Enhance Video Quality in Microsoft Edge: Vivid vs Graphic Driver

Video Super Resolution (VSR) in Microsoft Edge makes low-quality online video look sharper. It uses machine learning to clean up fuzzy, grainy clips. Edge gives you two ways to apply it. Vivid mode adds a quick boost to color inside the browser. Graphic driver enhancement hands the work to your graphics card.

Graphic driver enhancement needs a newer graphics card, such as an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30-series or an AMD Radeon RX 6000-series. Both settings make old YouTube clips and grainy web streams look clearer without slowing down your computer. If your card is too old for the driver method, Vivid mode is the one to try.

Select Vivid mode or graphic driver enhancement as the preferred video enhancement method in Edge

The video enhancement settings let you choose between the built-in Vivid mode and your graphics card’s processing power. Either one sharpens colors and detail while you watch. You pick the method in the Edge settings, and the change takes effect without installing 💿 anything. The setting is per browser profile, so it only affects Edge and not other apps or other browsers.

The whole thing takes about a minute. Here’s how to do it.

1. Open Microsoft Edge. Use the taskbar 🖥️ icon or search for Edge in the Start menu ⊞. You should see a normal browser window.

2. Click the three horizontal dots menu icon in the top right corner of the Edge window, then select Settings. A menu drops down, and a settings page opens in a new tab with a list of categories on the left.

If you can’t find it later in these steps, open the same menu, go to Help and feedback > About Microsoft Edge, and let the browser update. Then try again.

3. Click System and performance in the left-hand menu. The page on the right changes to show system options, such as startup boost, background apps and hardware acceleration.

4. Find the Enhance video in Microsoft Edge tile under System and set the switch to On. The switch changes color, and a second tile for the preferred method appears under it.

Updating Edge and your graphics driver are the first two things to check.

5. Select the Preferred method of video enhancement tile and choose the method you want from the drop-down list:

• Vivid mode: gives videos richer, brighter colors inside the browser. It suits most videos and doesn't depend on a particular graphics card.
• Graphic driver enhancement: lets your graphics card do the sharpening. It needs a compatible card, such as an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30-series or an AMD Radeon RX 6000-series, and gives the better result on supported hardware. If the option is greyed out or missing, your card is probably not supported, or its driver is out of date.

6. Play a low-resolution video, such as an older YouTube clip, and check the picture. Your changes apply right away. If the video doesn't look different, close and reopen Microsoft Edge and play it again.

To compare the two methods, go back to the same tile, switch the method, and replay the same clip. To undo everything, set Enhance video in Microsoft Edge back to Off. No restart of Windows is needed at any point.

That completes the setup process.

Conclusion:

• The Microsoft Edge browser offers the Video super-resolution (VSR) feature, which uses machine learning to enhance video quality.
• Users can select their preferred method of video enhancement, choosing between Vivid mode and Graphic driver enhancement.
• Vivid mode provides vivid and brighter colors, suitable for most videos, while graphic driver enhancement requires a compatible graphics card for superior video quality.
• To select the preferred method, users can navigate to Settings › System and Performance › Enhance video in Microsoft Edge and select their preferred method from the drop-down menu.
• Users can optimize their video viewing experience in Microsoft Edge by following these steps, and switch the feature off again at any time from the same page.