I have a desktop PC with an NVIDIA RTX 4070 and integrated graphics. Most of my games correctly use the RTX 4070, but Minecraft appears to be running on the integrated GPU instead. I've already tried several common fixes without success, and I've used three different Minecraft launchers since building the PC, so I'm wondering whether that could have caused a configuration problem. What's the best way to force Minecraft to use the RTX 4070?
4 Answers
Windows lets you choose the GPU per application. Go to Settings > System > Display > Graphics, add Minecraft or the launcher as a desktop app, and set it to High performance. If you’re playing Java Edition, you may need to add the exact javaw.exe file used by the game rather than just the launcher.
First, check the physical connection: make sure your monitor cable is plugged into one of the RTX 4070’s video ports, not the ports on the motherboard. On a desktop, that’s the most common reason for the integrated graphics being used.
While Minecraft is open, use Task Manager to find the Java process, then choose Open file location. Add that exact javaw.exe path under Windows Graphics settings and select High performance, which should assign it to the RTX 4070. Different launchers can use different Java executables, so make sure you configure the one that is actually running.
If the game is using the dedicated card but Task Manager shows low utilization, that doesn’t always mean it’s using the wrong GPU. Check the GPU Engine column for the Java process and compare Minecraft’s FPS with and without shaders. Still, setting javaw.exe to High performance in Windows is the safest way to remove the ambiguity.
I checked while Minecraft was running, but javaw.exe didn’t appear where I expected. I’m not sure which Java installation the launcher is using.