Hardware encoding requirements#
This page lists what the host (the computer you connect to) requires to encode session video on its GPU with the Hardware codec. Your device must also decode the stream; see Hardware decoding requirements. To choose a codec, see Codecs and hardware encoding.
When a host does not meet these requirements, the Codec menu shows The host doesn't support hardware encoding, and sessions use Fluid 2.0.
Windows hosts#
| GPU | Graphics driver | Other requirements |
|---|---|---|
| NVIDIA | 551.76 or later | None. |
| AMD | Keep the driver up to date. | None. |
| Intel | Keep the driver up to date. | 11th Gen Intel Core or newer, Intel Arc, or Intel Iris Xe MAX. See supported Intel GPUs. |
Mac hosts#
Hardware encoding is built into macOS on every Mac. A Mac running in a virtual machine cannot use it.
Linux hosts Alpha#
| GPU | Requirements |
|---|---|
| AMD | Install the amf-amdgpu-pro and libamdenc-amdgpu-pro packages from AMD's amdgpu 6.4.4 release. amdgpu 7.0 does not include them. Without these packages, Connect uses Fluid 2.0. If Encoder still does not show Hardware after you install them, contact Jump Desktop support. |
| Intel | 11th Gen Intel Core or newer, Intel Arc, or Intel Iris Xe MAX. See supported Intel GPUs. From your distribution, install Intel's GPU video runtime (the libmfx-gen library) and the Intel Media Driver for VA-API. |
| NVIDIA | Not used for hardware encoding. |
Supported Intel GPUs#
Intel hardware encoding on Windows and Linux Alpha hosts requires an 11th Gen Intel Core processor or newer, or an Intel Arc or Iris Xe MAX graphics card.
Supported:
- Built-in graphics in 11th Gen Intel Core processors and newer: Tiger Lake, Rocket Lake, Alder Lake, Raptor Lake, Meteor Lake, Arrow Lake, Lunar Lake, and Panther Lake.
- Intel Arc A-series and B-series graphics cards.
- Intel Iris Xe MAX graphics cards.
Not supported:
- Built-in graphics in 10th Gen Intel Core processors and older, such as Ice Lake, Comet Lake, Coffee Lake, Kaby Lake, and Sky Lake. A host with only these graphics uses Fluid 2.0.
Where hardware encoding works#
On a host meeting these requirements, hardware encoding also works in the following situations:
- At the Windows sign-in screen, before any user signs in.
- On a host with no monitor, using virtual displays. See their requirements.
- In a virtual machine with a GPU passed through to it.
- Inside a Windows Remote Desktop (RDP) session.
Display limits#
Hardware encoding supports up to six 4K monitors attached to the host, or up to four 4K virtual displays.
For the color levels each GPU can encode, see Color levels by host and codec.
Check that it's working#
Turn on connection statistics during a session. When the host's GPU is encoding, Encoder shows Hardware followed by the GPU vendor, such as Hardware NVIDIA.