With helpful advice, downloads, and AVG TuneUp—our specialized PC optimization software that helps improve performance and increase FPS—we'll demonstrate how to optimize Windows 11 for gaming so you can experience higher frames per second in well-known games like Destiny 2, GTA V, Call of Duty, Fortnite, Cyberpunk 2077, and Baldur's Gate 3.
However, PC optimization is only a portion of the answer. The majority of games contain a tonne of hidden settings that can significantly alter how they feel and look.
For this reason, we've also examined some of the most popular games and examined how to get the most out of their gameplay. Check out our comprehensive instructions for Fortnite and Grand Theft Auto V.
Let's now examine the top performance modifications that will ensure your Windows laptop or desktop is ready for your next gaming session.
Some of the most effective FPS boosters are also the easiest. Here are the best tricks to increase FPS on your Windows 10 gaming machine:
Enable Game Mode in Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Lower your resolution.
Change your game’s video settings.
Update your graphics card drivers.
Remove unused programs and bloatware.
Boost your Wi-Fi.
Adjust your monitor’s refresh rate.
Configure your mouse/controller settings.
Disable Windows Game Bar.
Click any of the links above to go directly to that section, or keep reading for more details about each technique.
A built-in feature called "Game Mode" helps Windows 11 perform better when you play games on either a custom-built, cutting-edge powerhouse or an ancient museum antique. To improve your computer's frame rate while playing games, turn off background processes such as Windows updates and app notifications by switching to Game Mode.
In the most recent versions of Windows 10 and 11, Game Mode is typically enabled by default. When you play games, your computer ought to be able to tell and adjust its resource priorities.
Here’s how to activate the dedicated Windows 11 gaming mode on your PC to get more FPS (the instructions are similar for Windows 10):
Open your Settings by pressing and holding the Windows key + i.
2. Select Gaming from the left menu, click Game Mode, and switch on the Game Mode toggle.
You might have to forgo some graphics in order to have a better frame rate, unless you have an extremely powerful gaming PC. Modern games simply cannot be played on an average PC at ultra-high resolutions and consistently at 60 frames per second.
The amount of pixels on your screen grows with resolution, placing more pressure on your GPU. By reducing the amount of pixels your game need to support each frame, you can increase frame rate per second (FPS) by lightening the load on your GPU. With the display settings adjusted, the game should run more smoothly even though the graphics won't look as sharp.
The total number of pixels will decrease by around 30% when you go from 1080p (1080 x 1920) to 900p (900 x 1600) in your resolution. Reducing the resolution to 720p will yield around 50% more pixels than the initial 1080p option. This technique can effectively increase frames per second (FPS) even if it may not seem nice.
Navigate to the Settings menu of your game to find the resolution settings. Try different things to see what your system can manage and figure out the best way to mix crisp visuals with more frames per second when playing Windows 11 games.
For an extra FPS boost, adjust the other video settings concurrently with your game's resolution. Certain games include basic settings that you can change according to the difficulty level: super, high, medium, low, and so forth. Some games use more complex controls, numerical settings, or sliders. Try it out and observe how it impacts your frame rate.
Explore some of the following settings to try and get more FPS from your game.
Graphical details: Reduce the quality of elements such as lighting, reflections, textures, and shadows. Although the graphics on your game won't be as realistic, it should function more smoothly.
Anti-aliasing: With anti-aliasing, the edges of the different objects in your game are smoothed out. Switch it off, then gradually raise the setting till your graphics improve without affecting your frame rate. Try each form of anti-aliasing if the game offers it, and see the results.
Draw distance: To stop the game from rendering distant objects, try reducing the draw distance. Your GPU can concentrate its available resources on your immediate surroundings when it has fewer objects to render simultaneously.
Graphical effects: Reduce or eliminate lens flares, motion blur, and other graphics flares. It gives your GPU one less thing to worry about and gives you more leeway to increase your frame rate.
VSync: VSync synchronizes the game's frame rate with your monitor's refresh rate to prevent screen tearing, which occurs when your monitor displays parts of multiple frames at once. It seems beneficial, and it usually is, but occasionally it lowers FPS. Switch it off and observe the results. Turn the screen back on if you see any tearing.
Your graphics card is the centerpiece of your gaming experience, but you can’t unleash its true performance without the right graphics driver. Updating your graphics card driver can be a huge FPS booster. Take a look at this recent chart from GPU manufacturer Nvidia, which shows how gaming performance improves with updated drivers.
Here’s how to update the drivers for the Nvidia GeForce, ATI Radeon, and Intel HD graphics cards:
Nvidia GeForce: Visit the GeForce driver page, choose Windows version and your graphics card from the list, then click the Start Search option. Although beta drivers aren't nearly done, they should all function just as well as the final release and maybe even boost frame rate. Every time Nvidia updates a driver, the GeForce Experience program installed on your device will automatically notify you.
ATI Radeon: Navigate to the AMD drivers and support page and choose the relevant device. You can obtain and install the most recent official driver by doing this. Installing the beta driver will also provide you access to additional features and performance enhancements.
Intel HD Graphics: The poorest of the lot, Intel graphics chipsets are primarily found in ultrabooks and tablets. While playing games on the HD 3000 or older is not recommended, modern games can be played on Intel's most recent graphics chipsets, but not at their maximum resolution or with all of its capabilities enabled. Visit the graphics page of the Intel Download Center to obtain the most recent drivers.
Updating your driver should instantly improve your frame rate and optimize Windows 11 for gaming, regardless of the GPU you own. For constantly smooth operation, AVG Driver Updater upgrades all of your computer's drivers automatically.
You can concentrate on more essential things, like playing and winning your games, when you don't have to worry about updating your drivers.
Does Windows progressively slow down as you install new programs on your laptop or PC, which affects all of your games? This is due to the fact that many apps waste your computer's precious memory by continuing to operate in the background even when they are not in use.
With AVG TuneUp, you can increase the frame rate and optimize the use of your computer's resources by getting rid of unnecessary apps, optimizing the performance of the ones you do need, and eliminating bloatware. Download a free trial today.
The Unnecessary programs page will appear after installing AVG TuneUp and list all of the programs you haven't used in a long time. These could be anything from software you installed years ago and forgot about to pointless junk. To remove any software, click Move to Trash next to it.
Games may lag more when played on a sluggish internet connection. Increasing your Wi-Fi signal can assist to decrease lag and improve gaming performance, even if it won't impact your frame rate.
If the refresh rate of your monitor cannot keep up with the frame rate, achieving high FPS is meaningless. Make sure your monitor is configured appropriately in order to get the most out of your CPU and GPU and to see that increased frame rate displayed on the screen.
By default, mouse pointers record movements based on both the speed and the distance traveled by the mouse. Though it's a matter of taste, the majority of the best players opt not to employ mouse acceleration in favor of more accurate and reliable inputs.
Although Windows Game Bar is meant to be a useful performance tracker and social media tool, it also consumes system resources. Above all, you need control to get the most out of your gear. Eliminating everything that may compromise performance is essential to getting the most out of your gear, and Windows Game Bar most certainly falls into this category.
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