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Fix: World of Warcraft was Unable to Start 3D Acceleration

A driver update is often effective

5 min. read

Updated onOctober 4, 2023

updated onOctober 4, 2023

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SomeWorld of Warcraftplayers have posted on Microsoft, and Blizzard forums about aWorld of Warcraft was unable to start up 3D accelerationissue. Have you also received this error message?

Users can’t start World of Warcraft when that error message pops up. Do you need to fix that error? If so, check out these potential resolutions for it.

Why is my 3D accelerator not supported by WoW?

Why is my 3D accelerator not supported by WoW?

There could be several reasons why World of Warcraft (WoW) does not support your 3D accelerator:

Below, we discuss some of the most reliable fixes for this issue.

What can I do if World of Warcraft is unable to start up 3D acceleration?

What can I do if World of Warcraft is unable to start up 3D acceleration?

1. Update your graphics card driver

In World of Warcraft, 3D acceleration issues are often related to outdateddrivers. That is why we recommend ruling out this option from the start.

To verify if your graphics card driver needs to be updated, don’t hesitate to take advantage of a dedicated tool such as Outbyte Driver Updater.

To make the next step in overall hardware performance, install it immediately and have patience while it completes a full scan.

Don’t worry, as Outbyte Driver Updater quickly discovers missing drivers in seconds. Unfortunately, things are not much different for outdated ones, so feel free to install all of your out-of-date drivers or simply the graphics card driver.

You’ll have your computer running like new, and you’ll be able to get back to enjoying World of Warcraft.

Outbyte Driver Updater

2. Turn off full-screen optimization and run the game as administrator

Numerous players have confirmed that turning off full-screen optimization for World of Warcraft fixes this error.

3. Reset World of Warcraft to default

Resetting World of Warcraft via the Blizzard software to default might resolve incompatible game settings. Therefore, complete the above procedure in that regard.

4. Select the Scan and Repair option

Blizzard Battle.net’sScan and Repairoption might fix theWorld of Warcraft was unable to startuperror for some users.However, makesure to follow the above steps as well.

5. Turn off SLI for NVIDIA GPUs

Turning off SLI (Scaleable Link Interface) for NVIDIA GPUs might fix theWorld of Warcraft was unable to startuperror. To see if it also works for you, apply the above steps.

6. Select the High-performance graphics option for World of Warcraft

Users with dual graphics laptops should ensure that World of Warcraft is assigned to a dedicated NVIDIA GPU. If that’s your case, too, refer to the above steps.

Those are some potential fixes for the World of Warcraft was unable to start up3D accelerationerror.

In addition, make sure that your Windows 10 is fully updated by clickingCheck for Windows updateson that platform’supdate page.

Have the above fixes proved to be helpful? Let us know in the comments area below.

More about the topics:World of Warcraft errors

Matthew Adams

Windows Hardware Expert

Matthew is a freelancer who has produced a variety of articles on various topics related to technology. His main focus is the Windows OS and all the things surrounding it.

He is passionate about the tech world, always staying up-to-date with the latest and greatest. With an analytical view, he likes problem-solving, focusing on errors and their causes.

In his free time, he likes to read and write about history and tries to always develop new skills.

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Matthew Adams

Windows Hardware Expert

He is passionate about everything surrounding Microsoft’s OS, focusing on troubleshooting guides & tips for everyday problems.