Enable Direct2D and Hardware Acceleration in Mozilla Firefox


  1. Posts : 4,772
    Windows 7 Ultimate - 64-bit | Windows 8 Pro - 64-bit
       #1

    Enable Direct2D and Hardware Acceleration in Mozilla Firefox


    A little background for those who wondering what is Direct2D and DirectWrite Hardware Acceleration

    Direct2D :

    Direct2Dis a hardware-accelerated, immediate-mode, 2-D graphics API that provides high performance and high-quality rendering for 2-D geometry, bitmaps, and text. The Direct2D API is designed to interoperate well with GDI, GDI+, and Direct3D.

    DirectWrite Hardware Acceleration:

    Today's applications must support high-quality text rendering, resolution-independent outline fonts, and full Unicode text and layout support. DirectWrite, a new DirectX API, provides these features and more:

    • A device-independent text layout system that improves text readability in documents and in UI.
    • High-quality, sub-pixel, ClearType text rendering that can use GDI, Direct2D, or application-specific rendering technology.
    • Hardware-accelerated text, when used with Direct2D.
    • Support for multi-format text.
    • Support for the advanced typography features of OpenType fonts.
    • Support for the layout and rendering of text in all supported languages.
    • GDI-compatible layout and rendering.

    Note:

    1. This will only work with Firefox 4 Beta and later
    2. Some Add-ons may interfere with proper operation when they call a certain API prematurely. I had problems with ABP add-ons managed to find a link for developers build https://adblockplus.org/devbuilds/adblockplus/
    3. Your Video Drivers should be updated to the latest version.

    Here is how:

    1. If you're not using Firefox 4 Beta download it from here. Firefox 4 Beta

    2. On the Address bar type in about:config then click on "I'll be careful. I promise!"

    Enable Direct2D and Hardware Acceleration in Mozilla Firefox-1.png

    3. Under Filter type in "gfx.font_rendering.directwrite.enabled" without Quotes and double click on it to change the value from False to True

    Enable Direct2D and Hardware Acceleration in Mozilla Firefox-2.png

    4. Then under Filter type in "mozilla.widget.render-mode" without Quotes and double click on it change the value from -1 to 6

    Enable Direct2D and Hardware Acceleration in Mozilla Firefox-3.png

    5. Now restart your browser to take effect

    Hope this helps,
    Captain
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 8,476
    Windows® 8 Pro (64-bit)
       #2

    Well done Captain.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 4,772
    Windows 7 Ultimate - 64-bit | Windows 8 Pro - 64-bit
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Dinesh said:
    Well done Captain.
    Thanks Dinesh ! :)
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 3,427
    Windows 10 Pro x64
       #4

    Well done Capt :)

    Just a little word of warning: this might just be me, but when I turn on HW acceleration in 4.0b it crashes my graphics driver, im using a Geforce 210 and the latest drivers. Just be warned
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 4,772
    Windows 7 Ultimate - 64-bit | Windows 8 Pro - 64-bit
    Thread Starter
       #5

    severedsolo said:
    Well done Capt :)

    Just a little word of warning: this might just be me, but when I turn on HW acceleration in 4.0b it crashes my graphics driver, im using a Geforce 210 and the latest drivers. Just be warned
    Thanks for the Heads up Martin. Maybe just check here https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/ if it's some kind of bug. I use nVidia Geforce 6100 and it works fine for me.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 5,092
    Windows 7 32 bit
       #6

    edit: I dunno' what's goin' on for sure. All I can say is using these settings with 3.6.8 makes for fuzzy fonts. I don't see much in the way of "snappy" either with the Minefield beta 5 or this browser. It all seems the same to me.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 53,363
    Windows 10 Home x64
       #7

    Miles, from the Capt.'s post:

    "Note:
    This will only work with Firefox 4 Beta and later"

    Good info Capt.

    A Guy
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 5,092
    Windows 7 32 bit
       #8

    I installed the Minefield. Got about:support to show it was enabled. But I still didn't notice any difference. Then again, my systems don't have kick-ass GPUs either. :)

    Just seems like if you set those settings on 3.6.8 you get grainy fonts. Just peculiar. Maybe it's the power of suggestion. FF has a tendency to do weird things with profiles. But iirc in a development version they claimed unless you set it up in isolation, the 2D rendering would not work no matter what settings you used. I dunno' anymore. I guess I've just lost patience playing with Minefield builds.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 1
    windows xp pro
       #9

    Enable Direct2D and Hardware Acceleration in Mozilla Firefox


    hello Captain I did everything you said up until the mozilla.widget.render-mode which is not list in my about:config so why isn't it listed?
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 3,427
    Windows 10 Pro x64
       #10

    Hi Tigresskat welcome to the forums,

    FF4 now has Hardware Acceleration enabled by default, you should not need to change anything to get it working :) Cheers.
      My Computer


 

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