Facing Latency and low-resolution issues while running Playwright automation scripts in Azure VM

Hello Srividya,

Thank you for posting question on Microsoft Windows Forum!

Based on the issue description. Well! Your diagnostic reveals that you are running in Session 0 (Service mode) with Microsoft Hyper-V Video as the active driver. Because Session 0 has no physical or virtual monitor attached, Windows defaults to a "headless" state. A fixed 1024x768 resolution and Software Rendering, which explains both your resolution cap and the Three.js latency.

The suggestion here to fix this for an Electron/Three.js app is to force an Interactive Session and bypass Session 0 isolation.

Hope the above information is helpful! If it helps you get more insight into the issue, it is appreciated to accept the answer. Should you have more questions, feel free to leave a message.

Hello @Srividya Kotipalli - EXT

Thank you for sharing the detailed analysis of the issue.

Based on your diagnostics, the issue is clearly caused by this line:

⚠ Running in Session 0 (service)

Your Electron application (React + Three.js) requires a real interactive desktop to run at the required resolution of 1920 × 1200. However, because the automation is running in Session 0 (Windows service session), Windows does not provide a true display environment.

As a result:

• The resolution is limited to 1024 × 768

DPI information is unavailable

GPU acceleration cannot fully bind to a desktop

UI rendering may be unstable or slower

Even though your system correctly detects:

Microsoft Hyper-V Video

Radeon Instinct MI25 MxGPU

DWM running

GPU availability does not override Session 0 limitations. Windows simply does not allow higher resolutions in a service session.

Playwright viewport settings also cannot fix this, because they only control the browser content area - not the actual Windows desktop resolution that Electron depends on.

What needs to change

To run your application at 1920 × 1200, the tests must execute in an interactive user session, not as a Windows service.

Once running under a logged-in user session:

Windows will allow the correct resolution

DPI information will be available

GPU acceleration will work properly

UI tests should become stable

To address the latency and low-resolution issues while running Playwright automation scripts in an Azure VM, consider the following points:

1. Resolution Settings: The low resolution (1024x768) you are experiencing may be due to the VM's display settings. Ensure that the VM is configured to support higher resolutions, such as 1920x1200. You may need to adjust the display settings in the Azure portal or within the VM itself.
2. Session Type: Running in Session 0 (service session) can lead to unstable UI rendering. Ensure that your automation scripts are executed in an interactive session rather than a service session to improve rendering stability.
3. Graphics Driver: The output indicates that you are using the Microsoft Hyper-V Video driver. This may not provide optimal performance for graphical applications. Consider using a VM configuration that supports GPU acceleration, which can enhance rendering performance and resolution.
4. DPI and Scaling: The warning about DPI not being available suggests that scaling settings might not be configured correctly. Check the scaling settings in your VM to ensure they are set appropriately for your desired resolution.
5. Network Latency: If your application is hosted outside the Azure region where your VM is located, you may experience increased latency. Optimize regional latency by ensuring that both your application and VM are in the same Azure region.

By addressing these factors, you should be able to improve both the resolution and performance of your Playwright automation scripts in the Azure VM.