System Requirements
Ensure your machine meets the requirements for Topaz Photo prior to downloading and before installing.
You will need stable high-speed internet in order to download Topaz Photo to your computer. After Topaz Photo is downloaded, the app will also need internet access for activation every month, and if you want to install updates.
- Virtual Machines and Ghost Machines are not supported.
- NAS setups are not supported.
- E GPUs are not supported.
- Linux Operating Systems are not supported.
Compatibility Check
Step 1 -> Get your Windows System Profile
Find Your PC's System Profile
Step 2 -> Import your System Profile
Check your PC's Compatibility here
Step 1 -> Get your Mac System Profile
Find Your Mac's System Profile
Step 2 -> Import your System Profile
Check your Mac's Compatibility here
Minimum Requirements
| Operating System | Windows 10 (1) or 11 |
| CPU | Intel OR AMD Processor (2), with AVX instructions, released after 2016 |
| System Memory (RAM) | 16GB (3) |
| Dedicated Graphics Card | NVIDIA graphic card - 6GB VRAM (4) |
| AMD graphic card - 6GB VRAM (4) | |
| Intel ARC graphic card - 6GB VRAM (4) | |
| Integrated Graphics Card | Intel UHD 600 Graphics (5) |
| Intel Iris Xe (5) | |
| Disk Space on C:/ | 50 GB of space (6) |
(1) In October 2025, the Windows 10 OS will stop receiving any further Windows Support or updates. Therefore, we strongly recommend updating to Windows 11 to avoid issues and incompatibilities with Topaz Photo. If you remain on Windows 10, make sure to be on the latest Windows 10 updates (minimum build 19045).
(2) Snapdragon Processors are now supported in Topaz Photo. See the Snapdragon section for specific information.
(3) For large upscales, 24GB of RAM (system memory) or more may be needed, especially if you do not have a dedicated graphics card.
(4) These generative enhancements: Super Focus, Dust & Scratch, Wonder and Standard Max AI are memory-intensive generative models that require 8GB of VRAM to run. They may work with 6GB of VRAM, but will be slow and it is recommended that you have 8GB of VRAM for them to work correctly.
(5) If you only have an Integrated graphics card and no Dedicated graphics card, Topaz Photo will work only if you meet the RAM requirement of 16Gb of RAM. However, even with the required amount of RAM, the lack of VRAM will make processing slow (especially large Upscales), and the computer will not work with memory-intensive Generative AI models.
(6)Topaz Photo will take 43GB of space in "/ProgramData" folder, 2GB in "/Program Files" and will need an extra 5GB of free available disk space for temp files. We recommend keeping the default install location on the C: drive to avoid plugin conflicts and issues. If Topaz Photo is installed on another drive than C: - it still requires at least 5GB of free extra space on C: to function properly. If there is less than 5GB of space on C:, an in-app warning will appear prompting you to free up space.
| Operating System | Windows 11 - most updated version |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon (X, X Plus, X Elite) |
| System Memory | 24GB RAM |
| NPU | Qualcomm Hexagon |
| GPU | Qualcomm Adreno |
| Disk Space on C:/ | 50GB of space (1) |
(1) Topaz Photo will take 43GB of space in "/ProgramData" folder, 2GB in "/Program Files", and will need an extra 5GB of free available space for temp files. We recommend keeping the default install location on the C: drive to avoid plugin conflicts and issues. If Photo AI is installed on another drive than C: - it still requires at least 5GB of free extra space on C: to function properly. If there is less than 5GB of space on C:, an in-app warning will appear prompting you to free up space.
The requirements below are if you have a Apple M-series.
| Mac Operating System | macOS 12 Monterey and higher (1) |
| CPU & Graphics Card | Apple M-series |
| System Memory | 16GB RAM (2) |
| Disk Space | 20GB of space (3) |
(1) We highly recommend to be on macOS 14 (Sonoma) or 15 (Sequoia) to be able to use all of the Topaz Photo enhancements. Our Generative AI models require macOS 14 or higher and will not work on macOS 11 (Big Sur), 12 (Monterey) or 13 (Ventura). If you update to the newest macOS 26 (Tahoe) there may be incompatibilities and issues that we are looking into. Make sure to write to support@topazlabs.com to report any issues with the new macOS.
(2) For large upscales, 24GB of RAM or more may be needed.
(3) We recommend keeping the default install location in the Applications folder to avoid conflicts and issues. Do not place Topaz Photo in a sub-folder within Finder > Applications, or it will cause plugin conflicts.
Recommended Specifications
| Operating System | Windows 11 - most updated version |
| CPU | Intel OR AMD Processor, with AVX instructions, released after 2020 |
| System Memory | 24GB RAM |
| Dedicated Graphics Card | NVIDIA RTX series - 8GB VRAM or more |
| AMD 5000 series - 8GB VRAM or more | |
| Intel ARC - 8GB VRAM or more | |
| Disk Space on C:/ | 50GB+ of space (1) |
(1) Topaz Photo will take 43GB of space in "/ProgramData" folder, 2GB in "/Program Files", and will need an extra 5GB of free available space for temp files. We recommend keeping the default install location on the C: drive to avoid plugin conflicts and issues. If Topaz Photo is installed on another drive than C: - it still requires at least 5GB of free extra space on C: to function properly. If there is less than 5GB of space on C:, an in-app warning will appear prompting you to free up space.
| Mac Operating System | macOS 15 (1) |
| CPU & Graphics Card | Apple M-series (Pro, Max, or Ultra) |
| System Memory | 24GB+ RAM |
| Disk Space | 20GB+ of space (2) |
(1) If you update to the newest macOS 26 (Tahoe) there may be incompatibilities and issues that we are looking into. Make sure to write to support@topazlabs.com to report any issues with the new macOS.
(2) We recommend keeping the default install location in the Applications folder to avoid conflicts and issues. Do not place Topaz Photo in a sub-folder within Finder > Applications, or it will cause plugin conflicts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Step 1 - Get your Windows System Profile
- See the steps below on how to find your System Profile.
- Your System Profile will be a file named: Dxdiag.txt
Click here for Steps to Find Your System Profile (Windows)
Step 2 - Check your System Profile
- Once you have your Dxdiag.txt, you can then check if you meet the Minimum Requirements or Recommended Specifications for Topaz Photo
- The RAM information will be in the "System Information" section of your System Profile (Memory)
- The VRAM and graphic card information is in the "Display Devices" section (Dedicated Memory)
Step 1 - Get your Mac System Profile
- See the steps below on how to find your System Profile.
- Your System Profile will be a .spx file.
Find Your System Profile (Mac)
Step 2 - Check your System Profile
- Once you have your .spx file, you can then check if you meet the Minimum Requirements or Recommended Specifications for Topaz Photo
- The RAM information will be in the "Hardware" section of your System Profile (Memory)
- If you own a Intel Mac computer, the graphic card information is in the "Graphic Displays" section, this will give you the amount of VRAM you have (can disregard this part if you own a Apple Sillicon M Chip Mac).
If your System does not meet the minimum requirements for Topaz Photo, slow behavior, limitations using all the enhancements and issues can occur.
- You can Reach out to Support and send us your System Profile, and we can provide workarounds - if any are possible.
- Alternatively, instead of using Topaz Photo with an underpowered computer, you can look into our suite of Web Apps - These will work, no matter what computer you have, as they are accessed through your web browser.