Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →To show FPS, frametime, temperatures, GPU and CPU usage, clocks, power, and memory data while you play, install MSI Afterburner and RivaTuner Statistics Server (RTSS). Afterburner selects and collects the sensor data; RTSS renders the in-game overlay. Afterburner’s graphs can work without RTSS, but its RTSS-based in-game OSD generally cannot.
What you need
- A Windows PC with a supported graphics driver
- MSI Afterburner
- RivaTuner Statistics Server, normally included in the Afterburner installer
- A game for testing
You do not need to overclock, undervolt, change voltage, or adjust fan settings to use the overlay. MSI Afterburner is not limited to MSI-branded graphics cards, although available sensors and controls vary by GPU, driver, laptop firmware, and manufacturer.
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Download MSI Afterburner safely
Download Afterburner only from MSI’s official page or its recognized Guru3D distribution. Avoid search-result download sites, unofficial mirrors, cracked installers, and similarly named executables. MSI warns that fake Afterburner sites may distribute modified installers or malware.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallDuring installation, leave RivaTuner Statistics Server selected. If you skipped it, reinstall the package and select RTSS rather than downloading an arbitrary file with a similar name. MSI’s support guidance identifies RTSS as the component required for the monitoring OSD.
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Set up the monitoring data
- Launch MSI Afterburner and click the gear icon.
- Open the Monitoring tab.
- Select a sensor in the monitoring list.
- Enable Show in On-Screen Display.
- Repeat for each statistic you want, then click Apply.
Useful entries include:
- Framerate and frametime
- GPU temperature, usage, core clock, memory clock, power, and memory usage
- CPU usage and temperature
- System RAM usage
- Average framerate and low-framerate statistics, when available
Show in On-Screen Display is the setting that sends a value to RTSS. Show in tray icon displays it in the Windows notification area instead; it does not put the value inside a game.
If your PC has integrated and discrete graphics, you may see multiple GPU entries. Select the GPU that is actually rendering the game. Sensor names and availability differ between systems, especially on laptops.
Assign a hotkey
- In Afterburner’s settings, open On-Screen Display.
- Find the field for Toggle On-Screen Display.
- Press an unused key, then click Apply.
Scroll Lock is a common choice, but it is only an example. Insert, Home, End, or an unused function key may work better. Avoid keys already assigned to movement, abilities, screenshots, or menus in your game.
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Configure RivaTuner Statistics Server
Open RTSS from its notification-area icon or by clicking the More button in Afterburner’s OSD settings. Leave RTSS running in the background.
RTSS controls the overlay’s presentation and game detection. Depending on the installed build, you can adjust:
- Text size or zoom
- Screen corner and exact position
- Color and background fill
- Application detection level
- Per-game profiles
Move the overlay away from minimaps, subtitles, health bars, or other important HUD elements. Increase the zoom if text is difficult to read, and use a background fill when the game makes the text blend into the scene. MSI’s OSD guide documents these controls.
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Test the overlay in a game
- Confirm that both Afterburner and RTSS are running in the notification area.
- Launch the game.
- Enter active gameplay rather than testing only at the launcher or title screen.
- Press your OSD hotkey.
You should see at least one selected value, such as FPS or GPU temperature. If the FPS counter appears but other values do not, check the sensor-selection and Show in On-Screen Display settings separately from RTSS detection.
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Useful overlay presets
Everyday gaming
Start with FPS, frametime, GPU temperature, GPU usage, CPU usage, and CPU temperature. Add GPU memory usage or system RAM usage if you are investigating memory limits.
Diagnosing stutter
Use FPS and frametime together. FPS is an average-like rate; frametime shows how long individual frames take. A high FPS number can still feel uneven when occasional frames take much longer to render.
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Checking a GPU limit
Add GPU usage, temperature, clock, power, and VRAM usage. High GPU usage can be consistent with a GPU-limited workload, while low GPU usage may point to a CPU or game-engine limit, a frame cap, synchronization, or a background process. These are diagnostic clues, not proof from a single sensor.
Benchmarking
Add average FPS and 1% lows, and optionally 0.1% lows, GPU power, VRAM usage, and clock behavior. Low-percentile values may require RTSS benchmark or statistics collection and enough sample data; they may not update meaningfully during a short, ordinary play session.
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- Confirm RTSS is installed. Check the Start menu or installed programs.
- Confirm RTSS is running. Look for its notification-area icon.
- Confirm a sensor is selected for the OSD. In Afterburner, open Settings → Monitoring, select a value, and enable Show in On-Screen Display.
- Test the hotkey. Assign a different unused key if the current one is intercepted.
- Test inside gameplay. Some applications do not show the overlay at the launcher or menu.
- Check RTSS detection. A per-game profile may override the global setting.
- Restart in the correct order. Close both applications from the notification area, launch them again, and then restart the game.
- Temporarily disable competing overlays. Test with Steam, Xbox Game Bar, Discord, NVIDIA or AMD overlays, recording tools, and other monitoring utilities disabled.
- Check privilege levels. If the game runs as administrator, matching that privilege level for Afterburner and RTSS may help. Do not run everything as administrator by default.
- Consider game compatibility. Rendering modes, unusual launchers, Microsoft Store apps, remote sessions, anti-cheat systems, and game updates can affect third-party overlays.
Try borderless windowed mode if exclusive fullscreen fails, or increase RTSS application detection for that game. If the overlay worked previously and stopped after a driver, game, or utility update, updating or rolling back the relevant component may help. MSI has documented game-specific compatibility fixes, including an Afterburner/RTSS example for Battlefield 6 beta. Check the game publisher’s rules before using third-party overlays in competitive play.
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When sensors are missing
Missing data does not necessarily mean the installation is broken. A GPU or laptop firmware may not expose a sensor, a driver update may change reporting, or the wrong GPU entry may be selected. CPU temperature and package readings also depend on supported monitoring paths. If a value appears in Afterburner’s graph but not in-game, mark it for Show in On-Screen Display.
Laptop GPUs may expose fewer controls than desktop cards. MSI specifically notes that laptop fan curves can be restricted by manufacturer BIOS; this limitation concerns fan control and does not automatically prevent monitoring data from appearing.
If the OSD disappears after reboot
Enable the Windows-start option in MSI Afterburner and the corresponding startup option in RTSS, if available in your builds. After restarting Windows, confirm that both programs appear in the notification area.
If installation says Afterburner is already running, disable its Start with Windows option, save the change, close Afterburner and RTSS completely, restart Windows, and run the installer again.
Quick Recap
Alternatives
- NVIDIA FrameView: focused on performance measurement without Afterburner’s tuning controls.
- AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition: provides a built-in metrics overlay for AMD GPU users.
- HWiNFO: better suited to deep CPU, motherboard, storage, and auxiliary sensor coverage, though it typically needs an additional overlay integration for an in-game display.
- CapFrameX: aimed at repeatable frame-time capture and benchmark analysis rather than a permanent casual overlay.
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