How to fix “Failed to initialize WebGL”
- Disaster Science
- Bushfire.io
- December 29, 2022
Table of Contents
WebGL was introduced with Bushfire.io v3. We use WebGL to display interactive content on the map. WebGL uses your computer’s graphics card for demanding work, such as flying around the map, so that content displays quickly. With WebGL, Bushfire.io uses less CPU and memory, and responds faster.
While 98% of computing devices globally support WebGL, some users have trouble because of old, unsupported or faulty hardware, or an unsupported configuration (such as WebGL being turned off).
Possible Quick Fix / Workaround
- Restart your device. A restart resets the hardware, and graphics cards can get into a bad state. This is not supposed to happen, but some devices have bugs.
- If you use macOS, try Firefox, Chrome or Edge. More users have this problem on macOS, but we do not yet know why.
- If you use another operating system, try Firefox, Chrome or Edge.
In-depth Fix
If you want a more in-depth guide, or want to fix what might be going on internally, follow this guide. Start by identifying the browser you’re using, and then follow the instructions for that browser.
