How to increase FPS in games on a Windows PC
By Austin Copeland, founder of Hypertune. Austin to confirm: one line on why he knows
Last updated 27 October 2026.
To increase FPS on a Windows PC, find whether the processor or the graphics card is the limit, then fix that part, starting with free changes. Lower the heaviest in-game settings, turn on upscaling, update the graphics driver, close background apps and check temperatures before you touch memory profiles or overclocking.
The order, quickest first:
- Measure FPS and find the bottleneck with Game Bar or your graphics overlay.
- Lower the in-game settings that cost the most FPS.
- Turn on DLSS, FSR or XeSS upscaling.
- Use frame generation only if your card and game support it, and the game already runs smoothly.
- Update your graphics driver.
- Close background apps and extra overlays.
- Check temperatures and clear dust.
- Apply the safe Windows tweaks in the PC tweaks section.
- Turn on XMP or EXPO for memory, then consider overclocking.
Click-by-click Windows paths: how to optimize your PC for gaming.
Find what limits your FPS first
A game is either GPU bound or CPU bound, and each needs different fixes. Measuring first stops you from lowering settings that will not help.
Press Windows + G, open Game Bar's Performance widget (CPU, GPU, RAM, FPS). On NVIDIA, enable In-Game Overlay in the NVIDIA App under Settings > Features, then press Alt + R. On AMD, press Ctrl + Shift + O for the Adrenalin metrics overlay.
Play a familiar spot for a minute and watch GPU usage. Near maximum GPU usage means the graphics card is the limit: lower settings, upscaling and frame generation help most. GPU usage well below maximum with low FPS means the processor is the limit: close background apps, lower view distance and look at faster memory. Confirm by dropping resolution one step: a big FPS jump means GPU bound; almost no change means CPU bound.
Screenshot needed: Game Bar Performance widget during a game, showing FPS and GPU usage.
Lower the in-game settings that cost the most FPS
Lowering a few heavy graphics options usually beats any other free change. Set the game to fullscreen at native resolution, then lower these one at a time and recheck FPS after each.
| Setting | Cost to FPS | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| Shadows | High | Medium or low |
| Volumetric lighting and fog | High | Low or off |
| Reflections | High | Lower quality |
| Ray tracing | High | Off, or its lowest level source needed |
| Ambient occlusion | Medium | Lower, or off |
| Anti-aliasing | Medium | A lighter method, such as FXAA instead of MSAA |
| View distance, crowds and physics | Loads the processor | Lower these when the game is CPU bound source needed |
If FPS sits exactly on your refresh rate, V-Sync is capping it; turn V-Sync off to see the uncapped frame rate. Per-game values: Counter-Strike 2, Fortnite, Call of Duty: Warzone, Valorant.
Turn on upscaling: DLSS, FSR or XeSS
Upscaling raises FPS by rendering at a lower resolution and rebuilding a full-resolution image, so the GPU does less work per frame. NVIDIA DLSS runs on GeForce RTX cards; AMD FSR and Intel XeSS run on a wide range of cards. to confirm: current FSR and XeSS hardware support Start in Quality mode; move to Balanced or Performance only if you need more frames, since lower modes look softer. Upscaling helps most when the game is GPU bound.
Use frame generation when the game already runs smoothly
Frame generation inserts generated frames between the ones the GPU renders. NVIDIA DLSS Frame Generation needs a GeForce RTX 40 Series card or newer (and hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling on; see the GPU scheduling guide). AMD FSR Frame Generation and Intel XeSS Frame Generation work in supported games; AMD Fluid Motion Frames can add it from the driver on supported Radeon cards. to confirm: hardware support for each
Generated frames smooth motion, but input still tracks the rendered frame rate. Use frame generation in single-player titles that already feel responsive, not as a fix for a game that is already choppy.
Update your graphics driver
A current driver often raises FPS in recent games because updates ship performance fixes for them. Install through the NVIDIA App, AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition or Intel Driver & Support Assistant. Click paths: the gaming guide.
Close background apps and extra overlays
Background apps steal CPU time and memory, which hurts most when the game is CPU bound. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc for Task Manager, sort Processes by CPU, and close browsers, video calls and downloads before you play.
Keep one overlay for FPS and turn the rest off. To stop Windows recording in the background: Settings > Gaming > Captures, turn off Record what happened. to confirm: label on the current Windows 11 build For startup apps, follow step 6 of the gaming guide.
Keep your PC cool
A hot CPU or GPU slows itself down. FPS that falls after a few minutes of play usually points to heat. Task Manager shows GPU temperature under Performance > GPU; for the CPU, use the Adrenalin metrics overlay or a free tool such as HWiNFO. Clean dust from fans and filters and keep case airflow clear.
Screenshot needed: Task Manager, Performance > GPU, with the temperature visible.
PC tweaks for more FPS
These tweaks make Windows give the game full power and the correct graphics card. All are built into Windows 10 and 11 and all are reversible. Full steps and Windows 10 paths: the gaming guide.
Windows tweaks that help FPS
| Tweak | Where (Windows 11) | What it does for FPS |
|---|---|---|
| Game Mode on | Settings > Gaming > Game Mode | Holds back Windows Update while you play; on by default |
| Best performance power mode | Settings > System > Power & battery > Power mode | Lets the processor run at full speed |
| High performance graphics per game | Settings > System > Display > Graphics, the game > Options | Uses the stronger of two graphics chips |
| Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling | Settings > System > Display > Graphics > Change default graphics settings | Can smooth frame delivery; see should you turn on hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling |
| Optimizations for windowed games | Same page as GPU scheduling | Lowers latency in borderless windowed mode to confirm: wording and Windows build |
| Highest refresh rate | Settings > System > Display > Advanced display | Shows frames above 60 on a high-refresh monitor |
Screenshot needed: Settings > System > Display > Graphics, with a game set to High performance.
Tweaks to skip, and what to do instead
Skip RAM cleaner apps: they empty memory the game then reloads. Keep Windows Security on; the FPS cost is small and the protection is not. Leave process priority at its default in Task Manager; Realtime can starve mouse, keyboard and audio. Take registry tweaks only from sources that explain each change and how to undo it. Put time into the table above instead. to confirm with the Hypertune reviewer: wording next to Windows Debloating
Advanced: faster memory and overclocking
Faster memory and overclocking add FPS after the free steps, especially in CPU-bound games. Most RAM runs below its rated speed until you enable its profile in the BIOS. The XMP guide for Intel boards and the EXPO guide for AMD are not published yet.
Overclocking runs the CPU or GPU above stock speed. It adds heat and, pushed too far, crashes games. Change one value at a time and test each change in a demanding game.
How to increase FPS on a laptop
Plug the laptop in first: many models limit CPU and GPU on battery. Set power mode to Best performance, pick the maker's performance mode in its control app, and confirm each game uses the dedicated graphics card. If that app offers a dedicated-graphics mode (often called a MUX switch), turn it on and restart. to confirm: wording for common makers Keep vents clear; on a thin laptop, cooling matters more than overclocking.
Let Hypertune do it
Every step above is free. Use them first. Hypertune is a Windows app for the slower work: stress-tested CPU and GPU overclocks, Windows Debloating, Network Optimizations, Memory Optimizations and Game Hub. to confirm: which steps on this page Windows Debloating and Memory Optimizations cover
Hypertune stress-tests each overclock on your hardware and skips any your cooling cannot hold. On Intel processors, CPU tuning is built on Intel's Extreme Tuning Utility. Hypertune is an Intel and AMD partner and supports NVIDIA graphics cards.
Game Hub profiles can change files inside a game. Hypertune makes no unsafe changes. Read how Hypertune keeps your PC safe.
Hypertune creates a Windows restore point. Undo changes in the Restore tab.
Users see up to 60% higher FPS. to confirm: source and date for this line
See how Hypertune works. Is Hypertune right for you?
Screenshot needed: Hypertune's Restore tab, showing the most recent restore point.
Questions
How do I improve FPS without upgrading hardware?
Lower the heaviest graphics settings, turn on DLSS, FSR or XeSS, update the graphics driver, close background apps and keep the PC cool. Then enable XMP or EXPO and, if you want, overclock to get more from the parts you already own.
How much FPS do I need?
Aim for a frame rate at or above your monitor's refresh rate: a 144 Hz monitor shows up to 144 frames a second; a 60 Hz monitor up to 60.
Why is my FPS low on a good PC?
Low FPS on strong hardware usually comes from a setting: the game on the built-in graphics chip, the monitor cable in the motherboard, memory below its rated speed, or heat. A dedicated "why is my FPS so low" guide is not live yet, so this answer stays here until that page ships.