VkPresentModeKHR(3)

# VkPresentModeKHR(3) Manual Page

## Name

VkPresentModeKHR - Presentation mode supported for a surface

## C Specification

Possible values of elements of the vkGetPhysicalDeviceSurfacePresentModesKHR::`pPresentModes` array, indicating the supported presentation modes for a surface, are:

    // Provided by VK_KHR_surface
    typedef enum VkPresentModeKHR {
        VK_PRESENT_MODE_IMMEDIATE_KHR = 0,
        VK_PRESENT_MODE_MAILBOX_KHR = 1,
        VK_PRESENT_MODE_FIFO_KHR = 2,
        VK_PRESENT_MODE_FIFO_RELAXED_KHR = 3,
      // Provided by VK_KHR_shared_presentable_image
        VK_PRESENT_MODE_SHARED_DEMAND_REFRESH_KHR = 1000111000,
      // Provided by VK_KHR_shared_presentable_image
        VK_PRESENT_MODE_SHARED_CONTINUOUS_REFRESH_KHR = 1000111001,
      // Provided by VK_KHR_present_mode_fifo_latest_ready
        VK_PRESENT_MODE_FIFO_LATEST_READY_KHR = 1000361000,
      // Provided by VK_EXT_present_mode_fifo_latest_ready
        VK_PRESENT_MODE_FIFO_LATEST_READY_EXT = VK_PRESENT_MODE_FIFO_LATEST_READY_KHR,
    } VkPresentModeKHR;

## Description

- VK_PRESENT_MODE_IMMEDIATE_KHR specifies that the presentation engine does not wait for a vertical blanking period to update the current image, meaning this mode may result in visible tearing. No internal queuing of presentation requests is needed, as the requests are applied immediately.

- VK_PRESENT_MODE_MAILBOX_KHR specifies that the presentation engine waits for the next vertical blanking period to update the current image. Tearing cannot be observed. An internal single-entry queue is used to hold pending presentation requests. If the queue is full when a new presentation request is received, the new request replaces the existing entry, and any images associated with the prior entry become available for reuse by the application. One request is removed from the queue and processed during each vertical blanking period in which the queue is non-empty.

- VK_PRESENT_MODE_FIFO_KHR specifies that the presentation engine waits for the next vertical blanking period to update the current image. Tearing cannot be observed. An internal queue is used to hold pending presentation requests. New requests are appended to the end of the queue, and one request is removed from the beginning of the queue and processed during each vertical blanking period in which the queue is non-empty. This is the only value of `presentMode` that is required to be supported.

- VK_PRESENT_MODE_FIFO_RELAXED_KHR specifies that the presentation engine generally waits for the next vertical blanking period to update the current image. If a vertical blanking period has already passed since the last update of the current image then the presentation engine does not wait for another vertical blanking period for the update, meaning this mode may result in visible tearing in this case. This mode is useful for reducing visual stutter with an application that will mostly present a new image before the next vertical blanking period, but may occasionally be late, and present a new image just after the next vertical blanking period. An internal queue is used to hold pending presentation requests. New requests are appended to the end of the queue, and one request is removed from the beginning of the queue and processed during or after each vertical blanking period in which the queue is non-empty.

- VK_PRESENT_MODE_FIFO_LATEST_READY_KHR specifies that the presentation engine waits for the next vertical blanking period to update the current image. Tearing cannot be observed. An internal queue is used to hold pending presentation requests. New requests are appended to the end of the queue. At each vertical blanking period, the presentation engine dequeues all successive requests that are ready to be presented from the beginning of the queue. If using the `VK_GOOGLE_display_timing` extension or the `presentAtAbsoluteTime` feature to provide a target present time, the presentation engine checks the specified time for each image. If the target present time is less-than or equal-to the current time, the presentation engine dequeues the image and checks the next one. The image of the last dequeued request is presented. The other dequeued requests are dropped.

- VK_PRESENT_MODE_SHARED_DEMAND_REFRESH_KHR specifies that the presentation engine and application have concurrent access to a single image, which is referred to as a shared presentable image. The presentation engine is only required to update the current image after a new presentation request is received. Therefore the application must make a presentation request whenever an update is required. However, the presentation engine may update the current image at any point, meaning this mode may result in visible tearing.

- VK_PRESENT_MODE_SHARED_CONTINUOUS_REFRESH_KHR specifies that the presentation engine and application have concurrent access to a single image, which is referred to as a shared presentable image. The presentation engine periodically updates the current image on its regular refresh cycle. The application is only required to make one initial presentation request, after which the presentation engine must update the current image without any need for further presentation requests. The application can indicate the image contents have been updated by making a presentation request, but this does not guarantee the timing of when it will be updated. This mode may result in visible tearing if rendering to the image is not timed correctly.

The supported VkImageUsageFlagBits of the presentable images of a swapchain created for a surface may differ depending on the presentation mode, and can be determined as per the table below:

Table 1. Presentable Image Usage Queries
Presentation mode | Image usage flags
--- | ---
VK_PRESENT_MODE_IMMEDIATE_KHR | VkSurfaceCapabilitiesKHR::`supportedUsageFlags`
VK_PRESENT_MODE_MAILBOX_KHR | VkSurfaceCapabilitiesKHR::`supportedUsageFlags`
VK_PRESENT_MODE_FIFO_KHR | VkSurfaceCapabilitiesKHR::`supportedUsageFlags`
VK_PRESENT_MODE_FIFO_RELAXED_KHR | VkSurfaceCapabilitiesKHR::`supportedUsageFlags`
VK_PRESENT_MODE_FIFO_LATEST_READY_KHR | VkSurfaceCapabilitiesKHR::`supportedUsageFlags`
VK_PRESENT_MODE_SHARED_DEMAND_REFRESH_KHR | VkSharedPresentSurfaceCapabilitiesKHR::`sharedPresentSupportedUsageFlags`
VK_PRESENT_MODE_SHARED_CONTINUOUS_REFRESH_KHR | VkSharedPresentSurfaceCapabilitiesKHR::`sharedPresentSupportedUsageFlags`

Note | For reference, the mode indicated by VK_PRESENT_MODE_FIFO_KHR is equivalent to the behavior of {wgl|glX|egl}SwapBuffers with a swap interval of 1, while the mode indicated by VK_PRESENT_MODE_FIFO_RELAXED_KHR is equivalent to the behavior of {wgl|glX}SwapBuffers with a swap interval of -1 (from the {WGL|GLX}_EXT_swap_control_tear extensions).

## See Also

VK_KHR_surface, VkLatencySurfaceCapabilitiesNV, VkSurfacePresentModeCompatibilityKHR, VkSurfacePresentModeKHR, VkSwapchainCreateInfoKHR, VkSwapchainPresentModeInfoKHR, VkSwapchainPresentModesCreateInfoKHR, vkGetPhysicalDeviceSurfacePresentModes2EXT, vkGetPhysicalDeviceSurfacePresentModesKHR

## Document Notes

For more information, see the Vulkan Specification.

This page is extracted from the Vulkan Specification. Fixes and changes should be made to the Specification, not directly.

## Copyright

Copyright 2014-2026 The Khronos Group Inc.

SPDX-License-Identifier: CC-BY-4.0