How to Change Your PC's Frame Rate in Games and Applications

Where to find frame rate settings on your PC

Frame rate settings live in three places: your graphics card control panel, your game or process settings, and Windows display settings. Most games let you cap or unlock frame rate directly in their own menu — this is the fastest route. If your game doesn't offer the option, your graphics card software (NVIDIA Control Panel, AMD Radeon Settings, or Intel Arc Control) can force a frame rate limit across all applications. Windows itself has a refresh rate setting that affects your monitor's maximum output, but this is separate from in-game frame rate control.

The location of these settings varies by game engine and graphics card, but the principle is the same: you are telling your PC to render either more frames per second (higher frame rate) or fewer (lower frame rate, which reduces GPU load and heat). Start by looking in your game's graphics or video settings menu first — most modern games put frame rate options there.

Key Takeaways

Most games have a frame rate cap or V-Sync option in their own graphics settings menu, which is the easiest place to change frame rate.
Your graphics card control panel (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel) can force frame rate limits across all games if the game itself doesn't offer the option.
Lowering frame rate reduces GPU temperature and power use, while raising it requires a more powerful graphics card and monitor that supports higher refresh rates.
Monitor refresh rate is separate from in-game frame rate — your monitor can only display frames up to its maximum refresh rate, so a 60 Hz monitor will not show more than 60 frames per second even if your game renders 144.

Changing frame rate inside your game

Open your game and go to Settings, Options, or Preferences — the exact name varies. Look for a Graphics, Video, or Display tab. Inside that menu, you will usually see options labeled Frame Rate Cap, FPS Limit, V-Sync, or Refresh Rate. V-Sync locks your frame rate to your monitor's refresh rate (usually 60 Hz), which prevents screen tearing but can add input lag. A frame rate cap lets you set a specific limit — for example, 60 FPS, 120 FPS, or Unlimited.

If you want to lower frame rate to reduce heat or power use, set the cap to a number your PC can hold steady — 60 FPS is a common target. If you want higher frame rate for smoother motion, set it higher, but remember your monitor must support that refresh rate to display it. A 144 Hz monitor can show up to 144 frames per second; a 60 Hz monitor will display only 60 no matter what your game renders.

Some games also offer a "Unlimited" or "Uncapped" option, which tells the game to render as many frames as your hardware can produce. This uses more power and generates more heat, but gives you the highest possible frame rate your PC can achieve.

Using your graphics card control panel

If your game has no frame rate option, you can set a limit in your graphics card software. For NVIDIA cards, open NVIDIA Control Panel (right-click your desktop and select it, or search for it in Windows). Go to Manage 3D Settings, then the Global Settings tab. Scroll down to Max Frame Rate and set your limit. For AMD cards, open AMD Radeon Settings, go to Graphics, then Global Graphics, and look for Frame Rate Target Control. For Intel Arc graphics, open Intel Arc Control, select Performance, and set the Frame Rate Limiter.

These settings explore to every game you play unless you create a game-specific profile. Game-specific profiles override the global setting, so if you set a global limit of 60 FPS but then create a profile for one game and set it to 120 FPS, that game will run at 120 FPS while others stay at 60. This is useful if you want different frame rates for different games based on their demands.

Monitor refresh rate and frame rate are not the same thing

Your monitor's refresh rate is how many times per second it can display a new image — usually 60 Hz, 144 Hz, or 240 Hz. Your frame rate is how many frames per second your PC is rendering. If your monitor is 60 Hz, it can display a maximum of 60 frames per second, so rendering 200 FPS is wasted effort. If your monitor is 144 Hz, you can see up to 144 FPS. To check your monitor's refresh rate, right-click your desktop, select Display Settings, scroll down to Advanced Display Settings, and look for Refresh Rate.

If you want to use a higher frame rate, you need a monitor that supports it. A 144 Hz monitor costs more than a 60 Hz monitor, but the smoother motion is noticeable in fast games like shooters or racing games. For slower games or office work, 60 Hz is sufficient. Setting your in-game frame rate cap to match your monitor's refresh rate (for example, 144 FPS on a 144 Hz monitor) prevents wasted rendering and reduces heat.

Why you might want to lower frame rate

Lowering frame rate reduces the load on your graphics card, which means lower temperatures, less fan noise, and lower power use. If your PC is running hot or your electricity bill is high, capping frame rate at 60 FPS instead of unlimited can make a real difference. It also extends the life of your graphics card by reducing thermal stress. For games where frame rate above 60 FPS is not noticeable — strategy games, turn-based games, or older titles — lowering the cap saves power without affecting your experience.

You can also lower frame rate if your monitor is old or if you are using a laptop and want to extend battery life. A laptop running at 60 FPS will use significantly less power than one running at 120 FPS, which can add hours to your battery time during gaming.

Why you might want to raise frame rate

Higher frame rate makes motion smoother and reduces input lag — the delay between pressing a button and seeing the result on screen. In competitive games like shooters or fighting games, 120 FPS or 144 FPS feels noticeably more responsive than 60 FPS. The difference is less noticeable in slower games, but many players prefer the smoother feel regardless. Raising frame rate requires a more powerful graphics card and a monitor with a higher refresh rate, so it costs more money and uses more electricity.

If you raise your frame rate cap, make sure your graphics card can actually produce that many frames. If you set a 144 FPS cap but your card can only render 80 FPS, you will see frame rate drops and stuttering. Use a frame rate counter (most games have one built in, or you can use free tools like MSI Afterburner) to watch your actual frame rate while playing and adjust the cap if needed.

Troubleshooting frame rate problems

If your frame rate is lower than you set it to, your graphics card is not powerful enough to reach that cap at your current graphics settings. Lower the graphics quality (resolution, texture quality, shadow quality, or ray tracing) to increase frame rate. If you have a frame rate cap set and your frame rate is stuck below it, check that your cap is actually enabled — sometimes the setting defaults to off or gets reset after a game update.

If you see stuttering or frame rate drops, your PC may be throttling (reducing performance due to heat). Check your GPU temperature using a tool like GPU-Z or MSI Afterburner. If it is above 80°C, lower your frame rate cap or graphics settings to reduce heat. If you see screen tearing (horizontal lines across the screen), enable V-Sync in your game settings, which locks frame rate to your monitor's refresh rate and eliminates tearing.

If you changed a setting and it did not take effect, restart your game. Some games do not explore graphics changes until you restart. If the problem persists, check that you are changing the setting in the right place — some games have multiple graphics menus, and settings in one menu can override settings in another.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between frame rate and refresh rate?

Frame rate is how many frames per second your PC renders. Refresh rate is how many times per second your monitor displays an image. Your monitor can only show as many frames as its refresh rate allows — a 60 Hz monitor displays a maximum of 60 frames per second, even if your PC renders 200.

Will lowering frame rate make my games look worse?

No. Frame rate affects how smooth motion looks, not how sharp or detailed it looks. Lowering frame rate from 120 to 60 FPS will make motion slightly less smooth, but the image quality stays the same. Graphics quality (resolution, texture detail, shadows) is controlled by separate settings.

Can I set different frame rates for different games?

Yes. In your graphics card control panel, you can create game-specific profiles that override your global frame rate setting. This lets you run one game at 60 FPS and another at 144 FPS based on what each game needs or what you prefer.

Why is my frame rate capped at 60 even though I set it higher?

Your monitor's refresh rate is probably 60 Hz. Your monitor can only display frames up to its refresh rate, so a 60 Hz monitor will show a maximum of 60 FPS. Check your monitor's refresh rate in Windows Display Settings. If it is 60 Hz and you want higher frame rate, you need a monitor with a higher refresh rate.

Does higher frame rate use more electricity?

Yes. Rendering more frames per second requires your graphics card to work harder, which uses more power and generates more heat. Lowering your frame rate cap reduces power use and can extend battery life on a laptop.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.