Fix: The Last of Us Part 1 Not Using GPU

Fix: Last of Us Part 1 Not Using GPU

There are plenty of potential reasons applicable behind the GPU not using issue with your PC games that you should consider checking out and try fixing completely. Well, it includes V-Sync is turned on, Motion blur is on, Raytracing issues, problems with the graphic driver, not using the dedicated graphics card, corrupted or missing game files, outdated game patch version, background running tasks, and more.

It’s worth mentioning that following this troubleshooting guide will mostly resolve such an issue. So, without wasting any more time, let’s jump into it.

1. Check System Requirements

Minimum Requirements:

Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows 10 (Version 1909 or Newer)
Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 1500X, Intel Core i7-4770K
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 470 (4 GB), AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT (4 GB), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 (4 GB), NVIDIA GeForce 1050 Ti (4 GB)
Storage: 100 GB available space
Additional Notes: SSD Recommended

Recommended Requirements:

Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows 10 (Version 1909 or Newer)
Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 3600X, Intel Core i7-8700
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT (8 GB), AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT (8 GB), NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER (8 GB), NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 (8 GB)
Storage: 100 GB available space
Additional Notes: SSD Recommended

2. Use a Dedicated Graphics Card

Ensure your computer system uses the dedicated or external graphics card to run the Last of Us Part 1 game. It’ll eventually reduce game stutters, lags, and frame drops without any doubt. If you don’t know which settings to adjust, follow the steps below.

For Nvidia:

You can do the following if you’re using the Nvidia graphics card.

Right-click on the desktop blank screen > Click on NVIDIA Control Panel.
Click on 3D settings > Select Manage 3D settings in the left pane.
Select the Program Settings tab > Choose Last of Us Part 1 from the drop-down list.
Now, select a High-performance NVIDIA processor.
Save changes and reboot the PC to apply changes.

For AMD:

AMD graphics card users can do the following.

Right-click on the desktop blank screen > Select AMD Radeon Settings from the context menu.
Now, click on System > Select Switchable Graphics.
Make sure to save changes and reboot the PC to apply changes.

3. Update GPU Drivers

An outdated or corrupted graphics card driver can trigger multiple game or system performance issues. It’s highly recommended to check the graphics driver update. To do so:

Press the Win+X keys to open the Quick Link Menu.
Click on Device Manager from the list > Double-click on Display adapters.
Right-click on the dedicated graphics card that you’re currently using.

Device Manager Update Display Adapter

Click on Update driver > Choose Search automatically for drivers.
If the latest update is available, it’ll automatically download & install the latest version.
Once done, restart the computer to apply changes immediately.

Alternatively, you can manually download the latest graphics driver version and install it on the PC via the official website. Download the graphics driver file respective to your graphics card model and manufacturer. Nvidia graphics card users can update the GeForce Experience app via the Nvidia official site, and AMD graphics card users can visit the AMD website for the same.

4. Update Last of Us Part 1

Even an outdated game patch version can trigger several potential gaming device issues that lead to crashes, lags, stutters, CPU/GPU-related issues, and more. It’s recommended to check for the game update periodically and install the latest update whenever available. You can follow the steps below to do the same.

For Steam:

Open the Steam client > Go to Library.
Click on Last of Us Part 1 from the list of installed games on the left pane.
Now, the client will automatically search for the available update.
You’ll see the Update option > click on it if an update is available.
Wait for a couple of minutes or so until the game update completes. [Depends on the storage space and internet connectivity]
Once done, reboot the PC.

For Epic Games Launcher:

Open the Epic Games Launcher > Head over to Library.
Now, click the three dots icon next to Last of Us Part 1.
Make sure the Auto Update option is turned on.

5. Verify and Repair Game Files

Corrupted or missing game files may trigger issues with the game launching or running smoothly. Verify the game files and repair them via the Steam or Epic Games Launcher by following the steps below to easily fix Last of Us Part 1 Not Using GPU.

For Steam:

Open the Steam client on the PC and log into the account > Head over to Library.
Right-click on the Last of Us Part 1 game from the left pane.
Click on Properties > Click on the Local Files tab.
Then click on Verify Integrity of game files…
Now, wait for the process to complete and close the Steam client.
Finally, restart the PC to apply changes.

For Epic Games Launcher:

Open the Epic Games Launcher > Go to your Library.
Click on the three dots icon next to Last of Us Part 1.
Click Verify > Wait for the repair process to be completed.
Once done, reboot the PC to apply changes.

6. Try Disabling Overlay Apps

Sometimes a couple of applications may come with an additional overlay app that basically helps the streamers or gamers a lot. However, these overlay apps can eventually conflict with the game files to run smoothly and may cause several issues like FPS drops, black screen issues, lags, glitches, etc. You should try disabling the overlay apps manually before launching the game again to cross-check whether the crashing issue has been fixed or not. To do so:

Disable Discord Overlay:

Launch the Discord app > Click on the gear icon at the bottom.
Select Overlay under App Settings > Turn on the Enable in-game overlay.
Click on the Games tab > Select Last of Us Part 1.
Finally, turn off the Enable in-game overlay toggle.
Make sure to reboot your PC to apply changes.

Disable Xbox Game Bar:

Press the Win+I keys to open Windows Settings.
Click on Gaming > Go to Game Bar > Turn off Record game clips, screenshots, and broadcast using the Game bar option.

Disable Nvidia GeForce Experience Overlay:

Launch the Nvidia GeForce Experience app > Head over to Settings.
Click on the General tab > Disable the In-Game Overlay option.
Finally, restart the PC to apply changes, and launch the game again.

There are some other overlay apps that can cause trouble for you something as MSI Afterburner, Rivatuner, RGB software, etc. You should turn them off as well.

7. Close Background Running Tasks

Unnecessary background running tasks or programs can eat up a lot of system resources like CPU or Memory usage literally reducing system performance. Hence, the startup crashing, lagging, and not loading issues appear quite often. Simply, close all the unnecessary background running tasks completely. To do this:

Press the Ctrl+Shift+Esc keys to open Task Manager.
Now, click on the Processes tab > Click to select tasks that are unnecessarily running in the background and consuming enough system resources.
Click on End Task to close it one by one.
Once done, restart your system.

8. Turn Off V-Sync

V-Sync or FreeSync mostly comes enabled by default in the Last of Us Part 1 game. It seems that V-Sync or FreeSync is somehow conflicting with the game’s refresh rate and monitor’s refresh rate. So, it’s better to simply turn off this feature on the PC by following the steps below.