Since Windows 11 has arrived on the market On October 5, 2021, many gamers were stuck on Windows 10 because the new version wasn't running as smoothly as they had hoped. Over the years, Microsoft has refined the system and it now performs much better, but even so, if you play regularly, you can still squeeze out a significant FPS by tweaking a few key settings.
If you are one of those who want take advantage of every last frame per secondTo avoid annoying stutters, minimize latency, and ensure nothing and no one interrupts your games, this guide will be invaluable. We'll review, step by step, all the options Windows 11 offers to maximize gaming performance, along with some tips from outside the operating system that make a bigger difference than you might think.
Optimize power plans in Windows 11
One of the first things you should check is the power plan used by Windows 11By default, the system is usually configured in "Balanced" mode, designed to combine performance and energy saving, and on laptops it may even be in "Power Saver" mode to extend battery life, which penalizes gaming performance.
Windows typically offers three basic power settings: Energy economizer, balanced and high performanceFor gaming, what we want is for the processor to always be able to work at its maximum capacity, and that is achieved by selecting the High performance plan or the most aggressive power mode available.
To change it, open the Windows 11 search box and type in power plans. Go to the first result that appears and, in the power options window, select the High performance plan. On some modern computers, this option is integrated into the Settings menu, under System > Power (or Battery & power if you're using a laptop), and there you can choose a similar mode called Maximum performance from the power mode dropdown.
With this simple change, the processor Stop aggressively lowering frequenciesLoading times are reduced in many games, and you're less likely to experience micro-stuttering when the system suddenly needs extra power. However, be aware that power consumption and temperature may increase, which is normal if you want more FPS.
Activate and adjust Windows 11 Game Mode
Windows 11 includes a Integrated Game Mode which many users haven't even looked at. This feature is designed so that, when it detects you're playing a game, the system reduces the load on non-essential background services and applications, concentrating most of the resources on the game.
To activate it, press Windows + I to open Settings Then go to the Games section. There you'll see the Game Mode option; just flip the switch to enable it. From that moment on, every time you launch a game, Windows will limit certain background tasks to prioritize the gaming experience.
This feature usually helps to reduce CPU usage spikes and minor stutters when background processes are running. It doesn't work miracles, but it does provide an overall improvement in stability, especially if you usually have many things open while playing.
In addition to activating Game Mode, in the same Games settings block you will find access to other interesting options, such as the Graphics section, where you can adjust the GPU priority for certain titles, which we will see in more detail below.
Choosing the high-performance GPU for your games
On many devices, especially laptops with integrated and dedicated graphicsWindows decides on its own which GPU to use for each applicationSometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, leaving demanding games with the integrated GPU, which results in very poor performance.
To control this, go back to Settings > System > Display > Graphics (or from Games > Related settings > Graphics, depending on the version). There you'll see a list of installed applications and games. You can manually add any executable that isn't listed.
Select the game you want to optimize and click on Options. A small window will open where you can choose between three modes: Let Windows decide, Energy saving and High performanceThe interesting thing for gaming is to select High performance, where the name and model of your dedicated graphics card will usually be specified.
This way you ensure that That particular game always uses the powerful GPU and not the integrated one. This setting is especially important if you've noticed that a game is performing much worse than expected or if the fan is barely turning on, a sign that the main graphics card isn't even bothering to operate.
Enable hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling (HAGS)
One of the most striking new features that Microsoft has introduced in Windows 11 is the hardware-accelerated GPU programming, better known as HAGS. This technology allows the graphics card to manage part of the video memory (VRAM) itself without depending so much on the processor.
The objective is clear: reduce latency and improve performance In games and 3D applications, freeing up CPU cycles minimizes the bottleneck when you have a relatively powerful GPU paired with a somewhat less powerful processor.
To activate it, open Settings with Windows + I, then go to System > Display > Graphics Scroll down to find the Hardware-accelerated GPU Scheduling option. You'll see a switch that you can turn on or off. In some cases, you may be asked to restart your computer for the change to take effect.
On modern cards, such as the series NVIDIA RTX 40 and RTX 50Having HAGS enabled is almost mandatory if you want to take advantage of advanced features such as frame generation.
However, it should be noted that on older systems, with outdated drivers, or GPUs that don't handle this feature well, HAGS can cause stuttering, instability, or unexpected shutdowns of the game. If you play competitive titles where stability is paramount, it's worth testing by comparing the behavior with HAGS enabled and disabled.
Control and disable notifications during games
Windows notifications may seem harmless, but besides breaking your concentration in the middle of a game, they can also They consume resources and CPU cyclesespecially if there are many apps constantly sending notifications.
To limit its impact before playing, go to Settings > System > NotificationsInside, you'll find a general option for "Get notifications from apps and other senders." Unchecking this box will block most pop-up notifications while it's disabled.
You can also adjust app by app what it can and cannot notifyHowever, if you want to focus entirely on the game, it's usually best to temporarily disable them all. After your gaming session, you can always re-enable the ones you consider important.
By reducing notifications, you eliminate small interruptions that, while they may not seem like much, can cause desktop crashes, FPS drops, or focus changes that ruin a crucial play in a competitive game.
Disable VBS (Virtualization-Based Security) to gain FPS
Windows 11 incorporates several advanced security features, including the so-called VBS or Virtualization-Based SecurityIt is designed to isolate sensitive processes in virtual environments, improving protection against malware, but in return it introduces a significant performance penalty in some cases.
In work environments or teams where security is a priority, it makes a lot of sense to keep VBS active. However, if you primarily use your PC for gaming and want to get the most out of it, you might want to keep it disabled. maximum hardware performanceIt may be worthwhile to disable it, always keeping in mind the responsibility of knowing that you are reducing a layer of protection.
To check, go to Settings, enter Privacy and security > Windows security Then, when the new window opens, go to Device Security. Inside, you'll find a section called Memory Integrity. If the switch is enabled, uncheck it to disable this feature.
After restarting, many computers show an improvement in FPS rates and loading timesespecially in CPU-intensive games. It's not a magic bullet, but it can be the boost you need if you've already optimized everything else.
Clean up startup: Remove programs that start with Windows
Over time, Windows 11 tends to accumulate applications that run when the system startsChat clients, update programs, game launchers, cloud sync services, and much more. All of these compete for RAM and CPU even before you open your favorite game.
The quickest way to control this is to open the Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + EscOnce inside, go to the Startup Applications tab (or Startup in some versions). You'll see a list of programs that load when you turn on your PC, along with their estimated impact on startup time.
Select the applications you don't need from the start (for example, utilities you only use occasionally) and tap the Disable button in the upper left corner. This way, will not start automatically and you'll free up resources from the start.
It's important to keep only the truly essential tools active, such as your graphics card software or critical applications for your hardware. As for the rest, it's best to launch them only when you need them, instead of having them constantly consuming resources in the background.
Close background apps and processes before playing
Beyond what starts with Windows, it's very common to have a lot of... background apps While we play: browsers with many tabs, editors, video players, streaming tools, etc.
All of this competes for the RAM, CPU, and even internet bandwidthIf you notice that a game is lagging or stuttering when you change scenes, the first thing to do is make sure you don't have half your operating system full of active apps.
Again, you can use Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and, in the Processes tab, check which programs are using the most resources. If there's one you don't need at the moment, right-click on it and choose End task. Only do this with applications you recognize, to avoid closing anything critical to the system.
Although it may seem obvious, many users forget this detail and then are surprised that the FPS is unstable or there is constant stutteringA couple of browser tabs with streaming videos can consume a lot of RAM and CPU without you even noticing.
Update Windows 11 to improve stability and performance
There is a belief that the windows updates They only bring aesthetic changes or features that nobody asked for, but the reality is that most of them are loaded with bug fixes and small performance optimizations.
To check if your system is up to date, log in Settings> Windows UpdateOnce inside, tap Check for updates and wait a few seconds. If the status shows that everything is up to date, you can, if you wish, check the optional updates section.
Sometimes, those Optional updates include non-critical drivers or other components that can resolve specific problems with certain games or improve compatibility with new hardware. If you see anything related to your graphics card, chipset, or other key components, it's usually a good idea to install them.
If Windows detects new general updates, select Download and install. The system will download and apply the patches, and in many cases you'll notice a change in behavior. more stable, with fewer crashes and minor bugs that had been accumulating.
Update and maintain your graphics card drivers
If there is one critical component to playing, it is the GPU and its driversNo matter how good your graphics card is, if the drivers are outdated or corrupted, you'll encounter performance problems, graphical errors, and unexpected crashes.
A quick way to force a driver search is to right-click on the Press the Start button and open Device ManagerInside, expand Display adapters, select your graphics card, and click Update driver. Windows will attempt to locate a suitable driver.
Even so, the best thing to do is go directly to the official website of NVIDIA, AMD or Intel (depending on the GPU) and download the latest available driver package. These manufacturers usually release drivers optimized for the latest releases, including specific improvements for certain games.
Good drivers not only provide more FPS, but also Fewer visual errors, better VRAM management and compatibility with technologies such as DLSS, FSR or HAGS itself, which we mentioned earlier.
Activate and configure the storage sensor
The album, whether SSD or HDDIt also plays a role: the fuller and more disorganized it is, the easier it is for you to notice slow loads and small jerks when the game has to read a lot of data. To help with this, Windows 11 has a feature called Storage Sense.
This tool takes care of clean unnecessary temporary files and manage disk space automatically. To activate it, open Settings and type "Storage Sense" in the search bar. Select the "Turn on Storage Sense" option.
Inside, you'll see a switch to turn it on. Enabling it will allow Windows to delete temporary data and perform maintenance tasks as needed, without you having to worry about it. You can also adjust more settings by clicking the additional configuration option located just below.
This won't double your FPS, but it does help maintain the system. lighter, with less accumulated trash and fewer extra processes associated with file management, which adds stability and reduces the risk of storage-related bottlenecks.
Peripherals and connectivity: external details that affect the experience
Beyond Windows 11, there are a number of external factors that greatly influence how you perceive your games' performance, even if they don't directly affect the FPS count. One of these is the use of Wired vs. Wireless Peripherals.
There are wireless mice, keyboards, and controllers on the market with very low latency, but in practice, if you want to minimize any delay between what you do and what you see on screen, the Cable remains the safest optionYou avoid interference, battery problems, and minor disconnections that can be fatal during a competitive game.
Another key aspect is how you connect your PC to the internet. Whenever possible, use a RJ-45 network cable directly to the routerWi-Fi connections are subject to interference, walls, channel saturation, and other factors that increase latency and cause packet loss.
If you have no other option than to use Wi-Fi because the router is far away, consider using a PLC kit that carries the signal through the electrical installation at home. It's not perfect, but in many cases it significantly improves stability compared to weak Wi-Fi with poor coverage.
All of this doesn't literally increase FPS, but it does reduce the lag, latency spikes, and online instabilityUltimately, to play well, you not only need a good frame rate, but also a network environment and peripherals that respond instantly.
Adjust the graphics settings of the games
Even though Windows 11 is perfectly tuned, each game has its own internal graphics optionsAnd in many cases, they aren't configured optimally automatically. Some games detect your hardware and adjust everything quite well, but others are either too ambitious or too conservative.
If you notice that the performance is lacking, go into the game's graphics options menu and try... lower the quality of shadows, reflections, draw distance, or advanced filtersThese sections are usually the ones that most reduce FPS without providing such an overwhelming visual leap.
You can also use applications from your GPU manufacturer, such as NVIDIA GeForce Experience or AMD SoftwareThese tools offer optimization profiles for many games. With one click, they adjust the game's internal settings to find a reasonable balance between quality and performance based on your hardware.
By playing with these parameters, you will be able to achieve a stable and consistent framerateThis is much more important than pursuing the absolute maximum visual quality with constant FPS drops that harm gameplay.
Monitor CPU and GPU temperature
Temperature is another critical factor that is often overlooked. If your processor or graphics card overheats, they will start to lower its frequency to protect itselfwhich translates into an automatic drop in performance when you need it most.
To avoid this, it is recommended to use monitoring tools that allow you to see CPU and GPU temperatures while gamingIf you consistently observe very high values, there may be accumulated dust, poor ventilation in the case, or the thermal paste may be in poor condition.
Keeping temperatures under control not only extends the lifespan of your components, but also ensures optimal performance. more stable and sustained during long sessionsIt's not very useful to have a super-optimized system if after half an hour of gameplay everything starts to suffer from overheating.
By combining all these Windows 11 optimizations—power settings, Game Mode, HAGS, notification control, startup and process cleanup, up-to-date drivers and updates—with good hardware, peripheral, and network habits, your computer is ready to deliver a Much smoother gameplay, with less stuttering, better stability, and a far superior overall experience without needing to change PCs immediately.
