About the Desktop Menu

Desktop Menu Command

Description

Add Desktop Context Menu

This is selected by default, and adds the NVIDIA Control Panel menu item to the desktop context menu.

Add "Run with graphics processor" Option

NOTE: Beginning with Windows 10 20H1, the Windows OS controls which graphics processor is used, and this option in the NVIDIA Control Panel is no longer available.

Select this option to add "Run with graphics processor" to the program context menu.

When this option is selected, you can choose which graphics processor to use when starting a program as follows:

1. Right-click the program icon.

2. Click Run with graphics processor and then click the graphics processor to use.

The selection applies only at the time the program is launched.  

NOTES:

• This menu option appears only with systems using NVIDIA's power-saving GPU technology.

• Some programs require elevated user privileges in order to use the Run on graphics processor option from the program's right-click menu. A pop-up dialogue will let you know if that is the case. In this case, use the controls in the NVIDIA Control Panel->Manage 3D Settings page to select the graphics processor to use.

Display GPU Activity Icon in Notification Area

Select this option so that the GPU Activity icon appears in the Windows notification area of the taskbar. You can then click the icon to see which programs and displays are using the NVIDIA GPU.

This menu option appears only with systems using NVIDIA's power-saving GPU technology.

Show Notification Tray Icon

Clicking the NVIDIA Control Panel notification icon on the Windows taskbar notification area offers a quick way to configure key NVIDIA Control Panel settings.

Select Desktop > Show Notification Tray Icon to toggle showing/hiding the NVIDIA Control Panel notification tray icon in the Windows taskbar notification area.

Enable Developer Settings

Select this option to expose the Developer help module. Deselect this option to hide the Developer help module.

Show Multiplexer Switch Notification

Select this option to enable desktop notifications whenever the display multiplexer switches (for select enterprise-class notebooks) or if there is a problem preventing the display multiplexer from switching.