How to increase FPS in games on PC (2026)
Quick Answer
To increase FPS on a PC, start with the changes that give the biggest gain for the least risk: lower the game’s most demanding graphics settings, update your graphics driver, close background apps, and make sure the game is using the correct GPU and a high-performance power mode. If FPS is still poor, check whether you are limited by the GPU, CPU, RAM, storage speed, or overheating before spending money on upgrades.
Overview
Higher FPS usually comes from reducing the work your PC has to do each frame or helping it do that work more efficiently. In practice, that means tuning in-game settings, making sure Windows and your graphics driver are not holding performance back, and checking for bottlenecks such as thermal throttling, background processes, or insufficient memory. The most useful approach is to change one thing at a time and test in the same game area or built-in benchmark so you can see what actually helps. For most players, the biggest improvements come from lowering render-heavy settings such as resolution, render scale, ray tracing, shadows, volumetrics, reflections and anti-aliasing, then enabling the game’s upscaling feature if available. Driver updates and correct power settings can also help, especially on laptops and dual-GPU systems. Hardware upgrades can help too, but only after you know what is limiting performance. If the GPU is maxed out, graphics setting changes or a stronger GPU matter most; if the CPU is pegged, lowering CPU-heavy settings or improving cooling may help more. This guide focuses on safe, practical steps that work on modern Windows gaming PCs without requiring risky tweaks.
Who this is for
PC gamers on Windows who want smoother gameplay, better frame rates, or more stable performance in demanding games.
What you’ll need
- Your gaming PC or laptop
- Administrator access to Windows
- The game you want to optimise
- Current graphics drivers from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel
- A way to monitor performance, such as Windows Task Manager, Xbox Game Bar, or your GPU maker’s performance overlay
- An internet connection for updates if needed
Before you start
Plug laptops into mains power, install any pending Windows updates that are already in progress, and test FPS in one repeatable scene before changing anything. If your monitor supports variable refresh rate, note whether it is already enabled. Back up custom game settings if the title allows export or cloud sync.
Step-by-step
- 1
Measure your current FPS and identify the bottleneck
Open the game and use its built-in benchmark if it has one, or test in the same busy area each time. Turn on an FPS and hardware usage overlay so you can watch frame rate, GPU usage, CPU usage, VRAM use, RAM use and temperatures while playing.
Why: You need a baseline to know whether a change helped. Watching usage also tells you what is holding performance back: a fully loaded GPU points to graphics settings or GPU limits, while high CPU load, memory pressure or high temperatures point elsewhere.
- 2
Update the graphics driver and game
Install the latest stable graphics driver from your GPU manufacturer and make sure the game itself is fully updated. If a new driver causes problems, use the previous stable driver offered by the manufacturer instead of random third-party downloads.
Why: Game patches and official GPU drivers often include performance fixes, compatibility updates and shader improvements that can raise FPS or reduce stutter.
- 3
Optimise the game’s graphics settings in the right order
Lower the settings that usually cost the most performance first: output resolution or render scale, ray tracing, shadows, reflections, volumetric effects, ambient occlusion, view distance and anti-aliasing. Then enable the game’s supported upscaling option if available and choose the quality mode that still looks acceptable to you. Keep texture quality as high as your VRAM allows, because textures often affect memory use more than raw FPS.
Why: Not all settings cost the same. Reducing the heaviest effects first usually gives the biggest FPS gain with the smallest drop in image quality.
- 4
Use the correct Windows and GPU power settings
In Windows, select a performance-focused power mode where appropriate, especially on laptops. In Graphics settings, make sure the game is assigned to the high-performance GPU if your system has integrated and dedicated graphics. Check your GPU control panel for any game-specific setting that forces heavy image quality features globally and return those to application-controlled if needed.
Why: Incorrect power and GPU assignment settings can make a capable PC run a game on low-power hardware or with unnecessary limits.
- 5
Close background apps and reduce overlays
Shut down web browsers, launchers you do not need, RGB utilities, recording tools, and other apps using CPU, RAM, disk or GPU in the background. Disable unnecessary overlays one by one if they are causing issues, including chat, capture or monitoring overlays you are not actively using.
Why: Background software can steal processing time, memory and storage bandwidth, causing lower FPS, stutter or uneven frame pacing.
- 6
Check temperatures, cooling and storage health
Monitor CPU and GPU temperatures during play. Clean dust from vents and fans if airflow is poor, make sure case fans are working, and confirm the laptop or PC is not blocked on soft surfaces. If a game is installed on a very slow or nearly full drive and stutters while loading assets, move it to a faster drive with enough free space if possible.
Why: Overheating can cause thermal throttling, where parts slow themselves down to protect the hardware. Slow or crowded storage can also contribute to hitching and poor asset streaming.
- 7
Tune advanced settings only if needed
If FPS is still too low, test frame caps, V-Sync, variable refresh rate, and low-latency settings to find the smoothest result for your monitor. If you understand the risks, you can also explore mild GPU tuning through the manufacturer’s software, but avoid aggressive overclocks and stop if you see crashes, visual artefacts or instability.
Why: Advanced settings can improve smoothness and reduce latency, but they can also create instability or inconsistent frame pacing if applied blindly.
- 8
Upgrade the right component if software changes are not enough
Use the bottleneck you identified earlier to guide upgrades. A GPU-bound system benefits most from a stronger graphics card; CPU-bound esports or strategy games may need a faster processor platform; stutter with high memory use may need more RAM; long loading and asset streaming problems may point to faster storage.
Why: Buying the wrong upgrade wastes money. Matching the upgrade to the actual bottleneck is the only reliable way to improve FPS cost-effectively.
Why this works
FPS rises when each frame takes less time to render. Lowering demanding visual features reduces GPU workload, closing background tasks frees CPU and memory resources, correct power settings prevent unnecessary throttling, and better cooling helps hardware maintain boost performance instead of slowing down under heat.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Changing many settings at once, so you cannot tell what actually improved performance
- Lowering texture quality first when VRAM is not the real problem
- Forgetting to plug in a gaming laptop before testing
- Updating drivers from unofficial download sites
- Assuming low FPS always means you need a new GPU
- Using aggressive overclocks before fixing heat, power or software issues
Troubleshooting
FPS is low only on battery power
Plug the laptop into mains power and switch to a higher performance power mode. Many laptops reduce CPU and GPU performance on battery to extend runtime.
The game stutters even though average FPS looks fine
Check background apps, RAM use, VRAM use and storage activity. Try lowering texture quality if VRAM is full, reduce background processes, and move the game to faster storage if asset streaming is the issue.
The game is using integrated graphics instead of the dedicated GPU
Set the game to use the high-performance GPU in Windows Graphics settings or the GPU maker’s control software, then restart the game.
Performance became worse after a driver update
Install the previous stable driver from the GPU manufacturer’s official site and retest. Newer is not always better for every game.
FPS drops after playing for a while
Monitor temperatures and clock speeds. If heat rises and clocks fall, improve airflow, clean dust, and make sure fans are functioning properly.
Compare your options
Lower in-game settings
Best for: Fast, no-cost FPS gains in almost any game
Pros: Immediate effect, low risk, easy to test
Cons: Reduced image quality if pushed too far
Driver, Windows and background app optimisation
Best for: Fixing avoidable performance loss and stutter
Pros: Usually free, can improve stability as well as FPS
Cons: Gains vary by system and game
Hardware upgrade
Best for: Systems that remain bottlenecked after optimisation
Pros: Can deliver large and lasting improvements
Cons: Costs more and requires compatible parts
| Option | Best for | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower in-game settings | Fast, no-cost FPS gains in almost any game | Immediate effect, low risk, easy to test | Reduced image quality if pushed too far |
| Driver, Windows and background app optimisation | Fixing avoidable performance loss and stutter | Usually free, can improve stability as well as FPS | Gains vary by system and game |
| Hardware upgrade | Systems that remain bottlenecked after optimisation | Can deliver large and lasting improvements | Costs more and requires compatible parts |
Alternatives
- Use a lower internal render resolution with upscaling to keep the monitor at its native output resolution
- Lock the frame rate to a level your PC can hold steadily for smoother gameplay if maximum FPS is inconsistent
- Use cloud gaming or a game streaming setup if local hardware upgrades are not practical
Pro tips
- Test in the same scene every time and write down the result after each change
- Prioritise frame-time stability as well as average FPS, because a stable lower FPS can feel better than a wildly fluctuating higher one
- In competitive games, lower shadows and effects first to gain FPS while keeping visibility clear
- If a game offers a preset, start at Medium or High and then tune only the expensive settings
- Leave some free storage space on the drive that holds your games and Windows
Safety notes
- Download drivers only from the official NVIDIA, AMD or Intel websites or through their official software
- Power down and unplug a desktop before cleaning dust inside the case
- Be cautious with overclocking and undervolting; instability can cause crashes, data loss during writes, or system corruption
- Do not block laptop vents or use the machine on bedding or other soft surfaces that trap heat
What this guide does not cover: This guide does not cover detailed BIOS tuning, game-specific setting lists, Linux gaming setups, or advanced overclocking procedures.
Cost considerations
Most FPS improvements are free if they come from settings changes, updates and basic maintenance. Costs rise when you move to hardware upgrades, higher-capacity memory, faster storage, better cooling or a new power supply to support a graphics card upgrade.
Frequently asked questions
What game settings usually reduce FPS the most?+
The biggest hitters are usually resolution or render scale, ray tracing, shadows, reflections, volumetric lighting or fog, view distance and anti-aliasing. Exact impact varies by game engine, so test one setting at a time.
Should I turn V-Sync off for more FPS?+
Turning V-Sync off can increase raw FPS and reduce input delay, but it may introduce screen tearing. If your monitor supports variable refresh rate, that often gives a better balance of smoothness and responsiveness.
Does more RAM increase FPS?+
It can help if your current RAM is insufficient and the system is paging to disk, or if a game has heavy background usage. If RAM is not the bottleneck, adding more may not raise average FPS much.
Can an SSD increase FPS?+
Usually it helps loading times and can reduce asset-streaming stutter, but it does not normally transform average FPS on its own. It is more about responsiveness and fewer hitches than raw frame rate.
Are automatic game optimiser tools worth using?+
They can be convenient, but they are not always accurate for your preferences or hardware. Manual testing in the actual game is usually more reliable.
Sources & references
Guidance on this page is traced to documented sources. Last checked 25 September 2026.
- Microsoft Support - Graphics performance preference settings in Windows · official
Supports setting app-specific graphics preferences so games use the preferred GPU on systems with multiple GPUs.
- NVIDIA Drivers · manufacturer
Supports obtaining official NVIDIA graphics drivers from the manufacturer.
- Intel Download Drivers and Software · manufacturer
Supports obtaining official Intel graphics drivers and related software.
The core principles stay the same, but menus, driver features and game-specific options change regularly.