The quickest way to see your FPS

The fastest method depends on what you are playing and what software you already have. If you use Steam, press Ctrl+Alt+Z while in a game to open the overlay, then click Settings and toggle "In-game FPS counter" on. The counter appears in the top-left corner by default. If you use NVIDIA graphics cards, press Alt+Z to open GeForce Experience, go to Settings > Overlay, and turn on the FPS counter. AMD graphics cards use a similar overlay: press Ctrl+Shift+O, navigate to Performance, and enable the FPS display.

For games not running through Steam or a graphics driver overlay, Windows 11 has a built-in option. Press Windows+G to open the Game Bar, click the Performance widget (it looks like a speedometer), and the FPS counter displays when ready. This works on Windows 10 as well, though the menu path is slightly different.

Key Takeaways

  • Steam's overlay shows FPS in the top-left corner when you press Ctrl+Alt+Z and enable the counter in settings.
  • NVIDIA and AMD both include FPS overlays in their driver software (GeForce Experience and Radeon Software), accessible with a keyboard shortcut during gameplay.
  • Windows 11 and Windows 10 have a free built-in FPS counter through the Game Bar, which works with any game.
  • Third-party tools like MSI Afterburner and Fraps display FPS and other performance data but require separate installation.

Using your graphics driver's built-in overlay

Both NVIDIA and AMD include FPS counters in their official driver software, and these are often the most reliable because they sit closest to your graphics hardware. For NVIDIA cards, open GeForce Experience (the app that came with your driver), click the gear icon for Settings, find Overlay in the left menu, and toggle it on. Once enabled, press Alt+Z during any game to bring up the overlay, then click the Performance tab to see FPS, GPU temperature, and memory usage.

AMD users open Radeon Software (also installed with your driver), go to Settings > Metrics, and turn on the overlay. Press Ctrl+Shift+O during gameplay to display it. The overlay shows the same data as NVIDIA's: frame rate, GPU load, and temperature. Both overlays can be moved to a different corner of the screen if the default position blocks important game elements.

The advantage of using your driver's overlay is that it has almost no performance impact — the counter reads data the driver is already collecting. It also works with every game on your system, regardless of where you bought it.

Windows Game Bar for any game

Windows 11 and Windows 10 both include a Game Bar that displays FPS without installing anything extra. Press Windows+G while playing any game, and a menu appears at the top of the screen. Look for the Performance widget (it resembles a speedometer or gauge) and click it. The FPS counter then stays visible in the corner of your game window.

The Game Bar counter is less detailed than driver overlays — it shows only frame rate, not GPU temperature or memory — but it works universally. You can move the widget around by dragging it, and close it by pressing Windows+G again. On Windows 10, the Game Bar may take a moment to load the first time you use it in a new game, but subsequent launches are faster.

One limitation: the Game Bar works best in fullscreen and borderless windowed modes. In windowed mode on some older games, it may not appear or may display behind the game window.

Third-party tools for detailed performance data

MSI Afterburner is a free tool that displays FPS alongside CPU and GPU temperature, memory usage, and clock speeds. read it from the MSI website, install it, and run the program. In the settings, enable the on-screen display (OSD), then launch your game. The counter appears in a corner and shows all the metrics Afterburner is monitoring. You can customize which data displays and where it appears on screen.

Fraps is an older but still functional FPS counter that also records gameplay video. It is free to use for the FPS display; video recording requires a paid license. read it, run it before launching your game, and the counter appears in the top-left corner. Fraps is lightweight and works with nearly every game, though it is no longer actively updated.

Both tools have a small performance cost compared to driver overlays, but the difference is usually unnoticeable on modern systems. Use them if you want to monitor CPU and GPU temperatures alongside your frame rate, or if your graphics driver does not have an overlay option.

What FPS numbers mean for your experience

Frame rate is measured in frames per second (FPS). Higher numbers mean smoother motion. Most people perceive 60 FPS as smooth; 30 FPS feels noticeably choppy. Competitive games like shooters benefit from 120 FPS or higher because faster frame rates reduce input lag — the delay between pressing a key and seeing the result on screen. Single-player games are usually comfortable at 60 FPS.

Your monitor's refresh rate limits how many FPS you can actually see. A 60 Hz monitor displays a maximum of 60 unique frames per second, so running a game at 120 FPS on a 60 Hz monitor wastes GPU power. If your FPS counter shows numbers much higher than your monitor's refresh rate and your game feels stuttery, enable V-Sync in your graphics settings to cap FPS at your monitor's limit.

Watching your FPS counter while playing helps you understand whether your system is struggling. If FPS drops below 60 during gameplay, lowering graphics settings (resolution, texture quality, shadow detail) usually brings it back up. If FPS stays high but the game still feels jerky, the problem is usually CPU-related rather than GPU-related.

Choosing the right FPS display for your needs

If you play games from Steam, use Steam's overlay — it is already there and requires no extra setup. If you play games from other sources (Epic Games Store, GOG, standalone launchers), use your graphics driver's overlay instead. Both are reliable and have minimal performance impact.

Use the Windows Game Bar only if your graphics driver does not have an overlay, or if you prefer a simpler display that shows only frame rate. Use third-party tools like MSI Afterburner if you want to monitor CPU and GPU temperatures at the same time, or if you are overclocking and need detailed performance data.

Most players end up using one method consistently. Pick the one that matches where you buy your games and what information you want to see, then stick with it. You can always switch later if you find you need different data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my FPS counter show a number higher than my monitor's refresh rate?

Your graphics card can produce more frames than your monitor can display. A 60 Hz monitor shows only 60 frames per second, even if your GPU renders 120. Enable V-Sync in your game settings to cap FPS at your monitor's refresh rate and reduce screen tearing. If your monitor supports a higher refresh rate (144 Hz, 240 Hz), you can see the benefit of higher FPS by enabling that in your display settings.

Does the FPS counter slow down my game?

Driver overlays (Steam, NVIDIA, AMD) have almost no performance impact because they read data the driver is already collecting. Third-party tools like MSI Afterburner use slightly more resources but usually less than 1 to 2 FPS on modern systems. The Windows Game Bar uses minimal resources as well. The performance cost is negligible compared to the value of knowing whether your system is performing as expected.

Can I display FPS on my second monitor instead of in the game window?

Most overlays display only in the active game window. Some third-party tools like MSI Afterburner allow you to log performance data to a file or display it in a separate window, but this requires additional setup. For most players, the in-game corner display is the simplest and most practical option.

What if the FPS counter does not appear when I press the hotkey?

Make sure the overlay is enabled in settings (not just installed). For Steam, check that "In-game FPS counter" is toggled on in the overlay settings. For driver overlays, verify that the overlay itself is enabled in GeForce Experience or Radeon Software. If you are playing in exclusive fullscreen mode, some overlays may not work — try borderless windowed mode instead.

Is there a way to record my FPS data over time?

MSI Afterburner can log performance metrics to a file, which you can then open in a spreadsheet to see how FPS changed during your gaming session. This is useful for testing whether graphics setting changes actually improved performance. Enable logging in Afterburner's settings, then review the data file after you finish playing.