Guide on how to disable GameVisual (June 2024)

[hexaae]

You know the problem: ASUS don't want to make GameVisual as an optional plugin for Armoury Crate, despite HUGE request by the customers (@ASUS: a simple ON/OFF of the whole feature would be greatly appreciated).

Previous expedient included the practice to delete the dirs:

"C:\Program Files\ASUS\ARMOURY CRATE Service\GameVisualPlugin"
"C:\ProgramData\ASUS\GameVisual"

but this is not working anymore and AC will auto repopulate those dirs in background and on next reboot GameVisual will run as usual, altering default screen calibration (which sometimes can be very good or you simply don't like ASUS "professional calibration" at all for your panel/room lighting conditions). Really, it shouldn't be forced the ASUS Splendid/GameVisual "pro" color profile setup and an option ON/OFF should always be provided.

So here is my new working solution.

1. download Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) from
https://docs.microsoft.com/it-it/windows-hardware/get-started/adk-install

2. install just "Application Compatibility Tools" and untick everything else (less than 10MB to install)

3. run the 64bit version (to patch a 64bit exe)

4. load this compatibility fix (.sdb native Microsoft format from my OneDrive, totally safe) from Compatibility Administrator app, then Save & Install it (will appear under usual Windows Installed apps list)

What does it do? Simply forces the task responsible to apply the different .icm calibrations to quit immediately after launch. That's it. You don't have to remove directories or files or whatsoever. Any screen profile change in GameVisual (or after boot) will simply do nothing nullifying GameVisual color profile changes attempts.

HDR (Dolby Vision) still seems to work fine on my SCAR 18 G834JY (2023).

Enjoy!

[IcePanther]

I found an alternate solution that requires no installation, and seems to survive a reboot so far, on Windows 11 Pro.

• Navigate to "C:\Program Files\ASUS\ARMOURY CRATE Service\GameVisualPlugin"
• Right click on "GameVisualPlugin.dll", then select Properties
• Select "Security" tab
• Click on the "Modify" button (this may trigger a UAC prompt)
• Select the "System" user
• Check "Deny"  next to "Read and execute"
• Click OK to validate and close the property dialog.

This prevents the Armory Crate Service, which runs as the System user, from loading the DLL. So it's still there and it won't try to recreate it, but can't execute it.

For it to apply, you need either to restart or go to the Services computer management applet (right click on start menu -> computer management -> services -> find "Armory Crate Service" and restart it).

[hexaae]

Based on your other solution, to make it permanent (or on next AC update "GameVIsualPlugin.dll" file permissions will be reset), here is the MS-ACT fix:

It will prevent Armoury Crate Service from loading the DLL and will work even after any AC update (at least if they don't change file names and copyright metadata...).

Here is the file .SDB (native Microsoft format from my OneDrive, totally safe) you can import, Save, Install it from MS-ACT (aka Compatibility Administrator tool). Then reboot and you should find GameVisual totally disabled from within Armoury Crate, future updates proof.

[hexaae]

One last thing: remember to disable custom color profile

Settings > Screen > Advanced screen settings > Video card properties ... Color profile for the screen

or apps like Photo will still use the ASUS/GameVisual color profile...

[norius]

it worked. Thank you very much. So, did you choose the Automatically manage color for apps option? It seems to me that it corrected the colors.

[BebopGames]

So....tried the thing with only deleting the folders for Game Visual Plugin. 

Once I adjusted my Nvidia settings which is only the one slider on Digital Vibrancy, I opened the Armory app. It qued for a bit searching then loaded up without the Game Visual option in my menu. Opened up a game and no issues. I rebooted and same results. Not there, didnt force a reinstall, Nvidia settings is holding. DID NOT install anything, not for not trusting you guys but just experimenting. I'll keep yall posted.

[hexaae]

I don't like it because it changes iGPU colors to an ugly bluish tint here... I keep it off. The only advantage is It should grant the same colors for all apps when using calibrated color profiles (i.e. for example with GameVisual). In our case, since GV is disabled and we removed custom color profile for apps (see my msg above), has no real advantage.

[malinduchathura]

This is a bug in asuss  system control interface. As you can see in this post Solved: Gamevisual causes color saturation fade when using... - Republic of Gamers Forum - 1023515 (...

[hexaae]

Bluish tint in previous post was due to the Windiws option... No... the desaturation is because GV applies a specific color profile, also per app basis: you can have no color profile for the desktop, but apps like Photos will show washed out pictures because will apply calibrated profile... In comparison if you open the same pic with a freeware viewer you'll notice only Photos shows desaturated pics.

I spent 1 entire day understanding how it works VG, its interactions with Windows, which color profiles uses (and where are them) and the fact some modern apps only will also use these color profile (a real mess...)

[hannah_walters]

This guide on disabling GameVisual was super helpful! My games were stuttering a lot and this fixed it completely. Now, if only I could find a way to adjust the cost for my customized software development services - maybe I can find a similar guide for that!