After Effects: Auto Switching to Mercury Software Only

[Carl Holmgren]

Hi there!

I have a problem where After Effects keep switching to Mercury Software Only by itself without me switching it. Yes, I'm always using Mercury GPU Acceleration (CUDA). No idea why it does this and it's quite annoying.

I tried searching around for solutions but I can't seem to find one or maybe it's just me who's encountering this.

Any ways to turn this off? I mean the auto switching. I don't want this option or want this to happen all the time as it slows down my workflow.

Thanks in advance!

PS: Please see attached for more info or let me know if there are any other information that I should provide to get this fixed.

[ShiveringCactus]

That's very strange.  I've not heard of that before.  Have you tried resetting your preferences?  

Hold down CTRL/CMD + SHIFT + ALT/OPTION(?) when starting AE.  A dialogue should pop up asking if you want to delete your preferences.  

[Carl Holmgren]

Yes, did that. I've experienced this on a couple of versions as well of AE and still the same. No updates about it either.

[Carl Holmgren]

PS: I'm using multiple plug-ins and scripts. Do those affect the problem I'm encountering?

[ShiveringCactus]

I'd be shocked if a plugin can force a change to render settings.  Do any of the scripts have output controls?

[Carl Holmgren]

An extension that I'm using called Motion Factory does it a lot.

[Carl Holmgren]

But either way, is there a solution where I can stop that extension to change my render settings via Preferences?

[Trevor Bobyk · Accepted solution]

Been having this problem for years. I Just double check my settings if I notice a drop in performance 

[Carl Holmgren]

Kinda annoying but gotta deal with it.

[KANCHIPATI33244573ix92]

hello dude, did you find the solution. i'm facing this problem. i can't even preview the project. it is so frustrating. please tell the solution if you know any

[Carl Holmgren]

Nope, none yet. As Trevor said, I'm just doing that.
Whenever it slows down, I'll directly see if it's in Software or Hardware.

I hope Adobe implements... for AE to just work on Hardware only whereas no plugin(s) is able to change it and ONLY switch to Software Only IF the Hardware Driver crashes.

[gabriel5E9E]

Any fix on this? Facing this in after effects 25.1 with macbook pro m3 max. 
Very annoying, every project I need to keep checking my Project Settings. 
Even using a file as a template, with previously setted to "mercury gpu acceleration metal", it switchs back to mercury software only. 
Very annoying.

[appgalaxy]

I've faced this issue before—After Effects auto-switching to Mercury Software Only can really slow down workflow. In my experience, it often happens due to outdated drivers or GPU compatibility issues. Keeping drivers updated and tweaking AE settings helped me fix it. While working on projects for Pixellab App I realized how important GPU acceleration is for smooth performance. Anyone else found a reliable fix for this

[daring_Hummingbird7344]

"I’ve been struggling with After Effects constantly auto-switching to Mercury Software Only, which seriously slows down previews and renders. Turns out it’s often related to GPU driver issues or incompatible effects. It’s as frustrating as pulling up the Shake Shack menu and finding out they’re out of your favorite burger—completely kills the vibe! Anyone found a solid fix for this yet?"

[gabriel5E9E]

I've found that, when I use an AE template (logo reveal, text effect or almost anything), it auto switch to "mercury sofware only". 
Everytime I insert a new AEP file, I "double check" the preferences to switch it back to Mercury GPU Acceleration (CUDA)

[warner_2612]

"Having After Effects auto switch to Mercury Software Only can be frustrating, especially when working on high-performance renders. It’s usually a sign of GPU compatibility issues or outdated drivers. As someone managing both creative projects and running a business like a concrete contractor in Ben Wheeler, TX, I know how important smooth software performance is—every minute counts! Anyone else find a reliable fix for this GPU fallback issue?"