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Overview

Hardware acceleration uses your Mac’s GPU to speed up video encoding and decoding. When enabled, Compresto leverages Apple’s VideoToolbox framework to significantly reduce compression time.

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Benefits

  • Faster compression: GPU encoding is typically 2-5x faster than CPU-only encoding
  • Lower CPU usage: Frees up your CPU for other tasks during compression
  • Reduced heat: Less CPU load means less heat generation

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How It Works

When enabled, Compresto automatically detects available hardware acceleration capabilities on your Mac and uses them for video processing. This works with:
  • Apple Silicon Macs (M1, M2, M3, M4 series)
  • Intel Macs with integrated or discrete GPUs

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How to Configure

1
Open Compresto
2
Go to Settings > Advanced
3
Toggle Automatic hardware acceleration on or offhardware acceleration

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When to Disable

In most cases, hardware acceleration should be left enabled. However, you might want to disable it if:
  • You experience video quality issues with specific files
  • You encounter compatibility problems with certain video formats
  • You prefer maximum quality over speed (software encoding can sometimes produce slightly better quality at the same bitrate)
Hardware acceleration is enabled by default. Most users should leave this setting on for the best performance.