Enable Advanced Graphics in Defender Application Guard

This article describes the steps to turn on or off Advanced graphics with Microsoft Defender Application Guard for the Microsoft Edge browser in Windows 11.

Microsoft Defender Application Guard works with Microsoft Edge, Microsoft Office app, and browser to help isolate untrusted sites and prevent untrusted Word, PowerPoint, and Excel files from accessing trusted resources.

When you install and enable the Microsoft Defender Application Guard for Edge, specific actions such as access to the camera and microphone, file printing, and copying and pasting are disabled. For example, Advanced graphics within Application Guard for Edge Windows is also disabled. You must turn on these settings to get improved videos and graphics performance in the Edge Application Guard window.

Below is how to turn on or off Advanced graphics within Microsoft Defender Application Guard with Microsoft Edge browser in Windows 11.

Turn on or off Advanced graphics in the Microsoft Edge with Defender Application Guard

As described above, when you install and enable Microsoft Defender Application Guard for Edge, specific actions are disabled. For example, improved videos and graphics performance within the Application Guard for Edge Windows is disabled.

Below is how to turn Advanced graphics within the Application Guard with the Microsoft Edge browser on or off.

First, you must install and enable Microsoft Defender Application Guard for the Microsoft Edge browser. If you haven’t already, read the post below to do so.

How to install and enable Microsoft Defender Application Guarde for Edge browser

After installing, open the Windows Security app.

You can do that by clicking on the Start menu and searching for “Windows Security.” Then, under best match, select the Windows Security app to open.

When the Windows Security app opens, click the App & browser control section.

On the App & browser control settings page of the Windows Security app, under Isolated browsing, click the link “Change Application Guard settings.”

On the next window, under Advanced graphics, toggle the button to the On position to enable improved video and graphics performance within the Application Guard for Microsoft Edge.

To disable it, toggle the button back to the Off position.

You must restart your computer for the changes to apply.

Enable or disable advanced graphics in Application Guard via the Windows Registry Editor

If you can’t open the Local Group Policy Editor, you can use the Windows Registry editor instead.

Open the Windows Registry, and navigate to the folder key path as listed below.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Hvsi

If you don’t see the Hvsi folder key, right-click on the Microsoft key, then create the subkey (Hvsi) folders.

Right-click on the Hvsi folder key’s right pane and select New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value. Type a new key named EnableVirtualGPU.

Double-click the new value name (EnableVirtualGPU) and enter the Value data of 1 to enable Advanced graphics with improved video and graphics performance from within the Application Guard for Edge window.

A Value data of 0 to disable advanced graphics with improved video and graphics performance from within the Application Guard for Edge.

Restart your computer for the changes to apply.

Once installed, press the keyboard shortcut to use Microsoft Edge in isolated mode with Application Guard (CTRL + SHIFT + Q).

You can also click on the Edge browser menu (3 vertical dots) and select New Application Guard windows (CTRL + SHIFT + A).

That should do it!

Reference:

Microsoft.com

Conclusion:

• Enabling Advanced graphics with Microsoft Defender Application Guard for Edge browser in Windows 11 offers improved video and graphics performance within the Application Guard window.
• Disabling Advanced graphics through the Application Guard settings or Windows Registry Editor can help isolate untrusted sites and prevent untrusted files from accessing trusted resources.
• Always restart your computer for the changes to take effect after modifying the Advanced graphics settings.
• Feel free to provide feedback or additional insights in the comment section.