Best Windows 11 Settings to Boost Gaming FPS (2025)

 

Best Windows 11 Settings to Boost Gaming Performance (2025 Guide)

Intro

Windows 11 has matured since launch, and with each update gamers ask the same thing — how can I squeeze more FPS out of my system without dropping cash on new hardware? The good news: Microsoft’s latest OS includes a number of hidden tweaks and settings that, when used correctly, can noticeably improve performance. This 2025 guide walks you through the best Windows 11 gaming performance settings — from enabling Game Mode to disabling background bloat — so you can enjoy smoother frames and lower latency.

1. Enable Game Mode and Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling

Windows 11's Game Mode has improved, but it may not be enabled or optimized by default. To enable it:

  1. Press Win + I → Settings → Gaming → Game Mode.
  2. Toggle Game Mode to On.
  3. Go to Settings → System → Display → Graphics and enable Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling (HAGS) if available.

These options help the OS allocate GPU resources more efficiently to the active game and can reduce microstutters. Note: on some older GPUs HAGS can hurt performance — test on/off.

How to Fix Frame Drops After GPU Driver Updates — see this guide if a driver update causes instability.

2. Adjust Power and Performance Settings

Many systems default to a balanced power plan that can throttle CPU performance. For gaming, change to a high-performance plan:

  1. Open Start and search Power Plan.
  2. Select High performance or Ultimate Performance (if present).
  3. In advanced settings set Processor power management → Minimum processor state to 100%.

Laptops will use more battery with these settings — always plug in when gaming. Combined with a laptop’s native "Turbo" or performance modes, you can see more consistent FPS in CPU-heavy titles.

🚀 Performance Tip: Want more FPS without spending extra? Check out these tools and offers trusted by competitive players.

3. Disable Background Apps and Startup Bloat

Background apps consume memory and CPU cycles that could go to your games. Clean up startup and background processes:

  • Open Settings → Apps → Installed Apps and uninstall unused programs (especially OEM bloatware).
  • Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager → Startup and disable non-essential programs (e.g., music clients, unneeded chat apps).
  • In Settings → Privacy & security → Background apps, disable apps you don’t want running.

This reduces RAM usage and improves boot time, leaving more system resources available for gaming.

Best Free Tools to Monitor Game Performance (FPS, Temps & Usage) — use overlays to measure the real impact of these cleanup steps.

4. Disable Xbox Game Bar & Background Recording

The Xbox Game Bar is handy for clips, but background recording and overlays cost CPU/GPU cycles. To disable:

  1. Go to Settings → Gaming → Captures.
  2. Turn off Record in the background while I'm playing a game.
  3. Disable audio recording for background captures unless you need it.

If you need recording for streams, prefer dedicated tools like OBS which you can configure for minimal overhead.

5. Turn Off Visual Effects for Extra Performance

Windows 11 animations and transparency look slick but consume resources. To turn them off:

  1. Search Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows → open Performance Options.
  2. Select Adjust for best performance or manually uncheck effects such as animations and transparency.

This yields snappier UI and can reduce micro-stuttering when alt-tabbing or using overlays.

6. Update GPU Drivers & Enable DirectStorage (If Supported)

GPU vendors regularly release game-ready drivers. Always download the latest drivers from the official NVIDIA, AMD or Intel site and pick a clean install when offered. Also check if your SSD, GPU, and game support DirectStorage — it significantly reduces load times by better utilizing NVMe SSD bandwidth.

Best Free Game Boosters That Actually Work (Tested on 2025 PCs) — these tools can automate some of the optimizations listed above.

7. Optional Advanced Tweaks

For power users who want every last frame:

  • Consider temporarily disabling Core Isolation → Memory Integrity (Windows Security) — small FPS gains but a security trade-off.
  • Use Disk Cleanup or Storage Sense to remove temp files and shrink system load.
  • Set paging file manually (about 1.5× your RAM) if you have storage headroom.
  • Disable Windows Update Delivery Optimization to prevent background uploads while gaming.

8. Test and Monitor Your Results

After applying these tweaks, test with an FPS overlay like MSI Afterburner or RivaTuner. Monitor:

  • Average FPS and 1% lows
  • Frame time consistency
  • CPU/GPU utilization and temperatures

Small improvements add up — measure before/after to see which tweaks work best for your rig.

💻 Editor’s Choice: Get top-rated software and utilities to keep your gaming laptop or PC running like new.

Conclusion

By applying these Windows 11 settings you can unlock smoother gameplay without spending on hardware. Try them one at a time, measure the differences, and revert anything that hurts your particular setup. Got a tweak that made a big difference? Drop it in the comments — fellow readers will thank you.

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