NVIDIA App 11.0.9 Guide: Best DLSS, G-SYNC and Shader Cache Settings After Control Panel Retirement

The Control Panel is retired, and NVIDIA App 11.0.9 is the current release​

NVIDIA's May 2026 driver announcement made the change official. All actively supported Control Panel features for GeForce users were moved into the NVIDIA App, and the classic Control Panel was retired for Game Ready and Studio drivers. A few details matter here:

• Existing Control Panel installs stay on the machine unless you do a clean driver install.
• NVIDIA says the Control Panel can still be downloaded from the Microsoft Store, but it will get no new features or fixes.
• RTX PRO workstation users keep a supported Control Panel until NVIDIA finishes moving the professional features.
• In the app, Graphics → Program Settings replaces the old Manage 3D Settings page. Display options live under the System tab.

The release Wccftech's guide is built around is NVIDIA App 11.0.9. NVIDIA's release highlights page lists support for DLSS 4.5 Ray Reconstruction on GeForce RTX Series GPUs and says per-app Resizable BAR controls are now available in the NVIDIA app to help optimize game performance for your specific hardware setup. VideoCardz adds that the setting does not add Resizable BAR support to hardware that lacks it. A compatible GPU, motherboard, CPU and firmware configuration are still required. NVIDIA's changelog also lists support for borderless windowed mode in Optimal Playable Settings and the migration of the CUDA System Fallback policy.

Summary: If you're on a Game Ready or Studio driver, the NVIDIA App is now the official place to change GPU settings. The old Control Panel still runs, but it won't be updated again.

Home and Drivers: little to tune here​

Wccftech treats the Home tab mainly as a launcher. It shows recent games, offers quick access to each game's graphics settings, and has a Discover section for installing NVIDIA Broadcast, RTX Remix, GeForce NOW and Project G-Assist. NVIDIA describes G-Assist as an AI assistant that runs locally on GeForce RTX hardware and responds to voice or text commands. In an April update, NVIDIA said it can also change DLSS overrides, Smooth Motion, RTX HDR, Digital Vibrance and encoder settings.

On Drivers, Wccftech's advice is simple:

• Game Ready Drivers for a gaming PC. They get optimizations timed to new game launches.
• Studio Drivers for a creative workstation where validation with creative applications matters more than day-one game support.
• No routine clean installs. Wccftech recommends saving clean installs and Display Driver Uninstaller for troubleshooting. If a new driver causes a regression, the app's reinstall and rollback options are the first thing to try.

Graphics: keep global settings conservative​

The Graphics tab is where most of the important settings are. Optimal Playable Settings sit at the top and suggest in-game settings based on your CPU, GPU and display. Driver Settings sit below and replace the old Manage 3D Settings page. Wccftech's main point is that modern DirectX 12 and Vulkan games handle their own rendering pipelines well, so forcing lots of driver overrides globally tends to cause more problems than it fixes.

Its recommended global baseline:

These are Wccftech's editorial choices, not NVIDIA defaults. They follow a sound rule, though: apply settings per game when they're needed instead of forcing them on every game.

Shader cache size and Auto Shader Compilation​

Shader compilation stutter is a common complaint on modern PC games, and this section of the guide has the most practical value. NVIDIA's Manage 3D Settings reference describes these behaviors:

• Size options are Disabled, Unlimited, 128 MB, 256 MB, 512 MB, 1 GB, 5 GB, 10 GB and 100 GB.
• When the cache nears its limit, the driver evicts older shaders. A limit that is too small can evict shaders you still use and bring the stutter back.
• NVIDIA's advice is to pick a limit large enough for the games you usually play without filling your drive.
• The reference also notes that installing a new driver deletes the cache, so the first launch of a game after an update may stutter.

Wccftech suggests 100 GB for desktops with plenty of SSD space and does not recommend Unlimited, because it doesn't make the GPU faster and only removes the storage ceiling. That's reasonable. However, the guide's statement that 16 GB is the default value isn't backed by the NVIDIA documentation reviewed here, and that size doesn't appear in NVIDIA's documented option list. Check the value your own installation shows rather than assuming it.

The newer feature that addresses the driver-update problem is Auto Shader Compilation (ASC). NVIDIA's April 2026 app announcement says:

1. It's a beta that rebuilds DirectX 12 shaders while the PC is idle after a driver update.
2. It's off by default. Turn it on under Graphics → Global Settings → Shader Cache.
3. A Compile Now option in the three-dot menu on the Shader Cache screen rebuilds immediately.
4. It needs GeForce Game Ready Driver 595.97 WHQL or newer.
5. It does not cover a game's first run. After installing a game you still have to generate its shaders in-game. ASC only refreshes them after later driver updates.

If you get a stutter in a brand-new game on its first run, ASC isn't the problem. It was never designed to handle that case.

DLSS overrides depend on your RTX generation​

DLSS overrides let supported games use newer NVIDIA models than the ones they shipped with. Wccftech gives the path as Graphics → Program Settings → Driver Settings → DLSS Override, either globally or per game. It also notes custom Super Resolution input scaling from 33% to 100%, so you can set quality levels between the standard presets.

NVIDIA has documented how the Recommended setting works. It uses Model M for Performance mode, Model L for Ultra Performance, and the first-generation transformer Model K for every other mode, including DLAA.

RTX 20 (Turing) and RTX 30 (Ampere). NVIDIA says these GPUs lack native FP8 support, so Models M and L cost them more performance. It suggests owners may prefer to stay on Model K. Wccftech agrees: use Model K as the default and try M or L only when the image-quality gain is worth the lower frame rate. Neither generation supports DLSS Frame Generation or Smooth Motion, so Super Resolution is the main way to keep these cards usable in demanding games. Ray Reconstruction is also an option. Basic Tutorials reports that the 11.0.9 Ray Reconstruction model is available not only for the current RTX 50 series, but for all GeForce RTX graphics cards.

On Ampere, Wccftech also recommends leaving the new per-game ReBAR control at Driver Default unless you've benchmarked the specific game yourself. VideoCardz explains the reason: performance can also differ between games, which is why NVIDIA normally enables the feature through tested driver profiles rather than applying it universally.

RTX 40 (Ada Lovelace). Use Recommended for Super Resolution and Ray Reconstruction. Wccftech suggests Ray Reconstruction Preset F as a manual fallback and Frame Generation Preset B as a starting point in compatible games. Both are Wccftech's suggestions, not NVIDIA instructions. NVIDIA does confirm that a newer Frame Generation model for RTX 40 and 50 improves mini-maps and on-screen UI in selected games, using extra UI buffers from supported engines. Wccftech's order of preference for Ada is:

1. Use native DLSS Frame Generation when the game supports it.
2. If it doesn't, try Smooth Motion.
3. If neither works well, render without frame generation.

RTX 50 (Blackwell). These cards get every feature, including Multi Frame Generation. NVIDIA describes Dynamic MFG as working like an automatic transmission for the GPU: it raises or lowers the number of generated frames to reach a target frame rate. Fixed multipliers now go up to 6X. To set it up, open DLSS Override – Frame Generation Mode, choose Dynamic, then choose Max refresh rate or a custom target.

The guides disagree on one point. At launch in April, NVIDIA said Dynamic mode was not compatible with frame-rate limiters or V-Sync. Wccftech reports that this changed with Game Ready Driver 616.64 or newer, provided the game uses a recent enough Streamline version, and it recommends Dynamic plus G-SYNC plus V-Sync as the starting point for single-player games. That driver claim couldn't be checked against NVIDIA's own notes for this article. On older drivers, or in games with older Streamline versions, assume NVIDIA's original limitation still applies.

Whatever the multiplier, Wccftech advises getting the rendered frame rate to about 50–60 FPS before adding heavy frame multiplication. Frame generation smooths motion but does not make a sluggish game respond faster.

How to check the override is working: press Alt+Z → Statistics → Statistics View → DLSS. NVIDIA documents this view for confirming which model is actually running.

Smooth Motion: use it per game, never with native Frame Generation​

Smooth Motion is NVIDIA's frame generation at the driver level. The driver inserts a generated frame between rendered frames, so the game doesn't need a DLSS Frame Generation integration. NVIDIA limits it to GeForce RTX 40 and 50 GPUs, and Wccftech says it currently works with compatible DirectX 11, DirectX 12 and Vulkan games.

NVIDIA's developer documentation is clear that Smooth Motion and native DLSS Frame Generation compete with each other. Running both can reduce performance and cause visual artifacts. The setup Wccftech recommends is a game with no native frame generation, a fairly stable base frame rate, and enough spare GPU capacity to handle the interpolation. Older games that will never get a DLSS update are the best fit.

G-SYNC, V-Sync and frame caps, with one error in the cap table​

NVIDIA describes G-SYNC as matching the monitor's refresh rate to the GPU's frame rate to remove tearing and reduce stutter and input lag. According to NVIDIA's help documentation, G-SYNC Compatible displays need Windows 10 or later and a Pascal-class or newer GPU.

Wccftech's suggested tear-free setup for single-player games:

For games without Reflex, Wccftech suggests a cap of Refresh × 3600 / (Refresh + 3600). It presents this as an approximation of Reflex's automatic cap and acknowledges that NVIDIA doesn't publish the formula. Working through that formula shows a mistake in the guide's own table:

The 165 Hz entry doesn't match: the formula gives about 158 FPS, not 162. A 162 FPS cap leaves only about 3 FPS of headroom, which is the kind of fixed subtraction the guide itself says to avoid. If you have a 165 Hz monitor and want to follow this approach, use roughly 158. Remember that none of these numbers come from NVIDIA, and with Reflex active Wccftech says a manual cap usually isn't needed.

Other practical points from the guide:

• For G-SYNC Compatible monitors that NVIDIA hasn't validated, turn on the option under System → Displays → Display Properties. NVIDIA's own documentation also describes enabling VRR manually on unvalidated displays for testing.
• Fullscreen-only versus windowed and fullscreen: windowed mode is more convenient for borderless games. Fullscreen-only avoids occasional VRR behavior in desktop apps.
• Borderless games and MSHybrid laptops may need the game's own V-Sync, because the driver's V-Sync doesn't apply in every windowed case.
• Competitive players: Reflex On (or On + Boost) with V-Sync off. Wccftech says NVIDIA has stated that uncapped Reflex without V-Sync gives slightly lower latency than G-SYNC plus V-Sync. At several hundred FPS on a 360 Hz or 500 Hz monitor, tearing can be hard to see anyway.

Low Latency Mode and Power Management​

NVIDIA's reference says Low Latency Mode reduces latency by limiting how many frames the CPU can prepare ahead of the GPU, and that Ultra minimizes the queue fully. Wccftech's rule: in games with Reflex, leave Low Latency Mode off. In games without Reflex, try Ultra, especially when the GPU is the bottleneck.

For Power Management Mode, Wccftech leaves it at Normal globally. "Prefer Maximum Performance" mainly stops the GPU from dropping power states during light or CPU-bound loads, which uses more power. Apply it per game for an old title that keeps downclocking or for an esports game where latency matters. As the guide points out, there's no reason to keep an RTX 5090 at high clocks just because Quake III is running.

Older games: where the Legacy settings help​

Go to Graphics → Program Settings → Driver Settings → Show Legacy Settings. Wccftech's starting profile for older games:

• Anisotropic Filtering: 16X. Wccftech calls it one of the easiest image-quality gains, with negligible cost on modern hardware.
• Texture Filtering Quality: High Quality. On lightweight games it costs essentially nothing.
• Transparency AA: 2X/4X supersampling in compatible MSAA games, to clean up foliage and fences.
• DLDSR/DSR as brute-force anti-aliasing. On a 1440p monitor, 2.25X DLDSR renders at 3840×2160.
• Max Frame Rate set to a value the engine can handle. Wccftech uses Skyrim as the example: above 60 FPS, physics and lockpicking can break.
• RTX HDR for SDR games with no HDR or poor HDR. NVIDIA describes it as an AI Freestyle filter that adds HDR to DirectX and Vulkan games that lack it.

Wccftech's summary is that older games need almost the opposite treatment from new ones. Overrides that make no sense in a UE5 game can noticeably improve a twenty-year-old one.

System tabs, the overlay and ShadowPlay​

Displays: Check once that your monitor runs at native resolution and its full refresh rate rather than defaulting to 60 Hz. Wccftech recommends Aspect Ratio scaling performed on the GPU for non-native resolutions, RGB with Full (0–255) range on PC monitors, and 10 bpc on HDR displays when the connection has enough bandwidth.

Video: Wccftech leaves RTX Video Super Resolution off by default because it uses extra GPU resources. If you turn it on, start with Auto, which lowers its quality when a game needs the GPU. RTX Video HDR is a matter of taste.

Performance: Automatic Tuning runs a stability scan, which Wccftech says takes about 10–20 minutes, and then applies a modest overclock. Treat it as optional on desktops and be cautious on laptops.

Overlay shortcuts (all can be reassigned): Alt+Z overlay, Alt+R statistics, Alt+F1 screenshot, Alt+F2 Photo Mode, Alt+F9 record, Alt+F10 save Instant Replay, Alt+Shift+F10 toggle Instant Replay, and Alt+G for G-Assist if it's installed. NVIDIA's own driver notes confirm Alt+R for statistics and Alt+Z for capture.

ShadowPlay codecs: Wccftech recommends HEVC on RTX 20 and 30 and AV1 on RTX 40 and 50, with H.264 when compatibility matters most. NVIDIA confirms AV1 recording on RTX 40-series cards. Wccftech's bitrate ranges, for example 25–40 Mbps for HEVC at 1080p60 or 50–80 Mbps for AV1 at 4K60, are starting points from the publication, not NVIDIA specifications. It also suggests a 3–5 minute Instant Replay buffer, separate game and microphone audio tracks, and leaving Desktop Capture off so you don't accidentally record private windows.

The verdict​

The guide's overall approach holds up against NVIDIA's documentation: keep global settings clean, let DLSS and Reflex do their work inside the game, and use per-game overrides only where they make a measurable difference. Its weaker parts are details stated with more certainty than the evidence supports. The 16 GB shader cache "default" isn't in NVIDIA's documented options, the 165 Hz cap contradicts the guide's own formula, and the claim that Dynamic MFG now works with V-Sync relies on a driver note that hasn't been confirmed here and contradicts what NVIDIA said at launch.

A practical checklist for a quick setup:

1. Confirm you're on NVIDIA App 11.0.9 and a current Game Ready driver.
2. Set DLSS Model Presets to Recommended. On RTX 20 and 30, consider Model K instead.
3. Turn on Auto Shader Compilation (driver 595.97+) and choose a shader cache size that fits your SSD.
4. Enable G-SYNC under System → Displays, set driver V-Sync On, and turn in-game V-Sync off.
5. Use Reflex where available and leave Low Latency Mode off in those games.
6. Use Smooth Motion, DLDSR and the legacy filtering overrides per game, never globally.
7. Check what's actually active with Alt+Z → Statistics → DLSS.

Forum members who are still running the Control Panel from the Microsoft Store should note that it works but won't receive fixes or features. Using the NVIDIA App is now the only way to get NVIDIA's updates.