Aurora uses WebGL — a browser technology that renders 3D graphics using your computer's graphics hardware — to display 3D views in your projects. If WebGL isn't working, you may see a blank panel, a loading spinner that never resolves, or an error where your 3D model should appear.
This article walks you through diagnosing and fixing WebGL issues in Google Chrome.
If you're using a different browser, switch to Chrome before following these steps.
To find out if WebGL is enabled in your browser, please visit https://get.webgl.org/.
Before you begin
Before changing any settings, try these quick fixes first:
- Update Chrome. Go to chrome://settings/help and install any pending updates. WebGL support improves with each release.
- Restart your computer. Pending OS updates or driver changes sometimes only take effect after a restart.
- Check for conflicting extensions. Some extensions (ad blockers, privacy tools, VPNs) can disable WebGL. Try opening Aurora in a Chrome Incognito window (Ctrl+Shift+N / Cmd+Shift+N), which disables most extensions by default. If Aurora loads in Incognito, an extension is the culprit — disable them one at a time to identify it.
If none of the above resolves the issue, continue to the next section to diagnose your WebGL status.
Step 1: Check your WebGL status
Before changing settings, confirm that WebGL is actually the issue and note its current status.
- In Chrome, go to chrome://gpu.
- Scroll to the Graphics Feature Status section.
- Find the WebGL row. The status will be one of the following:
- Hardware accelerated — WebGL is working correctly. If Aurora's 3D view isn't loading, the issue is likely elsewhere. Contact Aurora Support.
- Software only, hardware acceleration unavailable — WebGL is enabled but running in software mode. 3D views may load slowly or not at all. Continue to Step 2.
- Unavailable — WebGL is completely disabled. Continue to Step 2.
If the status is Software only or Unavailable, also check the Problems Detected section directly below Graphics Feature Status. It may identify a specific driver issue or blocklist entry causing the problem.
Step 2: Enable hardware acceleration
Hardware acceleration lets Chrome use your graphics card to render WebGL content. If it's off, WebGL may be unavailable or run in slow software mode.
- Go to chrome://settings/system.
- Turn on Use graphics acceleration when available.
- Click Relaunch to restart Chrome with the new setting.
After Chrome relaunches, return to chrome://gpu and confirm that WebGL now shows Hardware accelerated. Then reload Aurora and check your 3D view.
Step 3: Override the GPU blocklist (if hardware acceleration is still unavailable)
Chrome maintains a list of GPU configurations that are blocked from hardware-accelerated WebGL due to known driver bugs. If your graphics card or driver is on this list, you can override it using a Chrome flag.
This flag is intended for troubleshooting. If it resolves the issue, the long-term fix is updating your GPU drivers (see Step 4).
- Go to chrome://flags/#ignore-gpu-denylist.
- Set Ignore GPU denylist to Enabled.
- Click Relaunch at the bottom of the screen.
Reload Aurora and test your 3D view. If it now loads, your GPU driver is likely outdated — continue to Step 4 to resolve this permanently.
Step 4: Update your GPU drivers
Outdated GPU drivers are the most common cause of WebGL unavailability. Updating your drivers may resolve the issue without needing the flag override from Step 3.
- Windows: Open Device Manager → Display Adapters → right-click your GPU → Update driver. Alternatively, download drivers directly from your GPU manufacturer: NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel.
- Mac: GPU drivers are updated through macOS system updates. Go to System Settings → General → Software Update and install any pending updates.
After updating, restart your computer and recheck chrome://gpu.
Using a managed or corporate device?
If your computer is managed by your organization (common in enterprise environments), IT policies may block hardware-accelerated graphics or restrict access to Chrome flags. In this case:
- The steps above may not work, or settings may revert after relaunch.
- Check with your IT team to confirm whether WebGL or hardware acceleration is restricted by group policy.
- Your IT team may need to whitelist Aurora or adjust GPU policy settings.
FAQs
Why does Aurora need WebGL?
Aurora's 3D Design Mode renders complex solar installation models in real time. WebGL lets your browser use the graphics card to handle this rendering — without it, 3D views can't load.
I'm in Incognito mode and Aurora's 3D view works, but it doesn't work in my regular Chrome window.
An extension is likely disabling WebGL or hardware acceleration. Go to chrome://extensions, disable your extensions one at a time, and reload Aurora after each to identify the culprit. Common offenders: VPNs, ad blockers, and canvas fingerprinting blockers.
WebGL shows "Hardware accelerated" at chrome://gpu, but Aurora's 3D view still won't load.
This suggests the issue isn't WebGL. Please contact Aurora Support with a description of what you see, your Chrome version, and your operating system.
I followed all the steps and nothing worked.
Contact Aurora Support. Include your Chrome version (go to chrome://settings/help), your operating system, and a screenshot of chrome://gpu showing your Graphics Feature Status. This helps the support team identify driver or configuration issues faster.