# General settings

On this tab of the application settings dialog you can adjust global options affecting the user interface and the graphics system of the program.

## User interface

Load file: Use alternative file selection dialog

  Changes the type of file selector shown when you import a simulation file into OVITO. By the default, the operating system’s file selection dialog is used. This option activates a built-in dialog instead, which may or may not provide certain advantages over the standard file selector (depends on your needs).

Modifiers list: Sort by category

  If this option is set, the list of available modifiers is split into function groups. Otherwise, modifiers are shown in one alphabetically ordered list.

## 3D graphics

Graphics hardware interface

  Selects the application programming interface used by OVITO for rendering the contents of the interactive viewports. Currently, OVITO supports the OpenGL and the Vulkan graphics interface. The OpenGL interface is more mature and should work well on most systems. Vulkan is the more modern programming interface, and some graphics drivers may still exhibit compatibility problems. Please inform the OVITO developers about any such problems.

  The Vulkan interface provides the advantage of letting you explicitly select the graphics device to be used by OVITO when the system contains several GPUs and/or integrated graphics processors. For the OpenGL interface, in contrast, you have to make the device selection on the operating system or graphics driver level.

  Note

  The Vulkan renderer option is not available on the macOS platform or in OVITO for Anaconda builds.

  Select System Information from the Help menu of OVITO to access further information about the graphics hardware available in your system. Submit this information to the OVITO developers when reporting graphics compatibility problems.

## Program updates

Periodically check ovito.org website for program updates

  If activated, the program checks for new software updates upon program start by contacting the server www.ovito.org. In case a new program release is available for download, a corresponding notice is displayed in the command panel of the program. No personal information or usage data is transmitted to or logged by the software vendor.