You can use Scene Viewer on mobile devices and in desktop web browsers that support WebGL2, a web technology that is standard for rendering 3D graphics. For best results, verify that your mobile device, browser, and hardware meet the Scene Viewer requirements.
Browser requirements
Scene Viewer supports the latest versions of the following browsers:
- Google Chrome
- Microsoft Edge
- Mozilla Firefox
- Safari
WebGL2
Only WebGL2-enabled, 64-bit browsers are supported.
The latest versions of the most common desktop browsers have built-in WebGL2. To test whether your browser has WebGL2 enabled, open get.webgl.org/webgl2. To troubleshoot WebGL2-related issues, visit WebGL2 troubleshooting.
Be sure you keep your browser up to date, because WebGL2 is an evolving technology and each browser version brings improvements that Scene Viewer uses for optimal performance. For more information about WebGL2 requirements, visit the khronos WebGL wiki page.
Also, when using Scene Viewer in your browser, keep the following in mind:
- Adjust the performance and quality settings in your browser to optimize performance or quality in your scene.
- To use Scene Viewer, your browser should have hardware acceleration enabled.
Hardware requirements
For best performance, it is recommended that your browser have a minimum of 8 GB system memory and modern graphics hardware for 3D.
Minimum requirements are a high-performance graphics card with at least 512 MB of video memory. For the best performance, it is recommended that you have a graphics card with at least 1 GB of video memory, especially for working with larger or memory-intensive 3D scenes. High-performance, stand-alone graphics cards typically have better performance than integrated graphics cards.
Mobile requirements
Scene Viewer is supported on the following browsers and devices:
- Safari on iPhone and iPad Pro series
- Chrome on Samsung Galaxy S and Samsung Tab S series
Mobile devices must have a minimum of 6 GB RAM, a powerful multicore CPU and GPU, and the latest version of Android or iOS installed.
Troubleshoot rendering problems
Scene Viewer requires optimal browser functionality to perform properly. If there is a problem loading Scene Viewer, an error message appears when Scene Viewer detects that rendering in your browser is compromised. The error message provides additional details as to the nature of the problem such as the following:
- Your browser isn't using hardware acceleration for rendering
- Your browser doesn't seem to support WebGL2
Additionally, Scene Viewer may open without an error message, but the rendering quality is still compromised.
Your browser isn't using hardware acceleration for rendering
When Scene Viewer doesn't detect hardware acceleration in your browser, this message appears. Common reasons the hardware acceleration isn't enabled are that your browser settings aren't configured properly or the browser has blocked your graphics card.
Configure hardware acceleration in your browser settings
Each browser has its own configuration options, and the hardware acceleration may be disabled. To enable hardware acceleration for rendering in your browser, complete the browser-specific steps below.
Configure hardware acceleration in Chrome
For Chrome, do the following:
- In the browser menu, click Settings > System.
- Turn on the Use hardware acceleration when available toggle button.
- Click Relaunch to restart your browser.
Configure hardware acceleration in Firefox
For Firefox, do the following:
- In the browser menu, click Menu > Options > System.
- Click General.
- Under Performance, check the Use recommended performance settings check box.
- Restart your browser.
Configure hardware acceleration in Microsoft Edge
For Microsoft Edge, do the following:
- In the browser menu, click Settings > System.
- Turn on the Use hardware acceleration when available toggle button.
- Click Restart to restart your browser.
Your browser has blocked your graphics card
Some browsers determine that a specific graphics card doesn't meet the requirements of the browser and block the graphics card. In this case, you can still bypass the browser's decision to block the graphics card. Although this is not always recommended, it may resolve the issue in Scene Viewer. To bypass a blocked graphics card, complete the browser-specific steps below.
Bypass a blocked graphics card in Chrome
For Chrome, do the following:
- Type chrome://flags in the address bar.
- Click Enable under Override software rendering list.
- Restart your browser.
Bypass a blocked graphics card in Firefox
For Firefox do the following:
- Type about:config in the address bar.
- Type webgl.enable-webgl2 in the search bar.
- Set the value to true.
- Restart your browser.
Your browser doesn't seem to support WebGL2
This message appears when Scene Viewer doesn't detect WebGL2 in your browser. A good way to confirm this is to go to get.webgl.org/webgl2. You should see a spinning cube to confirm WebGL2 is available in your browser. Otherwise, the website indicates your browser doesn't support WebGL2. If you don't see a spinning cube, ensure that WebGL2 is enabled through your browser settings and your browser and hardware meet the Scene Viewer requirements.
Scene Viewer opens but the rendering quality is compromised
Sometimes Scene Viewer opens without an error message, but you still may experience a problem. The following are examples:
- All icons and labels are missing, but they display in another browser or device.
- Rendering artifacts (for example, atmosphere and shadows rendering in black or geometry rendering with dots).
- Major color problems exist in the scene (for example, all colors are inversed or all colors render green or black).
If you are experiencing any of the above issues, confirm the following:
- Your browser has hardware acceleration enabled.
- Your browser has WebGL2 enabled.
- Your browser and computer meet all the Scene Viewer requirements.
If you still experience an issue in Scene Viewer, try switching to another browser. Another option is to update your video driver. It is recommended that you go to the vendor's website to download the latest driver. Finally, if all the above suggestions haven't fixed the problem, report your problem in the Esri Community forums or contact Esri Technical Support for additional help.