Winsmate
How to get more FPS in Fortnite
Most PCs have FPS left over that settings are holding back. Start with Fortnite’s own settings, because they make the biggest difference. Then fix Windows, your driver and your monitor.
- Set Rendering Mode to Performance and restart Fortnite.
- Turn V-Sync off and set the frame rate limit high.
- Set Windows power mode to Best performance.
- Plug your monitor into the graphics card, not the motherboard.
- Update your graphics driver from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel.
Measure first
Turn on Show FPS in Settings > Video > Advanced Graphics. Check your FPS in the same spot before and after each change, for example the same Creative map. Then you know what actually helped, instead of guessing.
1. Fortnite’s video settings
Press Esc, click the gear icon and open Video. These are the settings that matter most, top to bottom:
| Setting | Use |
|---|---|
| Window Mode | Fullscreen |
| Resolution | Your monitor’s ownA lower one gives more FPS but looks blurry. |
| V-Sync | Off |
| Rendering Mode | PerformanceRestart Fortnite after changing it. |
| Frame Rate Limit | UnlimitedOr your monitor’s refresh rate if you see tearing. |
| View Distance | Near or Medium |
| 3D Resolution | 100%Lower it 10% at a time only if you still need FPS. |
| Textures | Low |
| Meshes | Low |
Performance mode is the big one. Epic built it to switch off most of the heavy graphics features, so it uses less memory and takes load off your processor and graphics card. Fortnite looks simpler, but players stay easy to see. Epic says players stay visible even with View Distance on Near.
If you’d rather keep the DirectX 12 mode for looks, the settings that cost the most FPS there are Hardware Ray Tracing, Nanite, Global Illumination, Reflections and Shadows. Turn those off or down first.
2. Windows settings
- Game Mode on: Settings > Gaming > Game Mode. It tells Windows to put your game first.
- Power mode: Settings > System > Power & battery > Power mode > Best performance. On a laptop, plug in the charger too.
- Background recording off: Settings > Gaming > Captures, then turn off Record what happened.
- Startup apps: Settings > Apps > Startup. Turn off anything you don’t need running all the time.
- Laptops with two graphics chips: Settings > System > Display > Graphics, add Fortnite and choose High performance, so it doesn’t run on the weaker chip.
- Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling: it’s in the default graphics settings under Settings > System > Display > Graphics. It helps on some PCs and does nothing on others, so test your FPS with it on and off. It needs a restart.
Before you play, close your browser and anything downloading. Every app you leave open takes a little processor time and memory from the game.
3. Your graphics driver
Get the newest driver straight from the company that made your graphics card: the NVIDIA App, AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition or Intel’s graphics software. The driver Windows Update installs is often old. New drivers often include fixes for big games like Fortnite.
4. Your monitor and cable
- Desktop PC? Plug your monitor into the graphics card’s ports, usually lower down on the back of the PC. The ports higher up belong to the motherboard and use the processor’s much weaker graphics instead.
- Refresh rate: Settings > System > Display > Advanced display > Choose a refresh rate. Pick the highest number. Lots of 144 Hz monitors run at 60 Hz until you change this. It doesn’t raise your FPS counter, but it lets you actually see the frames your PC makes.
- Cable: use DisplayPort or the cable that came with the monitor. Some older HDMI cables can’t do more than 60 Hz.
5. Your RAM
Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), go to Performance > Memory and check Speed. If it’s lower than the speed your RAM was sold as, turn on XMP or EXPO in your BIOS. Faster RAM helps Fortnite, especially your lowest frame rates in big fights. Two sticks are better than one.
6. Heat and dust
A PC that gets too hot slows itself down to protect itself. If your FPS starts high and drops after 10 or 20 minutes, clean the dust out of the fans and keep the vents clear. Laptops need a hard, flat surface, not a bed.
What not to bother with
Skip random “FPS boost” .bat files, registry packs and RAM cleaner apps from YouTube or Discord. Many do nothing, some can break Windows, and most have no way to undo them. The Fortnite tweaks guide covers which Windows tweaks are worth it and which to skip.
Rather do it in one click?
Winsmate Tweaks switches on the Windows settings that get you more FPS, less input lag and steadier ping with one button. Debloat removes the junk Windows came with. Driver check tells you what’s out of date and spots RAM running slower than it’s made for. On NVIDIA cards, Potato Graphics makes Fortnite look simpler than its lowest setting, so your PC has less to draw.
Winsmate saves your old settings before it changes anything, so one button puts everything back.
£7.99 once. Every future update is free.
More free guides
- Fortnite stutter fixStop freezes and FPS drops.
- Fortnite input delay fixMake aim and edits feel instant.
- Best Fortnite settings for a low end PCEvery setting, for weak PCs and laptops.
- Fortnite tweaks: what actually helpsSafe Windows tweaks, and the ones to skip.
Still stuck? Message @winsmate_ on TikTok.