To see your FPS, enable the In-Game counter in Steam settings, press Win + G to launch the Windows Game Bar, or turn on the HUD layout in your NVIDIA or AMD graphics software.
Lag ruins matches. You line up a perfect shot, the screen stutters, and suddenly you are looking at a respawn timer. To fix this, you need hard numbers. You need to know exactly how many frames per second (FPS) your computer outputs in real-time.
Checking these numbers does not require expensive tools or complex coding. Most gamers already have the necessary software installed without realizing it. Whether you use Steam, have a specialized graphics card, or run a clean Windows install, you can display a frame rate counter in seconds.
Use The Steam In-Game Overlay
Steam is the most popular launcher for PC gaming, and it includes a built-in frame counter. This method is lightweight, accurate, and works for any game you launch through the Steam library. It is often the fastest method for casual tracking.
Steps To Enable Steam FPS Counter
- Open Steam Settings — Click on “Steam” in the top-left corner of the client and select “Settings” from the dropdown menu.
- Navigate to In-Game — Find the “In-Game” tab on the left-hand sidebar menu.
- Toggle the Counter — Look for the “In-game FPS counter” dropdown box. It is usually set to “Off” by default.
- Select a Position — Choose where you want the number to appear (e.g., Top-left or Top-right).
- High Contrast Color — Check the “High contrast color” box if you want the number to appear as bright green, which makes it easier to spot against dark game backgrounds.
Once you launch a game, the number appears in the corner. If it does not show up, ensure the Steam Overlay is enabled in the general settings.
Check Frames Per Second With Windows Game Bar
If you do not play games on Steam, or if you play titles from the Epic Games Store or Xbox Game Pass, Windows has a native solution. The Xbox Game Bar is built directly into Windows 10 and Windows 11.
This tool tracks system resources, including CPU usage, RAM usage, and current framerates.
How To Activate Game Bar Performance
- Launch the Bar — Press the Windows Key + G on your keyboard while your game is running.
- Find the Performance Widget — Look for a small window labeled “Performance.” If you do not see it, click the monitor icon in the top menu bar to make it appear.
- Select the FPS Tab — Click on the “FPS” option within the Performance widget.
- Pin the Widget — Click the “Pin” icon (it looks like a thumbtack) on the widget. This keeps the counter on your screen even after you close the Game Bar overlay.
Note: You may need to grant user access control permissions the first time you use this feature. Windows will prompt you to restart your PC to finalize the setup.
Use NVIDIA GeForce Experience Or App
Gamers using NVIDIA graphics cards usually have the NVIDIA GeForce Experience or the newer NVIDIA App installed for driver updates. This software suite includes a robust overlay for recording gameplay and monitoring stats.
This method is reliable because it pulls data directly from the GPU, offering highly accurate readings.
Enabling NVIDIA HUD
- Open the Overlay — Press Alt + Z while in a game or on your desktop.
- Go to Settings — Click the gear icon on the right side of the overlay menu.
- Select HUD Layout — Click on “HUD Layout” and then select “Performance.”
- Choose FPS — Select the specific metric you want to track (FPS usually falls under Basic or Advanced stats) and choose a screen corner.
The readout will now stay visible in any game running in full-screen or windowed borderless mode. It uses minimal system resources, so it won’t negatively impact your gameplay.
Monitor Stats With AMD Radeon Software
AMD users have a similar tool built into the Radeon Adrenalin software. It functions much like the NVIDIA counterpart but offers detailed graphs if you want to analyze performance over time.
Turning On AMD Metrics
- Open Radeon Settings — Right-click your desktop and open AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition, or press Alt + R in-game.
- Navigate to Performance — Click the “Performance” tab in the top menu.
- Enable Overlay — Toggle the “Show Metrics Overlay” option.
- Customize Tracking — Under the tracking settings, ensure FPS is checked. You can also monitor GPU temperature and VRAM usage here.
Advanced Monitoring With MSI Afterburner
For enthusiasts who want total control, MSI Afterburner coupled with the RivaTuner Statistics Server is the gold standard. This works on any graphics card, regardless of the brand. It allows you to change the font, size, color, and position of the overlay with granular precision.
Setting this up takes more effort than the options above, but the data is extensive.
Setup Instructions For Afterburner
- Install the Software — Download and install MSI Afterburner. During installation, make sure you also check the box to install “RivaTuner Statistics Server.”
- Open Settings — Launch Afterburner and click the gear icon (Settings).
- Go to Monitoring — Click the “Monitoring” tab at the top.
- Select Framerate — Scroll down the list of graphs until you see “Framerate.” Click it to highlight it.
- Show in On-Screen Display — With Framerate highlighted, check the box below that says “Show in On-Screen Display.”
- Apply Changes — Click Apply and OK. Launch your game, and the stats will appear.
Check In-Game Settings Menus
Many modern competitive games have their own internal performance monitors. Developers include these to help players troubleshoot connection issues and hardware limits without needing external software.
This is common in titles like Valorant, Fortnite, Overwatch 2, and Call of Duty. Checking the video or display settings inside these games often reveals an option labeled “Show FPS,” “Display Performance Stats,” or “Network Debug Stats.”
Quick tip: In Minecraft (Java Edition), you can simply press F3 to bring up a debug screen that lists your current frame rate in the top left corner.
Why Your Frame Rate Matters
Knowing the number is useful, but understanding what it means for your experience is better. The frame rate determines how smooth the motion looks on your screen. Higher numbers generally result in smoother gameplay and lower input latency.
Here is a breakdown of common performance targets:
- 30 FPS — Considered the minimum for playable gameplay on consoles or lower-end PCs. It may look slightly choppy in fast motion.
- 60 FPS — The standard for smooth PC gaming. Most standard monitors refresh at 60Hz, matching this frame rate perfectly.
- 144+ FPS — The target for competitive shooters. Requires a high-refresh-rate monitor (144Hz or higher). This provides fluid motion and faster reaction times.
FPS Vs Refresh Rate (Hz)
A common mistake involves confusing FPS with the monitor’s refresh rate (Hz). Your computer might be powerful enough to push 200 frames per second, but if your monitor is only 60Hz, you will only see 60 images per second.
To get the full benefit of high numbers, your hardware output must match your display’s capabilities. You can check your monitor’s refresh rate in Windows by going to Settings > System > Display > Advanced display.
Troubleshooting Low Numbers
If you turn on your counter and see numbers dipping below 30 or 60, your game will feel sluggish. Several factors cause these drops.
Quick Fixes For Better Performance
- Lower Resolution — Dropping from 4K to 1440p or 1080p drastically reduces the load on your GPU.
- Adjust Graphics Quality — Shadows, anti-aliasing, and ray tracing consume massive amounts of power. Set these to Medium or Low.
- Update Drivers — Outdated graphics drivers often cause poor optimization. Check the official AMD drivers support or NVIDIA website for the latest version.
- Close Background Apps — Web browsers with many open tabs can eat up RAM that your game needs.
Monitoring your performance is the first step toward a better gaming setup. Once you know your baseline, you can tweak settings to find the perfect balance between visual fidelity and smooth speed.