⚠️ Important Update: Transition to GPU Rendering
As part of our ongoing improvements to Magma, we are transitioning away from CPU rendering. GPU rendering provides significantly better performance, enabling smoother workflows, faster processing, and support for larger canvases.
What’s Changing?
CPU Rendering Fully Disabled
From December 4, 2024 onwards it will no longer be possible to use CPU rendering when editing canvas images. This ensures consistency and optimizes performance for all users.
Introducing Read-Only Mode
Users whose GPU cannot render a specific canvas will now access a read-only mode. This mode offers a limited set of features to ensure you can still interact with the canvas and manage your work:
Export/Download Canvas: Save your work locally
Communication Features: Use chat and voice calls to collaborate with your team
Admin Actions: Manage settings, permissions, or participants.
"File" Menu Features: Access functions like duplicating, renaming, or exporting the canvas.
We plan to further expand this mode in the future to include real-time updates for viewing changes made by others. For now, updates in read-only mode are delayed and require manual refresh.
When is Read-Only Mode displayed?
The read-only mode is triggered when your device’s GPU cannot render a canvas due to:
Limited Device Capabilities: Some devices may lack sufficient GPU resources
Canvas Size or Configuration: Working with very large canvases might cause some devices to switch to Read-Only Mode. This can happen either when creating or opening large canvas, or when resizing or moving layers far out of bounds (either by yourself, or by others)
How to Handle GPU Limitations
Switch to a Different Device: If possible, use a device with stronger GPU capabilities.
Work with Smaller Canvases: Consider optimizing canvas size and layer placement to reduce GPU demands. If you're not the owner of the canvas, you can suggest change to others.
Use the Export Option: Download your canvas to ensure no progress is lost and to edit if offline.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if my device doesn’t support GPU rendering?
If GPU rendering isn’t supported, you will be switched to Read-Only Mode. You won’t be able to collaborate or edit the canvas. However, you’ll still be able to communicate with users on the canvas and export your artwork for safekeeping.
Is it possible turn off the Read-Only Mode?
No, it's not possible. If Read-Only Mode is triggered due to your device not supporting canvas of a given size, it is not possible to turn off the Read-Only Mode.
(Please note that in some cases Read-Only Mode can be triggered due to some other reasons, like not having sufficient permissions, etc)
How do I know if my device supports GPU rendering on a given canvas?
Magma will automatically enable GPU rendering if your device supports it. If it doesn’t, you’ll see a small "CPU" icon in the bottom left corner of a canvas and Read-Only Mode will be triggered.
What should I do if my canvas becomes inaccessible?
Ensure you’re using a device that meets Magma’s GPU rendering requirements. If your device doesn’t support GPU rendering:
Try using a different device with GPU support
Use smaller canvases to reduce GPU demands
Export your artwork to preserve your progress
Where can I get more help?
If you encounter any unexpected behavior during this transition or have questions about the read-only mode, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Magma Support. Your feedback helps us improve the experience for everyone.
📁 Below you'll finder OLDER VERSION of this article.
There is no longer a way to switch from CPU to GPU acceleration in the settings
This article will explain the importance of choice between GPU and CPU rendering and guide you through common questions and actions you can take to optimize the performance.
GPU vs. CPU Rendering: What's the Difference?
GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) rendering utilizes your device's graphics card, offering faster and more efficient processing for visual tasks. This is particularly beneficial for handling large textures and complex visual effects on our platform.
CPU (Central Processing Unit) rendering, on the other hand, relies on your device's main processor. While it may be slower compared to GPU rendering, it is more genric and doesn't have some same limitations of the GPU, making it a reliable fallback for certain situations.
GPU (hardware acceleration) rendering is generally the best choice for an optimal experience on Magma, unless you encounter specific issues, so most of the time you should leave this setting on.
Automatic Rendering Optimization
Devices vary in their capacity to handle large textures, with many mobile devices having a GPU texture size limit of 4096x4096 pixels. This limitation is crucial because Magma canvases can scale up to 8096x8096 pixels. When a device's GPU cannot support a canvas's texture size, switching to CPU rendering becomes necessary to ensure the canvas renders correctly.
In our latest update, we've implemented a feature that automatically switches your rendering mode from GPU to CPU if your device hardware acceleration cannot support large textures required for some canvases. This change aims to prevent rendering issues and ensure that all users, regardless of their device capabilities, can enjoy a smooth experience on Magma.
Understanding the UI Indicator
The small label in the UI serves as a quick indicator of your current rendering mode:
No Label: GPU rendering is active.
CPU Label with Alert Icon: Your device has been automatically switched to CPU rendering due to limitations.
CPU Label without Alert Icon: You're on CPU rendering by choice or previous switch, with the option to revert to GPU rendering.
Switching back to GPU
While switching to CPU might resolve rendering issues, it might also decrease the performance of Magma app, so it's recommended to switch hardware acceleration back on whenever possible.
If you've switched to CPU rendering — either through automatic adjustment or a manual choice — you can revert this with following steps:
Go to Edit -> Application Settings: This is where the GPU settings reside.
Open "Other" tab and turn GPU hardware acceleration back On: The options you're looking for is called "Enable GPU hardware acceleration
Confirm the changes: Once ready, save the settings - this will cause canvas to reload, and your GPU should be back on.
In some cases the checkbox will be disabled. This generally means, that your current device is not capable of rendering current canvas.
In this case, consider making your canvas smaller or resizing layers to fit within your device's limits. Or, if possible, switch to a more powerful device to get the benefits of GPU rendering.
Troubleshooting and Support
If you're experiencing issues or have questions about rendering modes, here are a few steps you can take:
Check Device Compatibility: Ensure that your device meets the minimum requirements for GPU rendering on large canvases (you can learn the maximum size of textures that your device GPU can handle by visiting this website and checking "Max Texture Size" parameter in the "Textures" section)
Toggle Rendering Modes: If possible, switch between GPU and CPU rendering in the application settings to see if it resolves your issue.
Contact Support: Our team is here to help! If you're encountering persistent issues or need assistance, don't hesitate to reach out for support.