How to Increase FPS on Windows 11: 10 Safe Settings to Change
Most FPS guides throw thirty registry hacks at you. Start with the settings that are built into Windows 11, safe, and easy to undo. They fix the most common causes of low or unstable frame rates: the wrong power plan, a monitor running at 60 Hz, background apps, and old drivers.
Measure before and after. A change that doesn't move your numbers isn't worth keeping.
1. Measure first
Pick a game you play a lot and note your average FPS in the same spot or benchmark each time. Most games have an FPS counter in their settings, and GPU apps like NVIDIA's or AMD's have overlays. Without a baseline you can't tell a real gain from a good day.
2. Make sure your monitor runs at its real refresh rate
A 144 Hz or 240 Hz monitor often ships running at 60 Hz. Open Settings → System → Display → Advanced display and set Choose a refresh rate to the highest value. This doesn't raise FPS, but it lets you actually see the frames your PC is already making, and it's the single most common setting people miss.
3. Turn on Game Mode
Go to Settings → Gaming → Game Mode and switch it on. It tells Windows to prioritise the game and hold back things like Windows Update installs while you play.
4. Use the best performance power mode
Under Settings → System → Power & battery → Power mode, choose Best performance. On a laptop, plug in: most laptops cut GPU and CPU power on battery. Desktops can go further with the High Performance or Ultimate Performance power plans.
5. Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling
In Settings → System → Display → Graphics, open the default graphics settings and toggle Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling, then restart. It helps on some systems and does nothing on others, so benchmark with it on and off. It's also required for some features, such as NVIDIA Frame Generation.
6. Make games use your dedicated GPU
On laptops with both integrated and dedicated graphics, a game can end up on the weak one. In the same Graphics settings page, add the game's .exe and set it to High performance.
7. Cut startup and background apps
Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) → Startup apps and disable anything you don't need launching with Windows. Close launchers, browsers with dozens of tabs, and overlays you don't use before playing. Fewer things competing for the CPU means fewer stutters.
8. Update your graphics driver
Install the latest driver from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel directly. New drivers often include fixes and performance work for recent games. If a new driver causes problems, roll back to the previous one.
9. Turn off mouse acceleration
Not an FPS change, but it makes aim consistent. Search the Start menu for Mouse settings → Additional mouse settings → Pointer Options and untick Enhance pointer precision.
10. Then tune the game itself
In-game settings matter more than any Windows tweak. Shadows, volumetric effects and render resolution are usually the most expensive; upscalers such as DLSS, FSR or XeSS give big gains for a small quality cost. Cap your FPS a little below your refresh rate if you get tearing or inconsistent frame times.
Do it in one click
Krypt Tweaker is a free Windows optimizer that applies these and other gaming tweaks from presets (Safe Optimize, Max FPS, Low Latency, Competitive) and labels every tweak by risk.
- It creates a System Restore Point and a settings backup before any preset runs.
- Every tweak can be reverted, and Restore Defaults puts everything back.
- A built-in benchmark scores your PC before and after, so you see whether a preset helped.
Start with Safe Optimize, benchmark, and only go further if you need to.
FAQ
What is the fastest way to increase FPS on Windows 11?
Set your monitor to its real refresh rate, switch the power mode to Best performance, turn on Game Mode, update your GPU driver, and lower the most expensive in-game settings (shadows, volumetrics, render resolution) or turn on an upscaler.
Does Game Mode increase FPS?
Sometimes a little, mostly by stopping background work like updates from interrupting. It rarely hurts, so leave it on.
Are FPS boost tweaks safe?
The built-in settings above are safe and reversible. Registry and service tweaks vary: some are harmless, some can break features. Make a System Restore Point first, change one thing at a time, and measure.
Why is my FPS low on a good PC?
Common causes: the game running on integrated graphics, a laptop on battery, an outdated driver, a monitor stuck at 60 Hz, or background apps. Check those before buying hardware.