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How to Enable Fortnite Performance Mode from Epic Games Launcher

Fortnite’s Performance Mode is set inside the game—not as a standard Launcher launch option. Here are the steps, optional texture setting, and fixes if it will not stick.
Length2 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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To use Fortnite’s Performance Mode, change Rendering Mode in the game’s Video settings, select Apply, then restart Fortnite. Epic Games Launcher does not have a normal launch toggle for this setting. The Launcher does provide a separate optional texture setting and a command-line workaround if the mode will not stay enabled.

Enable Performance Mode in Fortnite

  1. Launch Fortnite.
  2. Open the player icon or menu and select Settings.
  3. Choose the Video tab.
  4. In the Display section, set Rendering Mode to Performance. It may be labeled Performance – Lower Graphical Fidelity.
  5. Select Apply, then restart Fortnite for the change to take effect.

These are Epic’s documented steps for the current setting; Epic’s Performance Mode instructions place the rendering-mode choice inside Fortnite, not in the Launcher.

Optional: remove High Resolution Textures

This Launcher option is separate from Performance Mode. If you also want to remove the high-resolution texture files, open Epic Games Launcher > Library, select the three-dot menu on Fortnite, choose Options, uncheck High Resolution Textures, and apply the change. Epic says this can save over 15 GB; the support page does not specify a publication date or guarantee the same saving for every installation.

If Performance Mode will not stay enabled

Use Epic’s Launcher command-line workaround

  1. Open Epic Games Launcher and select Settings.
  2. Expand the Fortnite section.
  3. Enable Additional Command Line Arguments.
  4. Clear any existing entries, then enter -d3d12 -FeatureLevelEs31.
  5. Launch Fortnite and check the Rendering Mode setting again.

Epic documents these arguments as a fix for Performance Mode not remaining saved: Epic’s command-line instructions.

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Check whether the settings file is read-only

Epic says a read-only GameUserSettings.ini can prevent users from enabling or leaving Performance Mode. Find the file in Fortnite’s local user configuration folder, open its Properties, and clear the Read-only checkbox, then apply the change. See Epic’s low-frame-rate troubleshooting page for the folder location and related checks.

What to expect from the setting

Performance Mode lowers graphical fidelity in exchange for the possibility of smoother performance. It does not guarantee higher FPS: Epic notes that results depend on the hardware, and the change may help only slightly or make no difference. Epic’s support article includes two illustrative 720p laptop examples—24 to 61 FPS and 18 to 45 FPS—but gives no publication year or basis for treating those results as typical. They should not be read as a prediction for your PC.

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A dedicated GPU is not required to enable Performance Mode. Epic says an SSD or at least 6 GB of RAM may help older machines fit the game in memory and reduce hitches and stutters; those are troubleshooting considerations, not prerequisites for the setting. If performance remains poor, Epic recommends checking system requirements, verifying game files, updating graphics drivers, using the high-performance GPU on multi-GPU laptops, and checking for overheating or background processes. Epic also says switching from DirectX 12 to Performance Mode may help if you encounter crashes, freezing, or black screens.

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