might encounter the "This effect requires GPU acceleration" error during video rendering.
• To resolve this issue, enable Mercury Playback Engine GPU Acceleration in your editing software.
• If the problem persists, consider removing third-party plugins or reorganizing the effects on your clips.
• Keep your graphics card driver and editing software updated to prevent this error from recurring.
• A clean installation of your editing software might also help.

FAQ

How do I enable GPU acceleration in Premiere 2021?

To enable GPU acceleration in Adobe Premiere Pro, go to File > Project Settings > General > Video Rendering and Playback, and set the Renderer to Mercury Playback Engine GPU Acceleration (OpenCL/CUDA/Metal).

How do I turn on GPU acceleration in After Effects?

To enable GPU acceleration in After Effects, go to File > Project Settings, click the Video Rendering and Effects tab, and set the Use option to Mercury GPU Acceleration. Depending on your computer and GPU, you might see multiple options.

What does it mean when Premiere says this effect requires GPU acceleration?

This error message appears when you select Mercury Software Only instead of GPU acceleration in the Video Rendering and Effects settings, which can be found in the application's Project Settings window. To resolve the issue, you need to enable GPU acceleration.

Conclusion

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