How to Increase FPS in PC Games: Complete Guide for Better Gaming Performance

Introduction 

Playing PC games with low FPS can be frustrating. A game may look great, but stuttering, freezing, and sudden frame drops can make it difficult to enjoy. Fortunately, you don't always need to buy a new gaming PC to improve performance.

There are several ways to increase FPS in PC games, including adjusting graphics settings, updating your graphics drivers, closing unnecessary background applications, optimizing Windows, and keeping your PC properly maintained.

In this guide, you'll learn how to increase FPS in PC games using simple and practical methods. These tips can help improve gaming performance on both budget and mid-range computers.

What Is FPS and Why Does It Matter?

FPS stands for Frames Per Second. It represents how many individual frames your computer displays every second while a game is running.

For example:

• 30 FPS: Playable for many games, but movement may feel less smooth.
• 60 FPS: A good target for most PC gaming.
• 90–120 FPS: Very smooth and useful for compatible high-refresh-rate monitors.
• 144+ FPS: Excellent for competitive games when your hardware and monitor support it.

Higher FPS generally makes gameplay feel smoother and more responsive. However, the best FPS target depends on your monitor, hardware, and the type of game you're playing.

1. Lower Your Game's Graphics Settings

One of the easiest ways to increase FPS is to reduce demanding graphics settings.

Open your game's Settings → Graphics or Video menu and adjust settings such as:

• Texture Quality
• Shadow Quality
• Reflection Quality
• Ambient Occlusion
• Volumetric Effects
• View Distance
• Anti-Aliasing
• Effects Quality

You don't necessarily have to set everything to Low.

A better approach is to reduce the settings that have the biggest impact on performance while keeping visual quality where possible.

Recommended Starting Point

Try these settings:

Shadows: Medium
Reflections: Low or Medium
Effects: Medium
Anti-Aliasing: Medium
Textures: Medium or High if you have enough VRAM
View Distance: Medium

After changing the settings, restart the game or reload the graphics configuration and check whether FPS improves.

2. Reduce Your Game's Resolution

Resolution has a major effect on GPU performance.

For example, running a game at 1920×1080 generally requires less rendering power than running the same game at 2560×1440 or 3840×2160.

If your FPS is too low, try lowering the resolution.

For example:

1920×1080 → 1600×900

or

2560×1440 → 1920×1080

You may notice a reduction in image sharpness, but the improvement in FPS can be significant on weaker GPUs.

3. Enable DLSS, FSR, or XeSS When Available

Modern games may support technologies such as:

• NVIDIA DLSS
• AMD FSR
• Intel XeSS

These technologies render the game internally at a lower resolution and then use advanced processing to produce a higher-resolution image.

If your game supports one of these options, check the graphics settings.

For example, you may find options such as:

Quality → Balanced → Performance

Start with Quality. If you still need more FPS, try Balanced.

Avoid immediately choosing the most aggressive Performance mode because image quality can decrease.

4. Update Your Graphics Card Driver

Outdated GPU drivers can sometimes cause performance problems, bugs, or compatibility issues with newer games.

If you use an NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel graphics card, check the manufacturer's official driver software or website for updates.

After installing a graphics driver update, restart your PC and test the game again.

Important Tip

Don't download graphics drivers from random websites. Use the official manufacturer source whenever possible.

5. Close Unnecessary Background Programs

Background applications can consume CPU, RAM, GPU resources, and sometimes network bandwidth.

Before launching a demanding game, close programs you don't need.

Examples include:

• Multiple browser tabs
• Video editing software
• File compression programs
• Unused launchers
• Heavy background applications

You can also open Task Manager in Windows by pressing:

Ctrl + Shift + Esc

Check which applications are consuming significant CPU, memory, or GPU resources.

Don't end Windows system processes unless you know exactly what they do.

6. Disable Unnecessary Startup Apps

Some applications automatically start when Windows boots and continue running in the background.

To review startup applications:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
2. Open Task Manager.
3. Select Startup apps.
4. Review applications you don't need.
5. Disable unnecessary startup programs.

This can reduce background resource usage and make Windows feel more responsive.

7. Turn On Windows Game Mode

Windows includes a feature called Game Mode, which is designed to prioritize gaming-related activity.

To check Game Mode:

1. Open Settings.
2. Select Gaming.
3. Click Game Mode.
4. Make sure Game Mode is enabled.

The exact options can vary depending on your Windows version.

8. Use the Correct Power Mode

Your Windows power settings can affect performance, particularly on laptops.

If your laptop is running in a battery-saving mode, gaming performance may be reduced.

For demanding games:

1. Connect your laptop to its charger.
2. Open Windows Settings.
3. Go to System → Power & battery.
4. Look for the available power mode options.
5. Choose a performance-oriented option when appropriate.

Keep in mind that higher performance can also increase heat and power consumption.

9. Keep Your PC Cool

Temperature is an important factor in gaming performance.

When a CPU or GPU becomes too hot, it may reduce its operating speed to control temperatures. This behavior can lead to performance drops and unstable FPS.

To improve cooling:

• Keep air vents clear.
• Clean dust from your PC regularly.
• Make sure fans are working properly.
• Avoid blocking laptop ventilation.
• Keep the laptop on a hard, flat surface.
• Maintain good airflow inside a desktop PC.

If your system becomes extremely hot during gaming, investigate the cooling problem rather than simply increasing performance settings.

10. Install Games on an SSD

If you still use an older mechanical hard drive, upgrading to an SSD can improve overall system responsiveness and game loading times.

An SSD doesn't automatically double your FPS in every game, but it can improve:

• Game loading times
• Windows responsiveness
• Asset loading
• Open-world streaming in some games
• Loading between levels

For modern gaming PCs, an SSD is generally a useful upgrade.

11. Check Which GPU Your Game Is Using

Some laptops have both integrated graphics and a dedicated GPU.

If a demanding game accidentally uses integrated graphics instead of the dedicated GPU, performance can be significantly lower.

Check your game's graphics or Windows graphics settings and make sure demanding games are configured to use the appropriate high-performance GPU when your hardware supports one.

12. Turn Off Unnecessary Overlays

Gaming overlays can sometimes consume additional system resources.

Examples include overlays from:

• Game launchers
• Chat applications
• GPU software
• Recording applications

If you're experiencing FPS problems, temporarily disable unnecessary overlays and compare performance.

Don't disable something simply because it is an overlay; test whether it actually affects your system.

13. Reduce Background Recording

Windows and other gaming software can include screen recording and replay features.

If your PC is struggling with FPS, background recording may add additional CPU, GPU, storage, or memory usage.

Check your recording settings and disable features you don't need.

This can be particularly useful on lower-end systems.

14. Upgrade Your RAM If Necessary

Modern games can use a considerable amount of memory.

If your PC frequently runs out of available RAM, you may experience:

• Stuttering
• Slow loading
• Frame-time spikes
• Application freezes
• Poor multitasking performance

Before buying RAM, check your motherboard and processor specifications to determine which memory type and capacity are supported.

For many gaming systems, having enough RAM is more important than simply buying the fastest possible memory.

15. Upgrade Your GPU for a Major FPS Increase

If you've already optimized your settings and your FPS is still too low, your graphics card may simply be reaching its performance limit.

A GPU upgrade can provide a much larger performance improvement than software tweaks when the graphics card is the main bottleneck.

Before upgrading, check:

• Power supply requirements
• Case size
• CPU compatibility
• Available PCIe slot
• Monitor resolution
• Expected gaming performance

Don't buy a graphics card based only on its model name. Compare its performance with the games and resolution you actually use.

16. Monitor Your CPU and GPU Usage

If you want to find the real reason behind low FPS, monitor your hardware while playing.

For example:

GPU usage near 95–100%: Your GPU may be the main limitation.

CPU usage very high: Your processor may be limiting performance.

RAM almost full: You may need more memory or fewer background applications.

Temperatures extremely high: Thermal throttling may be affecting performance.

Understanding the bottleneck helps you choose the right solution instead of changing random settings.

17. Don't Use Fake FPS Booster Programs

You may find software online claiming to provide huge FPS increases with one click.

Be careful.

Some so-called "FPS booster" applications may provide little benefit while adding unnecessary background processes, advertisements, or potentially unwanted software.

Instead of relying on unknown optimization programs, use Windows settings, game settings, official GPU drivers, and proper hardware maintenance.

Best Settings for Increasing FPS

If you're not sure where to start, use this simple configuration:

Setting	Recommended Option
Resolution	1080p
Shadows	Medium/Low
Reflections	Low
Effects	Medium
Anti-Aliasing	Medium
Textures	Medium/High depending on VRAM
Motion Blur	Off
V-Sync	Test On/Off
DLSS/FSR/XeSS	Quality/Balanced
Background Apps	Minimum
Game Mode	On

These aren't universal settings. Every PC and game is different, so test the changes and choose the combination that provides the best balance between FPS and image quality.

How to Check Your FPS in PC Games

Many PC games include a built-in FPS counter.

Some gaming platforms and graphics software also provide performance overlays.

You can use an FPS counter to compare performance before and after changing settings.

For a more detailed analysis, monitoring tools can show:

• FPS
• GPU usage
• CPU usage
• GPU temperature
• CPU temperature
• RAM usage
• Frame times

Frame-time information can be particularly useful because two games with the same average FPS can feel very different if one has frequent frame-time spikes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I increase FPS without upgrading my PC?

Start by lowering demanding graphics settings, reducing resolution, closing unnecessary background applications, updating GPU drivers, enabling Game Mode, and using DLSS, FSR, or XeSS when available.

Does lowering graphics quality increase FPS?

Yes. Reducing GPU-intensive settings such as shadows, reflections, effects, and resolution can increase FPS, especially when your graphics card is the performance bottleneck.

Does RAM increase FPS?

Adding RAM can improve gaming performance when your system doesn't have enough memory. However, if you already have sufficient RAM, adding more may provide little FPS improvement.

Does an SSD increase FPS?

An SSD usually improves loading times and overall responsiveness rather than dramatically increasing average FPS. It can still improve the gaming experience, especially in games that frequently load assets.

Why does my FPS suddenly drop?

FPS drops can be caused by overheating, background applications, driver problems, insufficient RAM, CPU/GPU limitations, or demanding game settings.

Is 60 FPS good for PC gaming?

Yes. 60 FPS is a common target and provides smooth gameplay for many games. Competitive players may prefer higher frame rates if their hardware and monitor support them.

Conclusion

Learning how to increase FPS in PC games doesn't always mean buying expensive hardware. Simple changes such as lowering demanding graphics settings, updating your GPU driver, closing unnecessary applications, enabling suitable Windows gaming features, and improving cooling can make a noticeable difference.

Start with software and graphics optimizations first. Then monitor your CPU, GPU, RAM, temperatures, and frame times to identify the actual performance bottleneck.

If your PC is still unable to deliver the FPS you want after optimization, a hardware upgrade—particularly a GPU upgrade for graphics-limited systems—may provide the biggest improvement.

The goal isn't simply to achieve the highest possible FPS. A stable and consistent frame rate with good image quality usually provides a much better gaming experience.