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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsThere is no universal VSync switch in the normal Windows 11 or Windows 10 Settings app. To turn it off, disable VSync (also called Vertical Sync or Wait for Vertical Refresh) in the game first. If the game ignores that setting, use a per-game profile in your NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel graphics software.
Turning VSync off can remove a frame-rate limit and reduce synchronization-related latency, but it may introduce screen tearing, higher GPU usage, or uneven frame pacing.
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Turn off VSync in the game
- Launch the game.
- Open Settings, Options, or Preferences.
- Open Video, Graphics, Display, or Rendering.
- Find VSync, Vertical Sync, Vertical synchronization, or Wait for vertical refresh.
- Set it to Off or Disabled. If the game offers Use application settings, select that option.
- Choose Apply, Save, or Confirm.
- Restart the game if the change does not take effect immediately.
This is the preferred method because the game controls its own rendering and presentation settings. VSync synchronizes rendered frames with the display’s refresh cycle, which can reduce tearing but may limit frame rate to the monitor’s refresh rate and add latency depending on the implementation. Microsoft identifies VSync as a setting commonly exposed by games, while NVIDIA recommends checking both the game and driver settings when troubleshooting latency (Microsoft DirectX; NVIDIA).
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Recommended: disable it for one game
- Right-click an empty area of the desktop and open NVIDIA Control Panel.
- Select Manage 3D settings.
- Open the Program Settings tab.
- Select the game. If it is not listed, click Add and browse to the game’s executable.
- Find Vertical sync and set it to Off.
- Click Apply, then restart the game.
A per-game profile is safer than changing the setting for every application. NVIDIA warns that setting VSync to Off globally can cause tearing in windowed applications, particularly with driver versions beginning with 461.09 (NVIDIA support).
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Disable VSync globally
- Open NVIDIA Control Panel.
- Go to Manage 3D settings.
- Stay on the Global Settings tab.
- Set Vertical sync to Off.
- Click Apply.
Use this only if you deliberately want the override across applications. The Vertical sync option is separate from G-SYNC; disabling one does not automatically disable the other. NVIDIA documents these controls under Manage 3D settings.
AMD: disable VSync
- Open AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition.
- Open the Gaming tab.
- Select the game, or open the global graphics profile.
- Look for Wait for Vertical Refresh, Vertical Refresh, or a similarly named setting.
- Choose Always off or the equivalent off option.
- Save or apply the change and restart the game.
AMD’s labels and available controls vary by Radeon generation, driver release, game, and graphics API. AMD also notes that with APIs such as DirectX and Vulkan, VSync is often controlled by the application itself (AMD support). If AMD Software does not show a VSync control for the game, disable it in the game’s own graphics menu instead.
Intel graphics
Intel integrated graphics and Intel Arc systems may expose graphics settings through Intel Graphics Command Center or newer Intel graphics software. The exact controls depend on the GPU, driver, game, and graphics API.
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If the Intel application does not show a VSync or vertical-refresh option, use the game’s graphics settings. Avoid treating the older Intel HD Graphics Control Panel as the standard current interface.
Windows settings that are not VSync
Refresh rate
Windows can change the monitor’s refresh rate at Settings → System → Display → Advanced display → Choose a refresh rate. This changes how often the display refreshes; it does not directly turn VSync off. A higher refresh rate may make motion feel smoother, but it cannot force a game to ignore its own VSync setting. Microsoft documents this control for Windows 10 and Windows 11 (Microsoft Support).
Variable refresh rate, G-SYNC, and FreeSync
Variable refresh rate (VRR) allows a compatible display to adjust its refresh timing to the rendered frame rate. G-SYNC, FreeSync, and Adaptive-Sync are VRR technologies or implementations; they are not simply alternate names for VSync.
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VRR and VSync can interact, but disabling VRR is not the same as disabling VSync and should not be your default fix. Microsoft describes VRR and VSync-off presentation behavior as related but technically distinct (Microsoft Learn).
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Optimizations for windowed games
Windows 11 includes Optimizations for windowed games under Settings → System → Display → Graphics → Default settings, with per-game controls available as well. This feature targets presentation latency and performance for compatible DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 games in windowed or borderless mode. It is not a universal VSync switch, so do not disable it merely to turn off VSync (Microsoft Support).
Why fullscreen and borderless mode can differ
Exclusive fullscreen can give a game more direct control over presentation. Borderless-windowed and windowed games are composed by the desktop environment, so driver and Windows behavior may differ from exclusive fullscreen.
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Consequently, turning VSync off in a game does not guarantee identical behavior in every display mode. If tearing or a frame-rate cap appears only in borderless mode, test fullscreen temporarily and check the game’s per-application driver profile. NVIDIA’s warning about global VSync Off is especially relevant to windowed applications.
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Turning VSync off removes only one possible limit. Check these other causes:
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- An in-game frame-rate limit, including separate gameplay, menu, or background limits.
- An NVIDIA or AMD frame-rate limiter.
- RTSS or RivaTuner Statistics Server.
- Battery, quiet, or power-saving mode.
- A laptop manufacturer’s performance profile.
- A CPU or GPU bottleneck.
- A game-engine frame-rate limit.
- Frame-generation or other latency technologies with their own frame-pacing rules.
- The monitor’s selected refresh rate.
Do not assume VSync is active simply because the counter reads 60, 120, 144, or another common refresh rate. An FPS cap can come from the game, driver, power profile, or third-party software.
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VSync appears to stay on
- Disable VSync in the game.
- Check the GPU driver’s per-game profile.
- Remove conflicting global overrides and return them to application-controlled or default.
- Check for RTSS or another frame limiter.
- Test fullscreen and borderless-windowed modes separately.
- Restart the game after changing the driver profile.
- Update or reinstall the graphics driver only if other graphics settings are also malfunctioning.
- Use the game’s configuration file only as a game-specific advanced step.
There is no reliable Windows-wide command or registry edit that disables VSync for every game. Avoid generic “VSync fixer” utilities.
What happens when you turn VSync off?
| VSync off | VSync on |
|---|---|
| Lower potential synchronization-related latency | Less visible tearing |
| Frame rate can exceed the monitor’s refresh rate | Frame rate may be limited to the refresh rate |
| Tearing may appear | Frame pacing may feel smoother |
| GPU usage, heat, fan noise, and power draw may increase | May prevent unnecessary rendering |
Turning VSync off does not guarantee higher performance or lower latency. The result depends on the game, hardware, display mode, refresh rate, driver, and frame-pacing implementation. If the system already struggles to deliver consistent frames, VSync may be masking a timing or pacing problem rather than causing it.
When should you leave VSync off?
Leaving it off can make sense when you prioritize the lowest possible latency, the game is capped at the monitor’s refresh rate, or you are testing whether synchronization contributes to delayed input. It is also reasonable if your display shows no objectionable tearing.
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Quick recovery
- Re-enable VSync in the game.
- Reset the GPU profile to Application-controlled, Use application settings, or its default.
- Restart the game.
- If you changed refresh-rate or VRR settings, restore the previous values.
Windows 10-specific menus and driver support may vary because Microsoft’s standard free support period ended on October 14, 2025. The game and GPU-driver procedures remain broadly similar, but labels can differ by system.
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