Making SketchUp render faster

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The Quick Answer

1. Use 'Simple style' or 'Earth modeling' style (Window > Styles > Default Styles
library).
2. Disable shadows (Window > Shadows).
3. Enable 'Use Anti-Aliased Textures' (Window > Model Info > Rendering).
4. Disable 'Use Maximum Texture Size' (Window > Preferences > OpenGL).

SketchUp uses both the computer processor and the graphics card to create 3D graphics. The
processor prepares the geometry and the texture data, and then gives it to the graphics card
for rendering. During this interaction, SketchUp's performance is limited by the slowest of
these two stages. The settings listed below are designed to take full advantage of the process
and the graphics card.

To make sure the processor is rendering as quickly as possible, use these settings:

1. Click Window > Styles to open the Styles dialog box.

2. Click Edit > Edge settings.
3. Disable 'Sketchy edges,' 'Profiles,' 'Depth cue,' 'Extension,' 'Endpoints,' and 'Jitter.'
4. The Edge color should be either 'All same' or 'By material.'
5. Click Face settings in the Styles dialog box.
6. The Transparency quality should be 'Faster.'
7. Click Window > Shadows to open the Shadows dialog box.
8. Uncheck 'Display Shadows.'

If you have the settings listed above in place, you can use the following configuration to help
the graphics card run faster:

1. Click Window > Model Info > Rendering.

2. 'Use Anti-Aliased Textures' should be enabled.
3. Click Window > Preferences > OpenGL.
4. 'Use Maximum Texture Size' should be disabled.
5. While you are there, also make sure that "Use hardware acceleration" is switched ON.

Tip: You may consider creating two separate styles - one for modeling (which is fast) and
other for presentation (which can be slower).