| Platform | Output | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Linux | Vulkan Override Layer | $USER/.local/share/vulkan/implicit_layer.d/VkLayer_override.json |
| Vulkan Layer Settings | $USER/.local/share/vulkan/settings.d/vk_layer_settings.txt | |
| VkConfig Configuration Settings | $USER/.local/share/vulkan/settings.d/vk_layer_settings.txt | |
| Windows | Vulkan Override Layer | %HOME%\AppData\Local\LunarG\vkconfig\override\VkLayerOverride.json |
| Vulkan Layer Settings | (registry) HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Khronos\Vulkan\LoaderSettings | |
| VkConfig Configuration Settings | (registry) HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\LunarG\vkconfig |
| Environment Variable | Behavior | Restrictions | Example Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| VK_ADD_DRIVER_FILES |
Provide a list of additional driver JSON files that the loader will use
in addition to the drivers that the loader would find normally.
The list of drivers will be added first, prior to the list of drivers
that would be found normally.
The value contains a list of delimited full path listings to
driver JSON Manifest files. |
If a global path to the JSON file is not used, issues may be encountered.
Ignored when running Vulkan application with elevated privileges. |
export VK_ADD_DRIVER_FILES= set VK_ADD_DRIVER_FILES= |
| VK_ADD_LAYER_PATH | Provide a list of additional paths that the loader will use to search for explicit layers in addition to the loader's standard layer library search paths when looking for layer manifest files. The paths will be added first, prior to the list of folders that would be searched normally. | Ignored when running Vulkan application with elevated privileges. |
export VK_ADD_LAYER_PATH= <path_a>:<path_b> set VK_ADD_LAYER_PATH= <path_a>;<path_b> |
| VK_ADD_IMPLICIT_LAYER_PATH | Provide a list of additional paths that the loader will use to search for implicit layers in addition to the loader's standard layer library search paths when looking for layer manifest files. The paths will be added first, prior to the list of folders that would be searched normally. | Ignored when running Vulkan application with elevated privileges. |
export VK_ADD_IMPLICIT_LAYER_PATH= <path_a>:<path_b> set VK_ADD_IMPLICIT_LAYER_PATH= <path_a>;<path_b> |
| VK_DRIVER_FILES |
Force the loader to use the specific driver JSON files.
The value contains a list of delimited full path listings to
driver JSON Manifest files and/or
paths to folders containing driver JSON files. This has replaced the older deprecated environment variable VK_ICD_FILENAMES, however the older environment variable will continue to work. |
It is recommended to use absolute paths to JSON files.
Relative paths may have issues due to how the loader transforms relative library
paths into absolute ones.
Ignored when running Vulkan application with elevated privileges. |
export VK_DRIVER_FILES= set VK_DRIVER_FILES= |
| VK_LAYER_PATH | Override the loader's standard explicit layer search paths and use the provided delimited files and/or folders to locate layer manifest files. | Ignored when running Vulkan application with elevated privileges. |
export VK_LAYER_PATH= <path_a>:<path_b> set VK_LAYER_PATH= <path_a>;<path_b> |
| VK_IMPLICIT_LAYER_PATH | Override the loader's standard implicit layer search paths and use the provided delimited files and/or folders to locate layer manifest files. | Ignored when running Vulkan application with elevated privileges. |
export VK_IMPLICIT_LAYER_PATH= <path_a>:<path_b> set VK_IMPLICIT_LAYER_PATH= <path_a>;<path_b> |
| VK_LOADER_DEBUG |
Enable loader debug messages using a comma-delimited list of level
options. These options are: * error (only errors) * warn (only warnings) * info (only info) * debug (only debug) * layer (layer-specific output) * driver (driver-specific output) * all (report out all messages) To enable multiple options (outside of "all") like info, warning and error messages, set the value to "error,warn,info". |
None |
export VK_LOADER_DEBUG=all set VK_LOADER_DEBUG=warn |
| VK_LOADER_DEVICE_SELECT |
Allows the user to force a particular device to be prioritized above all
other devices in the return order of vkGetPhysicalDevices and
vkGetPhysicalDeviceGroups functions. The value should be " NOTE: This DOES NOT REMOVE devices from the list on reorders them. |
Linux Only | set VK_LOADER_DEVICE_SELECT=0x10de:0x1f91 |
| VK_LOADER_DISABLE_SELECT |
Allows the user to disable the consistent sorting algorithm run in the
loader before returning the set of physical devices to layers. |
Linux Only | set VK_LOADER_DISABLE_SELECT=1 |
| VK_LOADER_DISABLE_INST_EXT_FILTER |
Disable the filtering out of instance extensions that the loader doesn't
know about.
This will allow applications to enable instance extensions exposed by
drivers but that the loader has no support for. |
Use Wisely! This may cause the loader or application to crash. |
export VK_LOADER_DISABLE_INST_EXT_FILTER=1 set VK_LOADER_DISABLE_INST_EXT_FILTER=1 |
| VK_LOADER_DRIVERS_SELECT |
A comma-delimited list of globs to search for in known drivers and
used to select only the drivers whose manifest file names match one or
more of the provided globs. Since drivers don’t have a name like layers, this glob is used to compare against the manifest filename. Known driver manifests being those files that are already found by the loader taking into account default search paths and other environment variables (like VK_ICD_FILENAMES or VK_ADD_DRIVER_FILES). |
This functionality is only available with Loaders built with version
1.3.234 of the Vulkan headers and later. If no drivers are found with a manifest filename that matches any of the provided globs, then no driver is enabled and it may result in Vulkan applications failing to run properly. |
export VK_LOADER_DRIVERS_SELECT=nvidia* set VK_LOADER_DRIVERS_SELECT=nvidia* The above would select only the Nvidia driver if it was present on the system and already visible to the loader. |
| VK_LOADER_DRIVERS_DISABLE |
A comma-delimited list of globs to search for in known drivers and
used to disable only the drivers whose manifest file names match one or
more of the provided globs. Since drivers don’t have a name like layers, this glob is used to compare against the manifest filename. Known driver manifests being those files that are already found by the loader taking into account default search paths and other environment variables (like VK_ICD_FILENAMES or VK_ADD_DRIVER_FILES). |
This functionality is only available with Loaders built with version
1.3.234 of the Vulkan headers and later. If all available drivers are disabled using this environment variable, then no drivers will be found by the loader and will result in Vulkan applications failing to run properly. This is also checked before other driver environment variables (such as VK_LOADER_DRIVERS_SELECT) so that a user may easily disable all drivers and then selectively re-enable individual drivers using the enable environment variable. |
export VK_LOADER_DRIVERS_DISABLE=*amd*,*intel* set VK_LOADER_DRIVERS_DISABLE=*amd*,*intel* The above would disable both Intel and AMD drivers if both were present on the system and already visible to the loader. |
| VK_LOADER_LAYERS_ENABLE |
A comma-delimited list of globs to search for in known layers and
used to select only the layers whose layer name matches one or more of
the provided globs. Known layers are those which are found by the loader taking into account default search paths and other environment variables (like VK_LAYER_PATH). This has replaced the older deprecated environment variable VK_INSTANCE_LAYERS |
This functionality is only available with Loaders built with version 1.3.234 of the Vulkan headers and later. |
export VK_LOADER_LAYERS_ENABLE=*validation,*recon* set VK_LOADER_LAYERS_ENABLE=*validation,*recon* The above would enable the Khronos validation layer and the GfxReconstruct layer, if both were present on the system and already visible to the loader. |
| VK_LOADER_LAYERS_DISABLE |
A comma-delimited list of globs to search for in known layers and
used to disable only the layers whose layer name matches one or more of
the provided globs. Known layers are those which are found by the loader taking into account default search paths and other environment variables (like VK_LAYER_PATH). |
This functionality is only available with Loaders built with version
1.3.234 of the Vulkan headers and later. Disabling a layer that an application intentionally enables as an explicit layer may cause the application to not function properly. This is also checked before other layer environment variables (such as VK_LOADER_LAYERS_ENABLE) so that a user may easily disable all layers and then selectively re-enable individual layers using the enable environment variable. |
export VK_LOADER_LAYERS_DISABLE=*MESA*,~implicit~ set VK_LOADER_LAYERS_DISABLE=*MESA*,~implicit~ The above would disable any Mesa layer and all other implicit layers that would normally be enabled on the system. |
| VK_LOADER_LAYERS_ALLOW |
A comma-delimited list of globs to search for in known layers and
used to prevent layers whose layer name matches one or more of
the provided globs from being disabled by VK_LOADER_LAYERS_DISABLE. Known layers are those which are found by the loader taking into account default search paths and other environment variables (like VK_LAYER_PATH). |
This functionality is only available with Loaders built with version
1.3.262 of the Vulkan headers and later. This will not cause layers to be enabled if the normal mechanism to enable them |
export VK_LOADER_LAYERS_ALLOW=*validation*,*recon* set VK_LOADER_LAYERS_ALLOW=*validation*,*recon* The above would allow any layer whose name is validation or recon to be enabled regardless of the value of VK_LOADER_LAYERS_DISABLE. |
| VK_LOADER_DISABLE_DYNAMIC_LIBRARY_UNLOADING | If set to "1", causes the loader to not unload dynamic libraries during vkDestroyInstance. This option allows leak sanitizers to have full stack traces. |
This functionality is only available with Loaders built with version
1.3.259 of the Vulkan headers and later. |
export VK_LOADER_DISABLE_DYNAMIC_LIBRARY_UNLOADING=1 set VK_LOADER_DISABLE_DYNAMIC_LIBRARY_UNLOADING=1 |
| Environment Variable | Behavior | Replaced By | Restrictions | Example Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VK_ICD_FILENAMES |
Force the loader to use the specific driver JSON files.
The value contains a list of delimited full path listings to
driver JSON Manifest files. NOTE: If a global path to the JSON file is not used, issues may be encountered. |
This has been replaced by VK_DRIVER_FILES. | Ignored when running Vulkan application with elevated privileges. |
export VK_ICD_FILENAMES= set VK_ICD_FILENAMES= |
| VK_INSTANCE_LAYERS | Force the loader to add the given layers to the list of Enabled layers normally passed into vkCreateInstance. These layers are added first, and the loader will remove any duplicate layers that appear in both this list as well as that passed into ppEnabledLayerNames. | This has been deprecated by VK_LOADER_LAYERS_ENABLE. It also overrides any layers disabled with VK_LOADER_LAYERS_DISABLE. | None |
export VK_INSTANCE_LAYERS= <layer_a>;<layer_b> set VK_INSTANCE_LAYERS= <layer_a>;<layer_b> |
| Field Name | Field Value |
|---|---|
| Android Loader | The loader designed to work primarily for the Android OS. This is generated from a different code base than the Khronos loader. But, in all important aspects, it should be functionally equivalent. |
| Khronos Loader | The loader released by Khronos and currently designed to work primarily on Windows, Linux, macOS, Stadia, and Fuchsia. This is generated from a different code base than the Android loader. But in all important aspects, it should be functionally equivalent. |
| Core Function | A function that is already part of the Vulkan core specification and not
an extension. For example, vkCreateDevice(). |
| Device Call Chain | The call chain of functions followed for device functions.
This call chain for a device function is usually as follows: first the
application calls into a loader trampoline, then the loader trampoline
calls enabled layers, and the final layer calls into the driver specific
to the device. See the Dispatch Tables and Call Chains section for more information. |
| Device Function | A device function is any Vulkan function which takes a VkDevice,
VkQueue, VkCommandBuffer, or any child of these, as its
first parameter. Some Vulkan device functions are: vkQueueSubmit, vkBeginCommandBuffer, vkCreateEvent. See the Instance Versus Device section for more information. |
| Discovery | The process of the loader searching for driver and layer files to set up
the internal list of Vulkan objects available. On Windows/Linux/macOS, the discovery process typically focuses on searching for Manifest files. On Android, the process focuses on searching for library files. |
| Dispatch Table | An array of function pointers (including core and possibly extension
functions) used to step to the next entity in a call chain.
The entity could be the loader, a layer or a driver. See Dispatch Tables and Call Chains for more information. |
| Driver | The underlying library which provides support for the Vulkan API.
This support can be implemented as either an ICD, API translation
library, or pure software. See Drivers section for more information. |
| Extension | A concept of Vulkan used to expand the core Vulkan functionality.
Extensions may be IHV-specific, platform-specific, or more broadly
available. Always first query if an extension exists, and enable it during vkCreateInstance (if it is an instance extension) or during vkCreateDevice (if it is a device extension) before attempting to use it. Extensions will always have an author prefix or suffix modifier to every structure, enumeration entry, command entry-point, or define that is associated with it. For example, `KHR` is the prefix for Khronos authored extensions and will also be found on structures, enumeration entries, and commands associated with those extensions. |
| Extension Function | A function that is defined as part of an extension and not part of the
Vulkan core specification. As with the extension the function is defined as part of, it will have a suffix modifier indicating the author of the extension. Some example extension suffixes include: KHR - For Khronos authored extensions, EXT - For multi-company authored extensions, AMD - For AMD authored extensions, ARM - For ARM authored extensions, NV - For Nvidia authored extensions. |
| ICD | Acronym for "Installable Client Driver".
These are drivers that are provided by IHVs to interact with the
hardware they provide. These are the most common type of Vulkan drivers. See Installable Client Drivers section for more information. |
| IHV | Acronym for an "Independent Hardware Vendor".
Typically the company that built the underlying hardware technology
that is being used. A typical examples for a Graphics IHV include (but not limited to): AMD, ARM, Imagination, Intel, Nvidia, Qualcomm |
| Instance Call Chain | The call chain of functions followed for instance functions.
This call chain for an instance function is usually as follows: first
the application calls into a loader trampoline, then the loader
trampoline calls enabled layers, the final layer calls a loader
terminator, and the loader terminator calls all available
drivers. See the Dispatch Tables and Call Chains section for more information. |
| Instance Function | An instance function is any Vulkan function which takes as its first
parameter either a VkInstance or a VkPhysicalDevice or
nothing at all. Some Vulkan instance functions are: vkEnumerateInstanceExtensionProperties, vkEnumeratePhysicalDevices, vkCreateInstance, vkDestroyInstance. See the Instance Versus Device section for more information. |
| Layer | Layers are optional components that augment the Vulkan system.
They can intercept, evaluate, and modify existing Vulkan functions on
their way from the application down to the driver. See the Layers section for more information. |
| Layer Library | The Layer Library is the group of all layers the loader is able to discover. These may include both implicit and explicit layers. These layers are available for use by applications unless disabled in some way. For more info, see Layer Discovery . |
| Loader | The middleware program which acts as the mediator between Vulkan
applications, Vulkan layers, and Vulkan drivers. See The Loader section for more information. |
| Manifest Files | Data files in JSON format used by the Khronos loader. These files contain specific information for either a Layer or a Driver and define necessary information such as where to find files and default settings. |
| Terminator Function | The last function in the instance call chain above the driver and owned
by the loader.
This function is required in the instance call chain because all
instance functionality must be communicated to all drivers capable of
receiving the call. See Dispatch Tables and Call Chains for more information. |
| Trampoline Function | The first function in an instance or device call chain owned by the
loader which handles the set up and proper call chain walk using the
appropriate dispatch table.
On device functions (in the device call chain) this function can
actually be skipped. See Dispatch Tables and Call Chains for more information. |
| WSI Extension | Acronym for Windowing System Integration.
A Vulkan extension targeting a particular Windowing system and designed
to interface between the Windowing system and Vulkan. See WSI Extensions for more information. |
| Exported Function | A function which is intended to be obtained through the platform specific
dynamic linker, specifically from a Driver or a Layer library.
Functions that are required to be exported are primarily the very first
functions the Loader calls on a Layer or Driver library. |
| Exposed Function | A function which is intended to be obtained through a Querying Function, such as
`vkGetInstanceProcAddr`.
The exact Querying Function required for a specific exposed function varies
between Layers and Drivers, as well as between interface versions. |
| Querying Functions | These are functions which allow the Loader to query other functions from
drivers and layers. These functions may be in the Vulkan API but also may be
from the private Loader and Driver Interface or the Loader and Layer Interface. These functions are: `vkGetInstanceProcAddr`, `vkGetDeviceProcAddr`, `vk_icdGetInstanceProcAddr`, `vk_icdGetPhysicalDeviceProcAddr`, and `vk_layerGetPhysicalDeviceProcAddr`. |