Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →The most useful Windows 11 checks are simple: turn on Game Mode, enable Optimizations for windowed games when you play compatible DirectX 10 or 11 titles in windowed or borderless mode, select the right GPU on a multi-GPU PC, and use Best performance power mode when the computer is plugged in and extra heat and power use are acceptable. Keep Windows and graphics drivers current and reduce unnecessary background work when resource usage is the real bottleneck.
None of these settings guarantees a particular frame rate. Their effect depends on the game, graphics API, display mode, hardware, driver and what else the PC is doing.
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Use these Windows 11 settings first
| Setting | Where to find it | When it helps | Main trade-off or limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game Mode | Settings > Gaming > Game Mode | A sensible baseline for gaming | No guaranteed FPS increase |
| Optimizations for windowed games | Settings > System > Display > Graphics | Compatible DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 games in windowed or borderless-windowed mode | Does not target every game or fullscreen mode |
| Per-app graphics preference | Settings > System > Display > Graphics > select a game > Options | Hybrid laptops and PCs with more than one GPU | High performance uses more power; a single-GPU PC has no alternate GPU to choose |
| Best performance power mode | Settings > System > Power & battery > Power mode | When plugged in and the CPU needs more performance headroom | More power draw, heat and faster battery drain |
| Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling | Graphics settings on supported hardware | Optional troubleshooting or comparison on supported driver and hardware combinations | No universal evidence that enabling it is faster |
| Visual effects | Visual Effects tab > Adjust for best performance | General Windows responsiveness on a constrained PC | Reduces Windows interface effects rather than directly raising game FPS |
Start with the first four settings, then investigate updates and background activity. Change one setting at a time so you can tell which change affected a particular game.
1. Check that Game Mode is enabled
Open Settings > Gaming > Game Mode and make sure Game Mode is on. Microsoft says it should be enabled by default in Windows 11. Treat it as a baseline check, not a promised frame-rate upgrade: Microsoft does not publish a universal FPS gain for turning it on.
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If the switch is already on, leave it on and move to settings that match your game’s display mode or your PC’s hardware. Turning Game Mode on cannot compensate for an undersized GPU, thermal throttling, insufficient memory or a game-specific problem.
2. Enable Optimizations for windowed games when they apply
Microsoft describes this feature as improving performance for DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 games running in windowed and borderless-windowed modes. It moves compatible games from the older blt presentation model to the flip model, which can reduce frame latency and enables features such as Auto HDR and variable refresh rate on supported displays. Read Microsoft’s scope and compatibility details in Optimizations for windowed games in Windows 11.
Turn it on globally
- Open Settings.
- Go to System > Display > Graphics.
- Under the default settings, enable Optimizations for windowed games.
- Close and restart the game.
The setting is most relevant when you intentionally use a window or borderless window. It is not a blanket optimization for every API, every fullscreen presentation mode or every title. A gaming monitor with variable refresh rate or an HDR gaming monitor is optional; the Windows setting works only with display capabilities that the hardware actually supports.
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Handle Auto HDR and per-game exceptions
Auto HDR enables windowed-game optimization automatically. If you need to turn the optimization off, Microsoft says you must first turn off Auto HDR. For an individual exception, open Settings > System > Display > Graphics, select the game under the custom options list, choose Options, then adjust its graphics preference or disable windowed-game optimizations and Auto HDR. Save the change and restart the game or app.
If a game shows flicker, unexpected HDR behavior, a different frame-pacing feel or a compatibility problem after the change, use that per-game exception rather than disabling the feature for every title.
3. Choose the correct GPU for each game
This matters primarily on hybrid laptops and other systems with an integrated GPU plus a discrete GPU. In Settings > System > Display > Graphics, select the game and open Options. Windows provides three choices:
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- Let Windows decide allows the operating system to select a GPU.
- Power saving favors lower energy use, commonly useful for battery operation.
- High performance requests the higher-performance GPU when one is available.
“High performance” is a Windows preference, not a benchmark guarantee. A single-GPU desktop will not gain a second rendering device by changing this menu, and a discrete GPU may still be limited by cooling, power limits or the game itself. Restart the game after changing the preference so the process starts with the new selection.
4. Test Best performance power mode while plugged in
On Windows 11, go to Settings > System > Power & battery > Power mode and select Best performance. Microsoft says this mode can help the CPU run at higher performance when needed.
The choice has an explicit cost. It increases power consumption; on a laptop it can shorten battery runtime and raise operating temperature. Fans may run more often, and a warmer system can be undesirable in a quiet room or on a lap. Use it as a gaming-session test when the PC is connected to power and heat is acceptable, rather than as a permanent setting for every laptop workload. Switch back to a balanced or efficiency-oriented mode when battery life, acoustics or temperature matter more.
5. Remove background bottlenecks before changing advanced options
A game can stutter because another process is consuming CPU time, memory, storage or network resources. Microsoft’s Tips to improve PC performance in Windows recommends the following housekeeping steps.
Install Windows and optional driver updates
Check Settings > Windows Update and review Advanced options > Optional updates. Optional updates can include non-critical drivers. Install updates that are appropriate for your hardware, restart when requested, and then test the same game or scene again. Keep in mind that a new driver can change behavior in either direction for a particular title; if a problem begins immediately after an update, record the version and use the manufacturer’s supported rollback or reinstallation process rather than repeatedly changing unrelated Windows settings.
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Open Task Manager and use the Processes and Performance views while the problem is occurring. The Startup apps view shows programs that launch with Windows. Disable only startup items you recognize and do not need running all the time. Close unused applications before launching a demanding game, especially programs that are consuming substantial CPU, memory or disk bandwidth.
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Limit unnecessary background activity
Review background permissions for apps you do not need updating or synchronizing during play. Avoid indiscriminately ending Windows processes: an essential service can be restarted by the system, break a feature or make diagnosis harder. Use the resource graphs to identify the actual constraint instead of applying a generic “debloat” list.
6. Treat Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling as optional
Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling appears in Windows graphics options on supported devices. Microsoft’s gaming guidance lists it among the graphics settings worth checking, while its DirectX documentation explains that support depends on graphics hardware and drivers and that reliability and performance are evaluated as driver support is developed. See Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling.
The available evidence does not establish an “on is always faster” rule. If a stable PC already performs well, there is no need to change this setting solely because it exists. If you are troubleshooting stutter or comparing behavior, change only HAGS, keep the game, resolution and other settings constant, and evaluate the workloads you actually play. Record whether frame pacing, crashes or responsiveness improve before deciding which state to keep.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches7. Reduce visual effects only for general system responsiveness
Windows visual effects consume some system resources. In the Visual Effects tab, Microsoft offers Adjust for best performance, which reduces interface effects. This is useful on a constrained PC that also feels sluggish while opening windows or navigating the desktop, but it is not a game-specific FPS switch.
Use it when your goal includes a more responsive Windows interface and you accept a plainer appearance. Do not expect this setting to solve a GPU-limited game or to replace appropriate in-game resolution, quality or upscaling choices.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Match the setting to the problem
Windowed or borderless DirectX 10/11 game
Check Game Mode, enable Optimizations for windowed games, restart the title and verify that Auto HDR or variable refresh rate is compatible with your display. If the game behaves worse, apply a per-game exception.
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Hybrid laptop using the wrong graphics processor
Use the per-app graphics menu and compare Let Windows decide with High performance. Test while plugged in if battery use is not the priority, and restart the game after each selection.
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Performance drops during a long session
Check Task Manager and temperatures with the monitoring tools supplied for your hardware. Best performance mode can increase headroom but also heat; if temperatures rise and clocks fall, more power is not necessarily the solution. Improve cooling, reduce in-game load or return to a less aggressive power mode.
Stutter with no obvious GPU limitation
Look for background CPU, memory, disk or network activity, update Windows and drivers, and test one graphics setting at a time. HAGS is an optional comparison, not a guaranteed fix.
Windows 10 is legacy context, not the current target
The settings above are organized for Windows 11, which Microsoft’s current gaming guidance targets. Microsoft states that Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025. A Windows 10 PC may have similarly named controls, but it should not be treated as equally current for security or ongoing support.
What these settings cannot do
- They cannot guarantee a percentage improvement or a fixed number of extra frames per second.
- They cannot turn integrated graphics into a discrete GPU or remove a game’s CPU, GPU, memory or storage limit.
- They cannot make every game benefit from windowed optimizations; that feature has a defined DirectX 10/11 and windowed/borderless scope.
- They cannot eliminate the power and heat costs of Best performance mode.
- They cannot prove that HAGS is faster on every supported system.
The practical approach is to establish a repeatable test in the game, change one Windows variable, restart when required, and observe frame pacing, hitching, resource use and stability—not just an average FPS counter.
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