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How to Enable AMD Graphics in macOS
An EliteMacx86 Exclusive Guide - This guide covers implementation of supported AMD GPU on macOS.Overview
Apple has been using a wide range of AMD Graphics Card from a long time. The good news is with the release of macOS version 10.12.6, will include the drivers for RX 470, RX 480, RX 570, and RX 580. This means from macOS 10.12.6 and future macOS version, we don’t need to perform any kext modifications to make AMD GPUs working in the build.
With such a good support for AMD GPUs, it's quite easy to get AMD graphics card working on macOS Sierra 10.12.6 and later which requires only few steps. The sleep/wake function also works normally without any restarts or crashes. Also you don't need to use any helper cards or IGPU.
Before macOS Sierra version 10.12.6, it was quite difficult to get any AMD Cards working as it involved several steps to get it working with right framebuffers which was too difficult for any beginner/new users. With this, it had a few restriction and required helper/secondary or IGPU(Intel HD Graphics) for the hardware acceleration.
Now you can run AMD graphics card natively without need of installing any Drivers like NVIDIA and extra configuration. With the release of macOS High Sierra, a wide range of AMD graphics cards has been added and has more better support than macOS Sierra in terms of AMD GPUs.
This method is easy to roll-back and works after update. Before using this guide, we recommend you to perform a clean installation of macOS.
Requirements
Graphics | Supported AMD GPU |
Kexts | Original Graphics kexts in S/L/E. |
Compatibility
For more information on GPU compatibility, refer to the thread linked below.
AMD GPU Compatibility List for macOS
AMD GPU Compatibility List for macOS HD 2000 Series Vendor Model Metal Compatible Sierra High Sierra Mojave Catalina Big Sur Monterey AMD Radeon HD 2350 AMD Radeon HD 2400 PRO AMD Radeon HD 2400 XT AMD Radeon HD 2600 PRO...
www.elitemacx86.com
BIOS Settings
The BIOS settings has been provided in a separate thread. For more information on BIOS settings, refer to the thread linked below.
BIOS/UEFI Settings for Workstations (Intel/AMD)
BIOS/UEFI Settings PC and Laptops (Intel/AMD) Most motherboards will work with only few changes from Optimized Defaults. Here's a Recommended BIOS/UEFI Settings for Optimal performance. The settings are valid for Intel and AMD PCs and Laptops To access your BIOS/UEFI, press and hold Delete...
www.elitemacx86.com
Adding required kexts
The next step is to download the required kexts to enable AMD Graphics. WhateverGreen doesn't works alone. WhateverGreen and Lilu is needed together to work with conjunction in order to enable the AMD Graphics and preventing any errors.
For Clover:
If you're using Clover, copy both the kexts to EFI/Clover/Kext/Others
For OpenCore:
If you're using OpenCore, copy both the kexts to EFI/OC/Kexts. You'll also need to add the kexts entries in Kernel section of your config.plist
Notes :
- If the kext is already present in the directory, replace them with a new version
- Do not use WhateverGreen.kext.dSYM, WhateverName.app and Lilu.kext.dSYM
- Download the latest version for better support.
- Download only RELEASE.zip file.
Restarting your System
After performing all the above steps, restart your system for the applied changes to take effect.
Verifying your Card
Look for the information of your card under About this Mac and verify the VRAM. For more information of your Card, navigate to System Information and navigate to Graphics/Displays Tab.
Notes :
- If you get a black screen, make sure to update your BIOS and switch from Legacy to UEFI boot mode.
- If your BIOS has CSM option, disable it.
- If your BIOS has PCI ROM Priority, set it to UEFI/UEFI ROM.
- If your BIOS has Legacy Option ROMs, set it to UEFI/UEFI Only.
- If you're using a NAVI GPU, you'll need to add "agdpmod=pikera" in boot arg.
Sample Attachment
The AMD RX580 from Sapphire and ASUS are used as the example in this guide.
Credits :
vit9696
Attachments
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