--- title: "Rendering | PrimalDesk Docs" description: "Understand the green and blue window frames, automatic video switching and presentation counter." url: "https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/remote-apps-rendering" --- # Rendering Understand the green and blue window frames, automatic video switching and presentation counter. Each remote window has a **green or blue frame**. It distinguishes remote windows from local ones and shows how the window’s content is currently being delivered. Different windows can use different modes at the same time. ## Pixel updates — green frame A green frame means **pixel updates**. PrimalDesk sends changed regions as compressed images. This mode can mix lossless QOI with lossy JPEG, so a green frame does not promise exact pixel values or artifact-free text. It is a good fit for interfaces that change infrequently or only in small areas, such as documents, settings and many business applications. Keeping these windows out of continuous video reduces hardware encoding work and the number of simultaneous video encoding sessions. Pixel updates still require capture, compression and decoding; they do not eliminate processing costs. Sending changed regions can also reduce traffic, depending on content, update frequency and compression. It is not a guarantee of lower bandwidth than video, especially during motion. Hardware video capacity depends on the GPU, driver and available resources. NVIDIA also applies concurrent-session limits to some GPUs; consult its [NVENC documentation](https://docs.nvidia.com/video-technologies/video-codec-sdk/13.1/nvenc-application-note/index.html#nvenc-licensing-policy) for your configuration rather than assuming one universal window limit. ![Notepad running through Remote Apps with a green frame indicating pixel updates.](https://docs.primaldesk.com/screenshots/remote-apps/lossless.png) Notepad in Remote Apps. The green frame indicates pixel updates. ## Video — blue frame A blue frame means the window is delivered as an **H.264 or HEVC video stream**. PrimalDesk switches automatically when large areas change frequently. The **whole window** becomes a video stream, not just the busy region. When activity falls, automatic mode can return to pixel updates. You can choose a preferred codec in the client. HEVC is used only when the host permits it and both sides successfully negotiate it; selecting it does not force an unsupported codec. ![Video-editor illustration with a blue remote frame and a 60 fps presentation counter.](https://docs.primaldesk.com/screenshots/remote-apps/video.png) The entire editor uses video mode, including the timeline. The counter is an illustration, not a benchmark. ### What the FPS counter measures The small counter in video mode counts **frame presentations on the client**. It describes the final output, not the application’s render rate or simply the configured FPS limit. It can be limited by: 1. How frequently the host produces frames for presentation. 2. Frames discarded by the latency policy to avoid displaying old content. 3. Frames lost or discarded because of network instability. 4. Local decoding, graphics resources and presentation capabilities. ### HDR10 and 4:4:4 The video path supports HDR10 and 4:4:4 when **HEVC negotiation succeeds** and the required host policy, encoder, decoder and display capabilities are available. These options are best-effort: not every hardware codec supports HDR or 4:4:4, and HEVC support alone does not imply support for either. Do not assume that every video-mode window is HDR or 4:4:4. ### Always use video for an application For programs that continually redraw large areas, such as games or video editors, an administrator can enable **Force video** when [publishing the application](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/remote-apps-publishing.md). This starts the application in video-only mode rather than waiting for automatic switching. ![Independent windows over an example canvas, including a semi-transparent panel and a transparent cutout.](https://docs.primaldesk.com/screenshots/remote-apps/transparency.png) Independent window surfaces and alpha transparency. This guide describes the current development and testing phase. [Back to documentation](https://docs.primaldesk.com/docs.md) ## Explore PrimalDesk - [PrimalDesk Docs: all pages](https://docs.primaldesk.com/llms.txt) - [PrimalDesk: all pages](https://primaldesk.com/llms.txt) - [Product overview](https://primaldesk.com/index.md) - [Documentation](https://docs.primaldesk.com/docs.md) - [Help center](https://docs.primaldesk.com/help-center.md) ## Other pages on this site - [PrimalDesk Docs | Multi-user Windows remote desktop](https://docs.primaldesk.com/index.md) - [Adaptive video bitrate | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/adaptive-video-bitrate.md) - [Connection overview | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/connection-overview.md) - [Desktop or Apps: which mode should I choose? | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/desktop-vs-apps.md) - [Make your first connection | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/first-connection.md) - [GDPR and data requests | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/gdpr.md) - [Windows compatibility | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/host-compatibility.md) - [Firewall and ports | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/host-firewall.md) - [Technical requirements | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/host-requirements.md) - [Install and manage a Windows host | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/install-and-manage-host.md) - [Mouse and keyboard controls | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/mouse-keyboard.md) - [Work with multiple monitors | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/multiple-monitors.md) - [Connect across different networks | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/nat-traversal.md) - [Network quality and frame rate | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/network-quality.md) - [RDS role and licensing | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/rds-licensing.md) - [Fullscreen | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/remote-apps-fullscreen.md) - [Integration | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/remote-apps-integration.md) - [Overview | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/remote-apps-overview.md) - [Apps publishing | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/remote-apps-publishing.md) - [Rendering | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/remote-apps-rendering.md) - [Apps restrictions | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/remote-apps-restrictions.md) - [Session types | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/remote-apps-session-types.md) - [Version support | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/remote-apps-version-support.md) - [Audio | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/session-audio.md) - [Clipboard | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/session-clipboard.md) - [Input | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/session-input.md) - [Third-party notices | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/third-party-notices.md) - [Connection security | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/transport-security.md) - [TURN relay | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/turn-relay.md) - [Why does video quality change? | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/video-quality-changes.md) - [Windows sessions | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/windows-sessions.md) - [Workspace: connect from your browser | PrimalDesk Docs](https://docs.primaldesk.com/articles/workspace.md) - [Windows host setup and network documentation | PrimalDesk](https://docs.primaldesk.com/docs.md) - [Remote desktop help center | PrimalDesk](https://docs.primaldesk.com/help-center.md)