How to Increase FPS on PC: 11 Proven Methods (2026 Guide)

Low FPS ruins every game. Choppy aim, delayed input, lost fights you should have won. Most players assume they need a GPU upgrade, but measured benchmarks show that tweaking the right settings can unlock 30–80 additional frames without spending a dollar on hardware.

This guide covers 11 methods to increase FPS on PC, ranked by measured impact. We start with the highest-return changes (in-game settings that typically recover 20–40% performance) and work down to Windows tweaks and driver updates. If you want a hardware-specific optimization plan for your exact GPU and game, run a free playbook at BetterFPS — it auto-generates the correct settings for your rig in under two minutes.

1. Optimize In-Game Graphics Settings First

In-game settings produce the largest measurable FPS gains. A single toggle (shadows, reflections, or ray tracing) can free 15–30 FPS. Start here before touching drivers or Windows because the impact is immediate and reversible.

Target These Settings for Maximum Gain

• Shadows: Drop from Ultra to Medium or Low. Measured impact across AAA titles: 12–28 FPS gain on mid-range GPUs (RTX 4060, RX 7600). Shadows are expensive because they render every frame from multiple light sources.
• Reflections (Screen-Space or Ray-Traced): Disable or set to Low. SSR costs 8–15 FPS; ray-traced reflections cost 25–40 FPS on non-RTX cards. Most players don't notice the visual loss in fast-paced games.
• Anti-Aliasing: Switch from MSAA 4x/8x to TAA or FXAA. MSAA scales poorly; benchmarks show 10–18 FPS recovery on 1080p with zero visible blur in motion.
• Ambient Occlusion: Set to SSAO (low) or Off. HBAO+ and ray-traced AO are visual polish that cost 5–12 FPS. The performance cost exceeds the subtle darkening effect around objects.
• View Distance / Draw Distance: Lower by 20–30%. This matters most in open-world games (Fortnite, PUBG, Warzone) where distant geometry loads constantly. Recovery: 8–14 FPS.
• Post-Processing (Motion Blur, Depth of Field, Lens Flare): Turn Off. These effects blur your vision, add input lag perception, and consume 5–10 FPS combined. Competitive players disable them immediately.

Every game implements settings differently. A "Medium" shadow preset in one title might match "Low" in another. That's why hardware-specific recommendations matter. Generate a free playbook for your GPU model and specific game — the engine analyzes your hardware and builds the optimal config in seconds.

2. How to Get Better FPS: Lower Your Resolution or Enable DLSS/FSR

Resolution is the single heaviest load on your GPU. Dropping from 1440p to 1080p cuts the pixel count by 44%, which translates to measured gains of 35–60 FPS on mid-range cards. If native resolution downscaling looks too blurry on your monitor, use upscaling tech instead.

For older GPUs without DLSS/FSR 3 support, enable FSR 2.0 or Intel XeSS (works on non-Intel cards). Benchmarks show FSR 2.0 Quality mode adds 12–22 FPS on an RX 6600 XT at 1080p, which is the difference between 58 FPS (unplayable) and 80 FPS (smooth). The trade-off is shimmering on distant wires and foliage, but in motion most players don't notice.

3. Update GPU Drivers (Measured 3–12 FPS Gain Per Major Release)

Driver updates optimize game-specific code paths. NVIDIA and AMD release Game Ready / Adrenalin drivers every 3–6 weeks, and day-one game launches often see 5–12% performance boosts. Outdated drivers leave free FPS on the table.

1. NVIDIA users: Download GeForce Experience or visit nvidia.com/drivers. Install the latest Game Ready Driver. As of June 2026, version 556.x is current. Clean install (custom > perform clean installation) if you're on a driver older than 3 months.
2. AMD users: Download Adrenalin from amd.com/support. Enable Radeon Anti-Lag+ and Radeon Boost in the gaming tab for an additional 6–10 FPS in supported titles. Version 24.5.x is the latest stable branch as of mid-2026.
3. Intel Arc users: Install the Arc Control app. Intel pushes frequent driver updates for Arc A750/A770 cards — version 101.5445 (June 2026) added 8–14% gains in DX12 titles compared to launch drivers.

4. Windows Tweaks That Actually Work

Windows 11 ships with background services that consume CPU cycles and RAM. Disabling the right ones recovers 5–12 FPS and reduces 1% low stutters. These are one-time changes that persist across reboots.

High-Impact Windows Changes

• Enable Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling: Settings > System > Display > Graphics > Change Default Graphics Settings. Toggle on 'Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling' and restart. Measured gain: 3–8 FPS in DX12/Vulkan games by offloading scheduling to the GPU.
• Disable Game Bar and Captures: Settings > Gaming > Xbox Game Bar (Off), Captures (disable background recording). Game DVR runs even when you're not recording and costs 4–7 FPS on 6-core CPUs.
• Set Power Plan to High Performance: Control Panel > Power Options > High Performance. Windows' default 'Balanced' plan throttles CPU clocks under load. High Performance keeps clocks at max, recovering 5–10 FPS in CPU-bound scenarios.
• Disable Fullscreen Optimizations: Right-click game .exe > Properties > Compatibility > Check 'Disable fullscreen optimizations'. This forces true exclusive fullscreen, reducing frame time variance (smoother 1% lows) by 8–15%.
• Close Background Apps: Task Manager > Startup tab. Disable Discord auto-start, Spotify, RGB software, and any app you don't need in-game. Each app consumes 50–300 MB RAM and 2–5% CPU. On 16 GB systems, this frees RAM for the game, preventing page file stutters.

For deeper registry and config file optimizations (disabling Nagle's algorithm, adjusting network buffer sizes, custom power profiles), Performance Pro subscribers get the full deep-optimization layer auto-generated for their system. These changes add another 5–10 FPS but require more technical confidence.

5. Verify Your Monitor Refresh Rate Settings

A 144 Hz monitor stuck at 60 Hz in Windows wastes every frame above 60 FPS. This is the most common mistake. Right-click Desktop > Display Settings > Advanced Display > Choose a Refresh Rate. Select your monitor's max (144 Hz, 165 Hz, 240 Hz). Restart the game.

In competitive games (Valorant, CS2, Apex Legends), also disable V-Sync in-game and in NVIDIA Control Panel / AMD Radeon Settings. V-Sync caps FPS to your refresh rate and adds 1–2 frames of input lag. Use G-Sync or FreeSync instead for tear-free gameplay without the latency penalty — enable G-Sync in NVIDIA Control Panel, set in-game V-Sync to Off, and cap FPS 3 frames below your max refresh (e.g. 237 FPS on a 240 Hz monitor).

6. How to Get More FPS: RAM, Temperatures, and Background Processes

If the above methods plateau, check these three performance bottlenecks. They each account for 5–15 FPS loss when misconfigured.

High GPU or CPU temperatures trigger thermal throttling. Once a GPU hits 83–87°C (varies by model), it drops clocks by 50–150 MHz to stay within thermal limits. Measured impact: 8–14 FPS loss. Clean dust from GPU fans and case intakes every 3 months. Reapply thermal paste if your GPU is over 3 years old. For CPUs, ensure your cooler is mounted correctly and thermal paste isn't dried out.

Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) while gaming. If any process besides the game consumes more than 10% CPU or 1 GB RAM, close it. Common culprits: Chrome with 40+ tabs (2–4 GB RAM), Windows Update downloading in background (10–15% CPU), antivirus real-time scans (8–12% CPU). Each one costs 3–8 FPS.

7. How to Get Good FPS: Know Your Targets by Game and Resolution

"Good FPS" varies by game genre. Competitive shooters demand 144+ FPS for smooth aim tracking. Single-player story games are playable at 60 FPS. Here are measured FPS targets for popular titles as of mid-2026, based on the RTX 4060 Ti (8 GB) at 1080p High settings.

• Valorant, CS2, Overwatch 2: 240+ FPS (competitive standard). These games are well-optimized and CPU-bound. If you're under 200 FPS, lower shadows and anti-aliasing, then check RAM is dual-channel.
• Warzone 3, Apex Legends, Fortnite: 120–144 FPS (recommended for 144 Hz gameplay). These battle royales are GPU-heavy. Drop render resolution to 90% or enable DLSS Quality to hit the target.
• Cyberpunk 2077, Starfield, Alan Wake 2: 60–80 FPS (playable, aim for 1% lows above 50). Ray tracing tanks performance — disable it or use DLSS/FSR Performance mode. Native 4K is unplayable on anything below an RTX 4080.
• Elden Ring, Baldur's Gate 3, Hogwarts Legacy: 60 FPS locked (optimal for single-player). These games feel responsive at 60. Pushing higher wastes GPU power; use the headroom for increased graphical fidelity instead.

If your FPS is 30% below these targets, your hardware is likely the bottleneck. Upgrading from a GTX 1660 to an RTX 4060 (or RX 7600) doubles FPS in most titles. For specific game optimization guides with measured benchmarks, browse our game library — each guide includes FPS data for 6–10 GPU models at multiple settings presets.

8. When Settings and Tweaks Hit Their Limit: Hardware Upgrades

If you've applied every optimization and FPS is still below 60, your GPU or CPU is outdated. Here's how to identify the bottleneck and what upgrade delivers the best FPS-per-dollar in 2026.

For 1080p 144 Hz gaming in 2026, the RTX 4060 (starting at $289) or RX 7600 (starting at $249) are the entry-level sweet spots. They deliver 80–120 FPS in AAA games at High settings and 200+ FPS in competitive titles. For 1440p 165 Hz, step up to the RTX 4070 ($549) or RX 7800 XT ($479) — both hit 90–120 FPS in demanding games and 165+ in esports titles.

CPU upgrades matter less for GPU-bound games but are critical in simulation games (Cities Skylines 2, Total War) and competitive shooters (Valorant, CS2). The Ryzen 7 7700X ($269) or Intel Core i5-14600K ($289) provide 8 cores / 16 threads, enough for 200+ FPS in CPU-demanding titles. Pair with 32 GB of DDR5-6000 RAM (Ryzen) or DDR5-5600 (Intel) for maximum FPS.

9. Measure Every Change You Make

Don't guess — benchmark. Enable the in-game FPS counter (most games have one in settings) or use MSI Afterburner (free, shows FPS + GPU/CPU usage). Before changing any setting, note your current average FPS and 1% low FPS (the lowest 1% of frames, which causes perceived stuttering). Make one change, play for 5 minutes in the same area, and compare.

If average FPS goes up but 1% lows drop, the setting may be causing microstutters. Revert it. The goal is smooth, consistent frame times — a locked 90 FPS with 85 FPS lows feels better than 120 FPS average with 50 FPS lows. This is why our playbooks prioritize frame time consistency over peak FPS numbers.

10. Use Game-Specific Optimization Guides

Generic advice only goes so far. Warzone 3's shadow setting behaves differently than Apex Legends. Starfield has a broken VSync implementation that requires an .ini edit. CS2 rewards NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency but Valorant doesn't. Every game has quirks.

BetterFPS maintains updated guides for 50+ popular titles. Each guide includes measured FPS data for multiple GPUs, settings-by-settings impact rankings, and game-engine-specific tweaks (console commands, config edits, launch options). Browse the full list or generate a free playbook for instant, hardware-matched recommendations.

11. Maintain Your System for Long-Term FPS Stability

FPS degrades over time if you ignore basic maintenance. Dust buildup raises GPU temps by 8–15°C, triggering throttling. Fragmented storage on HDDs adds 1–3 second load stutters. Driver bloat from incomplete uninstalls causes random FPS drops. Set a quarterly maintenance schedule.

1. Every 3 months: Open your case and blow out dust from GPU fans, CPU cooler, and case intakes using compressed air. Clean dust filters if your case has them.
2. Every 6 months: Run Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) in Safe Mode, then install the latest GPU driver fresh. This clears registry remnants from old drivers that cause crashes and FPS drops.
3. Every 12 months: Reapply thermal paste on GPU and CPU if temps have climbed 10°C+ from baseline. Dried paste loses conductivity, causing thermal throttling.
4. As needed: If you're on an HDD, defragment it monthly (right-click drive > Properties > Tools > Optimize). If you're on an SSD, skip defrag (it wears the drive) but enable TRIM in Windows and update SSD firmware once per year.

The Fastest Path to Better FPS

Start with in-game settings (shadows, reflections, resolution scaling). That's where 70% of FPS gains live. Then update GPU drivers, enable Windows hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling, and verify your monitor refresh rate. These four steps take 15 minutes and unlock 30–60 additional frames on most systems.

If you want the exact settings for your GPU model and game, run a free playbook at BetterFPS. Enter your hardware, pick your game, and get a tested configuration in under 2 minutes. No guessing, no trial-and-error — just measured optimization that works.

Frequently asked questions