Hardware Video Acceleration working for Firefox but not on Google-Chrome or Brave or Chromium Browser

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1

I have tried all the known launch flags and both iHD and i965 Vaapi drivers in /etc/environment. I also added i915 to the module. But none have worked so far.

Hardware Video Decoding(Intel Vaapi) is only working for Firefox and not for Brave, Chromium or Google Chrome.

I also tried blocking VP8, VP9, and AV1. It allowed VAAPI in Firefox only, but Chromium-based browsers still failed.

These launch commands don’t work either.

--enable-features=VaapiVideoDecoder,VaapiIgnoreDriverChecks,VaapiVideoDecodeLinuxGL --ignore-gpu-blocklist

I also used MX Linux XFCE on the same PC, but VAAPI previously worked in Chromium-based browsers. Not any more.

My System Specifications:

inxi -Fxxz
System:
  Kernel: 6.18.44-1-MANJARO arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 16.1.1
  Desktop: Xfce v: 4.20.2 tk: Gtk v: 3.24.52 wm: xfwm4 dm: LightDM
    Distro: Manjaro base: Arch Linux
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: Dell product: Inspiron 5459 v: N/A
    serial: <superuser required> Chassis: type: 10 serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: Dell model: 0F1J0W v: A00 serial: <superuser required> part-nu: 06B2
    Firmware: UEFI vendor: Dell v: 1.9.0 date: 09/07/2020
Battery:
  ID-1: BAT0 charge: 21.8 Wh (100%) condition: 21.8/32.6 Wh (66.9%)
    volts: 16.57 min: 14.8 model: SMP DELL VN3N047 serial: <filter> charging:
    status: full control: start: 75% end: 80% cycles: N/A
CPU:
  Info: dual core model: Intel Core i7-6500U bits: 64 type: MT MCP
    arch: Skylake rev: 3 cache: L1: 128 KiB L2: 512 KiB L3: 4 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 2700 min/max: 400/3100 cores: 1: 2700 2: 2700 3: 2700
    4: 2700 bogomips: 20799
  Flags-basic: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel Skylake-U GT2 [HD Graphics 520] vendor: Dell driver: i915
    v: kernel arch: Gen-9 ports: active: eDP-1 empty: HDMI-A-1 bus-ID: 00:02.0
    chip-ID: 8086:1916
  Device-2: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] Sun XT [Radeon HD
    8670A/8670M/8690M / R5 M330 M430 Radeon 520 Mobile] vendor: Dell
    driver: N/A arch: GCN-1 pcie: speed: 8 GT/s lanes: 4 bus-ID: 01:00.0
    chip-ID: 1002:6660
  Device-3: Microdia Integrated Webcam HD driver: uvcvideo type: USB
    rev: 2.0 speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1 bus-ID: 1-5:3 chip-ID: 0c45:6712
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.24 compositor: xfwm4 v: 4.20.0 driver:
    X: loaded: modesetting alternate: fbdev,vesa dri: iris gpu: i915
    display-ID: :0.0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1366x768 s-dpi: 96
  Monitor-1: eDP-1 model: ChiMei InnoLux 0x14c3 res: 1366x768 hz: 60
    dpi: 112 diag: 354mm (13.9")
  API: EGL v: 1.5 platforms: device: 0 drv: iris device: 1 drv: swrast gbm:
    drv: iris surfaceless: drv: iris x11: drv: iris inactive: wayland
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6 vendor: intel mesa v: 26.1.6-arch1.1 glx-v: 1.4
    direct-render: yes renderer: Mesa Intel HD Graphics 520 (SKL GT2)
    device-ID: 8086:1916
  API: Vulkan v: 1.4.357 surfaces: N/A device: 0 type: integrated-gpu
    driver: mesa intel device-ID: 8086:1916
  Info: Tools: api: clinfo, eglinfo, glxinfo, vulkaninfo
    de: xfce4-display-settings gpu: gputop, intel_gpu_top, lsgpu
    x11: xdpyinfo, xprop, xrandr
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Sunrise Point-LP HD Audio vendor: Dell driver: snd_hda_intel
    v: kernel bus-ID: 00:1f.3 chip-ID: 8086:9d70
  API: ALSA v: k6.18.44-1-MANJARO status: kernel-api with: aoss
    type: oss-emulator
  Server-1: sndiod v: N/A status: off
  Server-2: JACK v: 1.9.22 status: off
  Server-3: PipeWire v: 1.6.8 status: active with: 1: pipewire-pulse
    status: active 2: wireplumber status: active 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin
Network:
  Device-1: Intel Wireless 3160 driver: iwlwifi v: kernel pcie:
    speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 bus-ID: 02:00.0 chip-ID: 8086:08b3
  IF: wlp2s0 state: up mac: <filter>
  Device-2: Realtek RTL810xE PCI Express Fast Ethernet vendor: Dell
    driver: r8169 v: kernel pcie: speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 port: d000
    bus-ID: 03:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:8136
  IF: enp3s0 state: down mac: <filter>
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Intel Bluetooth wireless interface driver: btusb v: 0.8 type: USB
    rev: 2.0 speed: 12 Mb/s lanes: 1 bus-ID: 1-8:5 chip-ID: 8087:07dc
  Report: rfkill ID: hci0 rfk-id: 0 state: down bt-service: enabled,running
    rfk-block: hardware: no software: yes address: see --recommends
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 931.51 GiB used: 96.05 GiB (10.3%)
  ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Samsung model: ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
    size: 931.51 GiB speed: 6.0 Gb/s serial: <filter>
Partition:
  ID-1: / size: 209.58 GiB used: 24.81 GiB (11.8%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1
  ID-2: /boot size: 1.9 GiB used: 162.1 MiB (8.3%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda6
  ID-3: /boot/efi size: 499 MiB used: 58.4 MiB (11.7%) fs: vfat
    dev: /dev/sda2
Swap:
  ID-1: swap-1 type: zram size: 3.79 GiB used: 467.2 MiB (12.0%) priority: 100
    dev: /dev/zram0
  ID-2: swap-2 type: partition size: 8 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: -2
    dev: /dev/sda7
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 58.0 C pch: 52.0 C mobo: 58.0 C sodimm: 45.0 C
  Fan Speeds (rpm): cpu: 4146
Info:
  Memory: total: 8 GiB note: est. available: 7.58 GiB used: 2.67 GiB (35.3%)
  Processes: 266 Power: uptime: 47m wakeups: 0 Init: systemd v: 261
    default: graphical
  Packages: 1534 pm: pacman pkgs: 1521 pm: flatpak pkgs: 13 Compilers:
    gcc: 16.1.1 Shell: Zsh v: 5.9.2 running-in: xfce4-terminal inxi: 3.3.41

VAAPI related Info:

LIBVA_DRIVER_NAME=iHD vainfo --display x11
Trying display: x11
vainfo: VA-API version: 1.24 (libva 2.24.0)
vainfo: Driver version: Intel iHD driver for Intel(R) Gen Graphics - 26.2.4 ()
vainfo: Supported profile and entrypoints
      VAProfileNone                   :	VAEntrypointVideoProc
      VAProfileNone                   :	VAEntrypointStats
      VAProfileMPEG2Simple            :	VAEntrypointVLD
      VAProfileMPEG2Simple            :	VAEntrypointEncSlice
      VAProfileMPEG2Main              :	VAEntrypointVLD
      VAProfileMPEG2Main              :	VAEntrypointEncSlice
      VAProfileH264Main               :	VAEntrypointVLD
      VAProfileH264Main               :	VAEntrypointEncSlice
      VAProfileH264Main               :	VAEntrypointFEI
      VAProfileH264Main               :	VAEntrypointEncSliceLP
      VAProfileH264High               :	VAEntrypointVLD
      VAProfileH264High               :	VAEntrypointEncSlice
      VAProfileH264High               :	VAEntrypointFEI
      VAProfileH264High               :	VAEntrypointEncSliceLP
      VAProfileVC1Simple              :	VAEntrypointVLD
      VAProfileVC1Main                :	VAEntrypointVLD
      VAProfileVC1Advanced            :	VAEntrypointVLD
      VAProfileJPEGBaseline           :	VAEntrypointVLD
      VAProfileJPEGBaseline           :	VAEntrypointEncPicture
      VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline:	VAEntrypointVLD
      VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline:	VAEntrypointEncSlice
      VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline:	VAEntrypointFEI
      VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline:	VAEntrypointEncSliceLP
      VAProfileVP8Version0_3          :	VAEntrypointVLD
      VAProfileVP8Version0_3          :	VAEntrypointEncSlice
      VAProfileHEVCMain               :	VAEntrypointVLD
      VAProfileHEVCMain               :	VAEntrypointEncSlice
      VAProfileHEVCMain               :	VAEntrypointFEI


LIBVA_DRIVER_NAME=i965 vainfo --display x11
Trying display: x11
vainfo: VA-API version: 1.24 (libva 2.24.0)
vainfo: Driver version: Intel i965 driver for Intel(R) Skylake - 2.4.5
vainfo: Supported profile and entrypoints
      VAProfileMPEG2Simple            :	VAEntrypointVLD
      VAProfileMPEG2Simple            :	VAEntrypointEncSlice
      VAProfileMPEG2Main              :	VAEntrypointVLD
      VAProfileMPEG2Main              :	VAEntrypointEncSlice
      VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline:	VAEntrypointVLD
      VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline:	VAEntrypointEncSlice
      VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline:	VAEntrypointEncSliceLP
      VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline:	VAEntrypointFEI
      VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline:	VAEntrypointStats
      VAProfileH264Main               :	VAEntrypointVLD
      VAProfileH264Main               :	VAEntrypointEncSlice
      VAProfileH264Main               :	VAEntrypointEncSliceLP
      VAProfileH264Main               :	VAEntrypointFEI
      VAProfileH264Main               :	VAEntrypointStats
      VAProfileH264High               :	VAEntrypointVLD
      VAProfileH264High               :	VAEntrypointEncSlice
      VAProfileH264High               :	VAEntrypointEncSliceLP
      VAProfileH264High               :	VAEntrypointFEI
      VAProfileH264High               :	VAEntrypointStats
      VAProfileH264MultiviewHigh      :	VAEntrypointVLD
      VAProfileH264MultiviewHigh      :	VAEntrypointEncSlice
      VAProfileH264StereoHigh         :	VAEntrypointVLD
      VAProfileH264StereoHigh         :	VAEntrypointEncSlice
      VAProfileVC1Simple              :	VAEntrypointVLD
      VAProfileVC1Main                :	VAEntrypointVLD
      VAProfileVC1Advanced            :	VAEntrypointVLD
      VAProfileNone                   :	VAEntrypointVideoProc
      VAProfileJPEGBaseline           :	VAEntrypointVLD
      VAProfileJPEGBaseline           :	VAEntrypointEncPicture
      VAProfileVP8Version0_3          :	VAEntrypointVLD
      VAProfileVP8Version0_3          :	VAEntrypointEncSlice
      VAProfileHEVCMain               :	VAEntrypointVLD
      VAProfileHEVCMain               :	VAEntrypointEncSlice

Images of browsers utilising VAAPI/Software Rendering

2026-08-17_23-15-08
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2026-08-17_23-16-36
2026-08-17_23-16-361366×768 152 KB

MPV, VLC and Celluloid utilise VAAPI perfectly.

2026-08-17_23-20-40
2026-08-17_23-20-401366×768 231 KB

2

If you type chrome://gpu/ in the URL of Chrome/Chromium, what does it say? Attach a screenshot of the Graphics Feature Status.

3

“throw all you got at the wall to see what sticks” does not work in this.

in my setup ATM, VAAPI is only supported on wayland. on X11 chrome://gpu/ page says video acceleration is in-force while it is clearly not.

stick to the kernel driver relevant to your iGPU. refer; Chromium - ArchWiki

in my case;

--enable-features=AcceleratedVideoDecodeLinuxGL

is sufficient, YMMV

5

As I am using a Skylake processor, it supports both iHD and i965, apparently. Which one should I stick to?

@DeLinuxCo

Screenshot_2026-08-18_15-03-52
Screenshot_2026-08-18_15-03-52518×323 37.2 KB

Screenshot from 2026-08-18 15-02-37
Screenshot from 2026-08-18 15-02-371356×101 2.83 KB

Video Decode says “hardware-accelerated,” but at the end, the video acceleration is empty.

Mod edit: Consecutive posts merged, @mention added..

6

go for iHD

even if it is populated it still does not mean acceleration is working. sure fire way is to see intel_gpu_top showing activity under “video” engine.

also enable following in config;

--ozone-platform-hint=auto

i dont know how it is for iHD, but for i965, it seems only wayland now support video-acceleration in chromium

8

There is no activity under “video”. (Stuck to iHD and also tried the ozone-platform hint in the config)

@koshikas

I request if you could clarify something: is the Chromium-based browser not supporting video acceleration in X11 systems a global thing or specific to my hardware?

Mod edit: Consecutive posts merged and @mention added.
If there are no intervening replies, please edit your previous post instead to add further information. Cheers! :wink:

9

I randomly found these comments on chromium.org; for whatever use they may be:

In case it’s relevant:

10

I am on Manjaro XFCE (X11, not Wayland).

None of these flags has worked for me on Manjaro XFCE. Sadly

11

in my case both chromium and google-chrome (from AUR) does not support VA in X11 for sometime now, it only does in wayland.

longtime X11 user myself, when i saw that multi-monitor support working well on wayland together with chrome stability(way better than X11) and it s VA capabilities and add to that impending doom with plasma 6.8, I finally jumped ship to wayland. (for me gains simply out-weighed losses)

addendum;
make sure you have graphic stack + VAAPI driver functional first. intel_gpu_top being the sole reliable means of testing it. first make sure it is working by testing video players with suitable media (medium for which hardware acceleration is available)

configuration wise there are few things to ascertain;

  • make sure you are on “modesetting driver”, if the xf86-video-intel package is not installed, Xorg by default loads modesetting-driver.
  • make sure you use intel-media-driver as your VAAPI driver, if you have libva-intel-driver installed replace it with intel-media-driver

there are lots of configuration and-some if your situation demands for it. refer;

hate to dishearten you, but personally, getting VA working on chrome(ium) has always been running target for me. what works today may not tomorrow.

and the impression I got was wayland on XFCE was fast evolving, you might have to wait but not for long.

12

This device is old, so I wanted to keep Xfce on it. I think I will have to wait for a fix from the developers of Chromium (unlikely, as Wayland is the trend). I will buy a ThinkPad next time with both the CPU and GPU both being AMD and run Manjaro GNOME or KDE.

Thank you for your help.

13

You may not have to wait too long before you will be able to run xfce on Wayland:

In fact, you can already install it from the AUR. Note though that it is experimental, not all features may work, and there may be bugs:

The development snapshot:

https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/xfwl4-devel

The latest Git commits version:

https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/xfwl4-git