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 26 October 2026.
To increase FPS on a Windows PC, first find out whether your processor or your graphics card is holding the frame rate back, then fix that part, starting with the free changes. Lower the heaviest in-game settings, turn on upscaling, update your graphics driver, close background apps and check temperatures before you move on to faster memory and overclocking.
The order, quickest first:
- Measure your 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 if your graphics card and game support it.
- Update your graphics driver.
- Close background apps and extra overlays.
- Check temperatures and clear out dust.
- Apply the safe Windows tweaks in the PC tweaks section.
- Turn on XMP or EXPO for your memory, then consider overclocking.
For every Windows step click by click, see our guide on how to optimize your PC for gaming.
Find what limits your FPS first
Measuring FPS first tells you which fixes will help. A game's frame rate is limited either by the graphics card (GPU bound) or by the processor (CPU bound), and each has different fixes.
Press Windows + G to open Game Bar and open the Performance widget, which shows CPU, GPU, RAM and FPS. On NVIDIA, turn on 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. GPU usage near its maximum means the graphics card is the limit, so lower settings, upscaling and frame generation help most. GPU usage well below its maximum with low FPS means the processor is the limit, so close background apps, lower view distance and look at faster memory. To confirm, drop the resolution one step: a big FPS gain means GPU bound, almost none 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 graphics settings increases FPS more than any other free change. Set the game to fullscreen at native resolution, then lower these one at a time and check 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 is stuck exactly at your refresh rate, V-Sync is capping it; turn it off to see the full frame rate. Our game pages list values for Counter-Strike 2, Fortnite, Call of Duty: Warzone and Valorant.
Turn on upscaling: DLSS, FSR or XeSS
Upscaling increases FPS by rendering at a lower resolution and rebuilding a full-resolution image, so the graphics card 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 with Quality mode and 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 increases FPS by inserting generated frames between the ones your graphics card renders. NVIDIA DLSS Frame Generation needs a GeForce RTX 40 Series card or newer. AMD FSR Frame Generation and Intel XeSS Frame Generation work in supported games, and AMD Fluid Motion Frames adds it from the driver on supported Radeon cards. to confirm: hardware support for each
Generated frames smooth motion, while the game still responds at the rendered frame rate, so frame generation suits single-player games that already run smoothly.
Update your graphics driver
A current graphics driver often raises FPS in recent games, because driver updates carry performance fixes for them. Install it through the NVIDIA App, AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition or Intel Driver & Support Assistant; the gaming guide has the clicks for each.
Close background apps and extra overlays
Background apps take processor time and memory from the game, which matters most when it 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 off the rest. To stop Windows recording in the background, go to Settings > Gaming > Captures and 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 processor or graphics card slows itself down, so FPS that falls after a few minutes of play usually points to heat. Task Manager shows the graphics card's temperature under Performance > GPU; for the processor, use the Adrenalin metrics overlay or a free tool such as HWiNFO. Clean dust from fans and filters and keep the case's air paths clear.
Screenshot needed: Task Manager, Performance > GPU, with the temperature visible.
PC tweaks for more FPS
The PC tweaks that increase FPS make Windows give the game full power and the right graphics card. All are built into Windows 10 and 11 and all are reversible; the gaming guide has full steps and the Windows 10 paths.
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
Some popular tweaks leave FPS where it was, so put the time into the table above. Let Windows manage memory: RAM cleaner apps empty memory the game then loads again. Keep Windows Security running; it costs little FPS and protects the PC. Leave game priority in Task Manager at its default, since Realtime can starve your mouse, keyboard and audio. Choose registry tweaks only from sources that explain each change and how to undo it. 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 turn on its profile in the BIOS. The XMP guide for Intel and most boards, and the EXPO guide for AMD, are not up yet.
Overclocking runs the processor or graphics card above stock speed. It adds heat and, pushed too far, crashes games, so change one value at a time and test each in a demanding game.
How to increase FPS on a laptop
To increase FPS on a laptop, plug it in first, because many laptops limit the processor and graphics card on battery. Set the power mode to Best performance, pick the maker's performance mode in its app, and check 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 the vents clear; on a thin laptop, cooling matters more than overclocking.
Let Hypertune do it
Every step above is free. Hypertune is a Windows app for the slow parts, like testing overclocks. Hypertune's features are CPU Overclocking, GPU Overclocking, 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 can't 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 change in-game settings through each game's config files, which is the only way to change them, and that is all they change. Hypertune makes no unsafe changes. Read how Hypertune keeps your PC safe.
Hypertune creates a Windows restore point, and you can 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?
You improve FPS without upgrading hardware by lowering the heaviest graphics settings, turning on DLSS, FSR or XeSS, updating your graphics driver, closing background apps and keeping the PC cool. Then XMP or EXPO and overclocking get more from the parts you 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 a strong PC 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. The page on why your FPS is so low is not up yet, so this answer stays on this page until that guide is live.