How to Enable MetalFX Upscaling on macOS 13

MetalFX Upscaling is Apple's framework designed to boost gaming performance on Apple Silicon Macs by rendering frames at a lower resolution and scaling them to match your display. Introduced in macOS 13 Ventura alongside Metal 3, MetalFX delivers higher framerates and reduced power consumption without significantly sacrificing visual clarity. Enabling MetalFX does not require a system-wide toggle; instead, it is activated directly within the graphics settings of supported games.

Requirements for MetalFX Upscaling

Before enabling MetalFX, ensure your system meets the following criteria:

  • Operating System: macOS 13 (Ventura) or newer.
  • Hardware: A Mac powered by an Apple Silicon chip (M1 series, M2 series, or later). Intel-based Macs do not support MetalFX.
  • Software: A game developed or updated to support the Metal 3 API and MetalFX (such as Resident Evil Village, No Man's Sky, Lies of P, or Death Stranding).

Step-by-Step: Enabling MetalFX in Supported Games

  1. Launch a Compatible Game Open a game that natively supports MetalFX Upscaling on your Mac.

  2. Open the Settings Menu Navigate to the game’s main menu or pause screen and select Options or Settings.

  3. Navigate to Display or Graphics Settings Look for the video, display, or graphics tab where resolution and visual fidelity options are located.

  4. Locate the MetalFX Setting Depending on the game, this setting is labeled as MetalFX, Upscaling, or Temporal Anti-Aliasing/Upscaling.

  5. Choose Your Upscaling Method MetalFX offers two distinct processing methods:

    • Temporal Upscaling: Combines spatial upscaling with temporal data from previous frames. This mode yields the highest image quality, sharp edges, and stable details, making it ideal for most gaming scenarios.
    • Spatial Upscaling: Scales each frame individually with lower computational overhead. This mode is best suited for scenarios where system resources are heavily constrained or minimal input latency is critical.

  6. Select a Quality Preset Configure your preferred balance between visual fidelity and framerate:

    • Quality: Scales from a higher base resolution to preserve fine details while providing a moderate framerate boost.
    • Balanced: Provides an even tradeoff between sharpness and performance.
    • Performance: Renders at a significantly lower internal resolution to maximize framerates, recommended for base M1 or M2 systems running demanding titles.

  7. Apply and Save Changes Save your settings. The game will immediately apply MetalFX Upscaling to your rendering pipeline.

Why Is There No Global System Setting?

Unlike certain driver-level upscaling utilities on other platforms, MetalFX is not a global toggle found in macOS System Settings. It functions as an integrated API that developers must build directly into the game engine to utilize motion vectors and depth buffers accurately. If a game does not explicitly list MetalFX in its visual settings, the feature cannot be forced onto that title.