WebGL Support & TrueTour

Use this article to troubleshoot WebGL issues with modern browsers.

Chelsea Schroeder avatar
Written by Chelsea Schroeder
Updated over a week ago

In order to use TrueTour to its fullest capacity, you'll need an internet connection and a web browser that supports WebGL.
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But wait, what's WebGL?

TL;DR

WebGL means Web Graphics Library. It's a program that helps your normal everyday browser run complicated 2D and 3D graphics, and TrueTour doesn't work without it.

The long explantation

WebGL (Short for Web Graphics Library) is a JavaScript API for rendering interactive 2D and 3D graphics within any compatible web browser without the use of plug-ins.[2] WebGL is fully integrated with other web standards, allowing GPU-accelerated usage of physics and image processing and effects as part of the web page canvas. WebGL elements can be mixed with other HTML elements and composited with other parts of the page or page background.

Troubleshooting

If you're having trouble with WebGL not working, or getting an error, please walk through the following troubleshooting steps.

Make sure WebGL is enabled in your browser.

  1. In your browser, navigate to https://get.webgl.org

    1. If it's working, you should see something like the following screenshot.

User-uploaded Image
  1. If you're not seeing the above message, try opening a different browser and navigating to https://get.webgl.org again.

  2. If that still doesn't work, try using another computer or device entirely.

Is WebGL disabled in your browser?

If you've completed the previous steps and getting something other than the "your browser supports WebGL" message, then it's possible that WebGL has been disabled either by you, or by someone in your organization.

You can walk though the following steps to ensure that WebGL is enabled in your browser.

Chrome

  • Type chrome://settings into the Chrome navigation bar and press the Enter key.

  • Search for hardware acceleration and enable it.

  • Optional: Go to chrome://flags and enable "WebGL Draft Extensions" and "WebGL 2.0 Prototype". This step usually isn't necessary for most users.

Safari

  • In the top menu bar, go to Safari > Preferences > Security

  • In "Web content" section check the Allow WebGL box

  • Refresh the TrueTour

  • If you have Safari 11 or newer, when you visit a website that requires WebGL for the first time, you should be asked if you want to trust it. More info, please see Apple's help page.

Firefox

  • Type about:config into the URL bar. Press Enter.

  • Search for webgl.disabled

  • Double click to make sure it is set to false

Opera

  • Go to about:config

  • In the search bar, search for the term "hardware"

  • Make sure the "Use hardware acceleration when available" checkbox is checked

Update your Web Browsers

If your browser is WebGL enabled, and still WebGl isn't working for you, please make sure that you've updated your browser to the latest stable version.

Chrome

Enter chrome://version in the omnibar to see your current version.

Safari

Open Safari. In the top menubar, click Safari and then About Safari.

Firefox

Enter about:support in the URL bar to see your current version.

Edge

Select More ... in the upper-right corner, and then select Settings. Look for your version under About this app.

Opera

Open a new tab. Enter about in the URL bar.

Internet Explorer

No longer supported as of January 31, 2021. If you open a Showcase link in IE11 you will be instructed to try a modern browser.

User-uploaded Image

Operating System & Hardware

If you've done all of the above, and WebGL still isn't working, the issue may lie with the device. In general, we recommend that you use the most recent device available to you. Devices with lower specifications may work but are not guaranteed to offer a good experience. Always keep your device up to date.

Windows (PC)

Windows 10 or later, GPU, and at least 8 GB of RAM. 2 GB or above video memory recommended.

Mac

OSX 10.10.5 (Yosemite) or later, GPU, and at least 8 GB of RAM. 2 GB or above video memory recommended.

iOS

iOS 9.0 or later. Hardware: iPhone 6 or later, iPad Air series, iPad Mini Retina 2 or later, or iPad 4.

Android

Varies due to the wide variety of manufacturers and Android versions. In general, a device with Android 5.0 Lollipop or later with Chrome and WebGL.

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