Wondering how to increase your FPS? PC gamers are likely familiar with the concept of frames per second (or FPS). A greater FPS means smoother playing and a much better overall feel, especially for fast-paced games. But making FPS performance a breeze is not always straightforward; there are tons of settings and optimizations to consider depending on your hardware. But fear not, we have you covered with some quick hacks to boost FPS on Windows 10 or 11.
Unlock Windows Gaming Mode
First of all, be sure you activate Windows’ built-in Game Mode. This handy tool prepares your system for gaming by temporarily turning off background processes and focusing on your game. It should be on by default, though it is worth double-checking:
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- Hit the Windows key + I to open Settings
- Click on Gaming
- Make sure the Game Mode toggle is enabled
Not only can Game Mode provide an FPS boost, but it also helps reduce latency and streaming lags.
Adjust In-Game Video Settings 
Every game has different video settings that directly impact performance. In general, lowering settings, including resolution, anti-aliasing, texture quality, and draw distance, frees up GPU juice for a quicker FPS. But don’t go too low here or your game will be a pixelated shambles!
Open up your game’s video options and experiment until you find the perfect balance of graphics quality and smoothness. Some key settings to tweak:
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- Resolution – Lower this if your GPU can’t sustain high FPS at the highest setting
- Anti-Aliasing – Smooth jagged edges, but is GPU-intensive. Try lowering or disabling it.
- Texture Quality – Reducing from Ultra to High or Medium has a small visual hit for a decent FPS gain
- Effects – Disable intensive effects like motion blur, lens flare, etc.
Many games also have presets like Low, Medium, and High that adjust everything with one click–give those a try too!
Update Your GPU Drivers
Having the latest graphics drivers optimized for your specific GPU is crucial for maximizing FPS. Manufacturers like Nvidia and AMD frequently release new driver versions with major performance boosts across modern games.
For the most recent drivers, just visit your GPU manufacturer’s site and download/install the newest package. You can also have the GeForce Experience app download and install driver updates for Nvidia GPUs automatically. Easy!
Remove Background Resource Hogs
Other programs and processes running on your PC can severely hamstring game performance by hogging memory, CPU, and GPU resources. That’s where a nifty tool like AVG TuneUp comes in clutch.
AVG TuneUp lets you quickly find and disable bloatware, unneeded programs, and background tasks that are slowing your frame rates. It also includes handy modes for automatically putting programs to “sleep” until you need them, freeing up resources for gaming.
Simply fire up AVG TuneUp, navigate to the “Unnecessary Programs” section, and trash anything you don’t need. Then use Sleep Mode to snooze anything non-essential while gaming. That CPU/GPU power is better used to boost your frames!
Tweak Other Key Settings
There are a few other quick optimizations that can help squeeze out some extra FPS performance:
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- Disable mouse acceleration for better precision via Settings > Mouse
- Turn off Windows Game Bar if you don’t need its gaming overlays
- Ensure your monitor’s refresh rate matches or exceeds your target FPS
- Close any other unnecessary programs/browser tabs when gaming
- Make sure your PC’s cooling is adequate to prevent thermal throttling
Overclocking your CPU or GPU can provide a nice FPS boost too, but requires more technical know-how. We’d recommend leaving that as a last resort for serious gamers.
How to INCREASE Your FPS: Be Updated
Gaming PCs require continuous maintenance and optimization to run at their peak. Make sure to regularly check for Windows updates, new GPU drivers, and game patches – developers are constantly refining performance.
It’s also worth looking at replacing your GPU every few years if your FPS struggles in newer, more demanding games. Speaking of which, pay close attention to the recommended specs when buying a new game to make sure your rig can run smoothly right out of the gate.
With a few simple adjustments and the right tools like AVG TuneUp, you can keep your PC gaming at a crisp, buttery-smooth frame rate for years to come. Having to put up with stuttering, and lagging gameplay is now avoidable! Just stay proactive about optimizing your system’s resources; with that, you’ll learn how to increase FPS to its optimal level.
