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Open the NVIDIA Overlay with Alt + Z
- Install and launch the current NVIDIA App.
- Start your game or another supported application.
- Press Alt + Z together once; do not hold the keys for several seconds.
The panel provides access to screenshots, recording, Instant Replay, supported NVIDIA Highlights, game filters and Photo Mode, performance statistics, microphone and camera controls, and your capture gallery. Availability varies by GPU, driver, Windows edition, application, and feature support. NVIDIA documents the shortcut in its NVIDIA App feature guide.
On some laptops, keyboard software may intercept the combination. There is no universal requirement to press Fn with Alt + Z; test the normal shortcut first.
Open it without the keyboard shortcut
- Open the NVIDIA App from the Windows Start menu or system tray.
- Click the NVIDIA Overlay button near the upper-right of the app window.
- Use the panel to access capture, statistics, filters, and shortcut settings.
This method is especially useful when a game, laptop utility, or another overlay is intercepting Alt + Z.
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Turn on In-Game Overlay
- Open NVIDIA App.
- Open Settings using the gear icon.
- Select Features.
- Turn on In-Game Overlay (the wording can vary slightly by release).
- Restart the NVIDIA App and your game, then try Alt + Z.
NVIDIA identifies this setting as the first check when the overlay will not open: official troubleshooting instructions.
Show FPS and performance statistics
The performance display is separate from the full control panel:
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- Alt + Z: opens the main NVIDIA Overlay.
- Alt + R: toggles the performance/statistics overlay by default.
- Alt + Shift + R: cycles available statistics layouts or metric views.
To configure it, open Alt + Z → Statistics, then choose Configure heads-up display (or the equivalent label). You can select FPS, GPU and CPU utilization, GPU temperature and clocks, system latency, and other available metrics, as well as their position and appearance. NVIDIA lists GeForce GTX 600-series and newer desktop and laptop GPUs as eligible for this performance-monitoring feature, but individual metrics depend on the GPU, driver, operating system, and application. See NVIDIA’s performance and latency overlay support page.
Default NVIDIA overlay shortcuts
| Function | Default shortcut |
|---|---|
| Open or close NVIDIA Overlay | Alt + Z |
| Toggle performance/statistics overlay | Alt + R |
| Cycle performance metrics | Alt + Shift + R |
| Start or stop recording | Alt + F9 |
| Take a screenshot | Commonly Alt + F1; verify in your app |
Shortcuts are configurable and have changed between NVIDIA software generations. Open Alt + Z → gear icon → Shortcuts (or Keyboard shortcuts) and check the current assignments. NVIDIA documents shortcut configuration at its support page.
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Alt + Z does nothing? Follow this order
- Confirm the NVIDIA App is installed. Download it only from NVIDIA’s official page. Older systems may still show GeForce Experience, but current instructions apply to the NVIDIA App.
- Enable the feature. Check NVIDIA App → Settings → Features → In-Game Overlay. If it already looks enabled, switch it off and on, restart the app, and relaunch the game.
- Restart everything. Fully exit the NVIDIA App, including its tray process, reopen it, and start the game again. Restart Windows if the overlay process did not initialize.
- Update the app and driver. Install the current Game Ready or Studio driver offered for your GPU and operating system from NVIDIA’s driver downloads. NVIDIA’s December 14, 2024 support article mentions driver 565.90 or newer; that dated reference is not a universal August 2026 requirement.
- Check Windows N. Windows 10 N and Windows 11 N may require Microsoft’s Media Feature Pack. Install it, reboot, and reinstall the NVIDIA App if necessary.
- Remove shortcut conflicts. Check Discord, Steam, Xbox Game Bar, MSI Afterburner/RivaTuner, OBS, OEM keyboard utilities, game keybinds, Razer Synapse, Logitech G Hub, Corsair iCUE, and other NVIDIA assignments. If the overlay button works, rebind the shortcut under its shortcut settings.
- Test another environment. Try the desktop, another game, and borderless or windowed mode. This helps distinguish an app problem from a game, rendering-mode, protected-content, or overlay conflict.
- Reinstall the NVIDIA App. Uninstall it, restart Windows, download the latest installer from NVIDIA, reinstall, enable In-Game Overlay, and test again. Reinstallation is a later recovery step, not a guaranteed fix.
Why it may work on the desktop but not in one game
- Recording, filters, Highlights, desktop capture, and statistics have separate compatibility requirements.
- Protected video or other protected content can block capture.
- Exclusive full-screen, borderless, and windowed modes can behave differently; testing another mode is diagnostic, not a guaranteed solution.
- Another overlay or a game-specific bug can interfere. NVIDIA’s release highlights document continuing overlay fixes, so updating matters.
- On hybrid-GPU laptops, the game may be running through integrated graphics. Confirm that the NVIDIA driver is active and that the game is recognized by the NVIDIA App, without assuming GPU selection will solve every issue.
- If the game runs elevated while the NVIDIA App does not (or the reverse), test consistent permissions. Do not permanently disable Windows security protections or run everything as administrator.
NVIDIA App versus GeForce Experience
Many older guides use GeForce Experience → Settings → General → In-Game Overlay. That is a legacy path. For current installations, use the NVIDIA App; NVIDIA has been moving users away from GeForce Experience as its web services are retired. See the upgrade announcement. Do not install an old GeForce Experience build merely to follow an obsolete menu path.
GeForce NOW cloud gaming is a different product with its own controls. Do not assume the local NVIDIA App shortcut behaves identically inside GeForce NOW.
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Common follow-up questions
Can I disable the overlay?
Yes. In the NVIDIA App, open Settings → Features and turn off In-Game Overlay.
Where are screenshots and recordings?
Open the overlay’s Gallery to view captures and use its location controls to see or change the save folder. The exact path depends on your NVIDIA App settings.
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- Military-grade components deliver rock-solid power and longer lifespan for ultimate durability
- Protective PCB coating helps protect against short circuits caused by moisture, dust, or debris
- 3.125-slot design with massive fin array optimized for airflow from three Axial-tech fans
- Phase-change GPU thermal pad helps ensure optimal thermal performance and longevity, outlasting traditional thermal paste for graphics cards under heavy loads
Does the overlay work on every GTX card?
NVIDIA’s support page names GTX 600-series and newer for performance monitoring, not for every modern capture, filter, Highlights, or AI feature. Check the requirements for the specific feature and driver.
What if I only want an FPS counter?
Use Alt + R by default, or configure the statistics display through Alt + Z → Statistics; this is not the full overlay panel.
What can I use if NVIDIA Overlay remains unavailable?
Xbox Game Bar provides basic Windows capture and widgets. OBS Studio is a free, open-source option for advanced recording and streaming, but neither reproduces NVIDIA’s integrated filters, Highlights, or Reflex-related statistics.
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