Press Win + G while your game is running, open the Performance widget, enable FPS, and pin it. That is the fastest built-in way to see frames per second on Windows. Steam, NVIDIA, AMD, and some games also provide their own counters.
Fastest method: use Xbox Game Bar
On Windows, the quickest built-in way to check FPS is to press Win + G while your game is running, open the Performance widget, enable FPS, and pin the widget so it stays visible after the Game Bar closes.
- Start the game and load into an active gameplay area.
- Press Win + G to open Xbox Game Bar.
- Open the Performance widget from the Game Bar widget menu.
- Select or enable FPS. You may need to grant permission or follow an account-related prompt before Windows can display the counter.
- Click the widget’s pin button if you want the FPS counter to remain on screen while you play.
- Return to the game and watch the number during a demanding section, such as a busy fight, crowded area, or graphically complex location.
The exact widget labels and layout can vary as Xbox Game Bar is updated through the Microsoft Store. If the FPS option is missing, update Game Bar and reopen it.
What FPS tells you
FPS means frames per second: the number of frames a game renders or presents over time. A higher number generally means the game can show motion more frequently, but FPS alone does not fully describe how smooth a game feels.
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For example, a game might report a high average FPS while occasionally pausing for a fraction of a second. That kind of hitch is easier to identify by looking at frame time, the time in milliseconds between successive frames. A sudden frame-time spike can indicate a stutter even when the average FPS looks good.
For a useful reading, check the counter during the part of the game that matters to you—not only in the main menu or a quiet opening area. Results vary with the game, resolution, graphics settings, drivers, background applications, and the scene being rendered.
How to show FPS with Steam
If you launch the game through Steam, Steam’s current Performance Overlay is usually the simplest alternative to Game Bar.
- Open Steam.
- Choose Steam > Settings.
- Select In Game.
- Find the Performance Overlay section.
- Choose the desired display level. Depending on the level, Steam can show a single FPS value or expanded FPS, CPU, GPU, RAM, and graph information.
- Adjust the overlay’s position, size, and hotkey if those options are available in your Steam build.
Start the game and use Steam’s overlay hotkey or the configured display option to view the counter. Steam’s performance overlay is separate from the telemetry HUD built into some games.
Counter-Strike 2 and Deadlock: use the Source 2 Telemetry HUD
Counter-Strike 2 and Deadlock include an in-game Source 2 telemetry display. To enable it, open Settings > Game > Telemetry, then choose the telemetry display level you want.
This HUD can provide average FPS and frame-time information, making it more useful for diagnosing occasional stutters than a single FPS number alone. The exact telemetry options can change with game updates.
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How to check FPS with NVIDIA’s overlay
On a PC using NVIDIA software, enable the NVIDIA in-game overlay and press Alt + R to toggle the performance overlay. It can display FPS and other real-time measurements.
- Open the installed NVIDIA application or GeForce software.
- Make sure the in-game overlay is enabled in its settings.
- Launch your game.
- Press Alt + R to show or hide the performance overlay.
Press Alt + Z to open the broader NVIDIA in-game overlay, where you can configure overlay and HUD settings. NVIDIA has changed its application branding and interface over time, so you may not see exactly the same product name or menu arrangement on every installation.
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For AMD Radeon graphics, use the metrics overlay in AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition.
- Open AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition.
- Open the Metrics or Performance Metrics area.
- Enable the metrics overlay.
- Make sure Frame Rate is selected among the displayed metrics.
- Start the game and press Ctrl + Shift + O to toggle the performance overlay.
AMD’s metrics tools can show more than FPS, including frame time, 99th-percentile FPS, stutter rate, GPU and CPU utilization, temperatures, clock speeds, and memory statistics. The shortcut and menu names above are defaults documented for a particular Adrenalin release; newer versions may place the controls elsewhere or use different defaults.
Using an in-game FPS counter
Some games include their own performance display. Look in menus such as Settings, Video, Graphics, Interface, or Telemetry. An in-game counter can be preferable because it is less dependent on a separate overlay being compatible with the game’s display mode or anti-cheat system.
The available options differ by game. If a game has no built-in counter, use Xbox Game Bar, Steam, NVIDIA, or AMD instead.
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- Seamless gaming: FreeSync Premium and HDMI VRR eliminate tearing for smooth, responsive PC and console gameplay.
- Fast IPS: Faster 0.5ms response with excellent color accuracy across wide IPS viewing angles.
- Rich color: 99% sRGB color coverage delivers vivid, detailed imagery with strong accuracy.
- Eye comfort: TÜV Rheinland 3‑star certified display lowers blue light while preserving color quality.
For deeper testing: NVIDIA FrameView
NVIDIA FrameView is an optional downloadable utility for readers who need more than a quick on-screen number. It measures FPS and frame times, can report power and performance-per-watt data, provides a configurable overlay, and records detailed results to log files. NVIDIA’s current product information identifies FrameView 1.9 release notes.
FrameView makes more sense for repeatable benchmarking or troubleshooting than for checking whether a game is running at 60 or 120 FPS. It is not required for ordinary FPS monitoring, and it does not replace the simpler overlay methods above.
FPS and monitor refresh rate are not the same
FPS describes how many frames the game produces. A monitor’s refresh rate, measured in hertz, describes how frequently the display can refresh. A 144 Hz monitor can refresh up to 144 times per second, but that does not make a game produce 144 FPS.
Conversely, a game can render more frames than a monitor can display in a given second. The two specifications are related, but neither one measures the other. You do not need to buy a monitor, graphics card, or capture device to check FPS. A high-refresh-rate gaming monitor can make higher frame rates more visible, but it neither creates nor measures FPS.
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FPS counter missing or not working?
There is no single fix that works for every Windows PC. Work through the checklist for the overlay you are using:
- Confirm the overlay is enabled. Check Xbox Game Bar, Steam, NVIDIA, or AMD settings rather than assuming the feature is active.
- Use the correct shortcut. Try Win + G for Game Bar, Alt + R for NVIDIA, or Ctrl + Shift + O for the cited AMD default.
- Check whether the widget is hidden. A performance widget may be closed, unpinned, or disabled in the overlay’s HUD settings.
- Update the relevant software. Xbox Game Bar is distributed and updated through the Microsoft Store; GPU overlay behavior can also depend on the installed driver and NVIDIA or AMD software version.
- Try the game’s own counter. This can work when a third-party overlay is blocked or incompatible.
- Test another display mode. If the overlay fails only in one game, compare windowed, borderless, and fullscreen modes where the game supports them.
- Test another overlay. A problem limited to one game or one overlay may be related to the game’s graphics API, anti-cheat software, driver, fullscreen mode, or a software conflict.
If Windows requests permission for FPS access through Game Bar, follow the on-screen instructions and restart Game Bar or Windows if requested. That prompt is not necessarily shown on every installation.
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Which FPS method should you use?
| Situation | Best starting option | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You want the quickest Windows-wide method | Xbox Game Bar | Built into Windows and opened with Win + G. |
| You launch the game through Steam | Steam Performance Overlay | Can show FPS alone or expanded CPU, GPU, RAM, and graph data. |
| You use an NVIDIA GPU | NVIDIA performance overlay | Alt + R provides a fast real-time display. |
| You use an AMD Radeon GPU | AMD Adrenalin metrics overlay | Provides FPS, frame time, utilization, temperatures, and other metrics. |
| The game supports telemetry | In-game counter | Usually avoids dependence on an external overlay. |
| You are benchmarking or investigating stutter | FrameView or expanded telemetry | Logs and frame-time data are more informative than a casual FPS reading. |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check FPS on Windows without installing anything?
Press Win + G while the game is running, open the Performance widget, enable FPS, and pin the widget. Then return to the game and read the counter during active gameplay.
How do I show FPS in Steam games?
Open Steam, go to Steam > Settings > In Game, find Performance Overlay, and choose the display detail level. Steam can show FPS as well as CPU, GPU, RAM, and graph information.
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NVIDIA’s default performance-overlay shortcut is Alt + R, provided the NVIDIA in-game overlay is enabled. For AMD Adrenalin, the cited default shortcut is Ctrl + Shift + O.
Is FPS the same as monitor refresh rate?
No. FPS is the number of frames the game produces per second, while refresh rate is how often the monitor can refresh. A monitor can limit how many updates you see, but it does not measure or create the game’s FPS.
The Bottom Line
For most Windows players, press Win + G, open Performance, enable FPS, and pin the widget. Use Steam, NVIDIA, AMD, or the game’s own telemetry when that better matches how you launch and play the game. For stutter diagnosis, check frame time as well as average FPS.
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