Boost Gaming Performance in Windows 10/11: Game Mode, GPU Scheduling, High-Performance Plan

Boost Gaming Performance in Windows 10/11: Game Mode, GPU Scheduling, High-Performance Plan​

Difficulty: Intermediate | Time Required: 10-15 minutes
Introduction
Gaming on Windows can be held back by background processes, driver constraints, and power management choices. The goal of this guide is simple: tune Windows 10/11 for smoother gameplay by enabling Game Mode, leveraging hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling, and using a High-Performance power profile. With a few straightforward steps, you can often see steadier frame rates, reduced stutter, and a more responsive gaming experience—especially on mid-range systems.
Prerequisites

• Windows 10 (version 2004 / May 2020 update) or Windows 11 fully updated. Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling (HAGS) is supported on 2004+ and on newer builds; some GPUs require driver updates to enable it.
• A supported graphics card with up-to-date driver (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel). Update your graphics driver to the latest version before starting.
• A game you want to optimize installed on your system (EXE path available for per-app graphics settings).
• Patience for a quick reboot after enabling certain features.

Detailed step-by-step instructions
1) Update your GPU drivers and confirm OS is up to date

• Step 1.1: Check Windows Update. Open Settings → Update & Security → Windows Update → Check for updates. Install any pending updates and restart if required.
• Step 1.2: Update your GPU driver:
  • NVIDIA: open GeForce Experience or the NVIDIA driver page and install the latest Game Ready/WHQL driver.
  • AMD: use Radeon Software to check for updates and install the latest driver.
  • Intel: use Intel Driver & Support Assistant to update integrated graphics.
• Step 1.3: After updating, restart if prompted. This ensures Game Mode, HAGS, and graphics settings apply cleanly.

2) Enable Game Mode (Windows 10 and Windows 11)

• Step 2.1: Open Settings → Gaming → Game Mode.
• Step 2.2: Toggle Game Mode to On.
• Step 2.3: Optional: For recommended consistency, also ensure “Game bar” and “Capture” options are set to minimize background activity during play (Game Mode helps prioritize CPU/GPU resources for games).

Notes:

• Game Mode is designed to reduce background latency and keep priority on the active game. Some games may see little difference; others benefit more, depending on hardware and background load.

3) Enable Hardware-accelerated GPU Scheduling (HAGS)

• Step 3.1: Open Settings → System → Display.
• Step 3.2: Scroll to the bottom and click on Graphics settings (or “Graphics” → “Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling” if shown directly).
• Step 3.3: Toggle Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling to On.
• Step 3.4: You will likely need to restart your PC to apply the change.
• Step 3.5: After reboot, verify the toggle remains On (Settings → System → Display → Graphics settings → Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling should show On).

Notes:

• HAGS moves some workload from the CPU to the GPU, potentially reducing CPU bottlenecks in GPU-bound games. If you notice stuttering or instability after enabling, you can disable it and test again.

4) Set per-game graphics performance preference (Graphics settings)

• Step 4.1: Open Settings → System → Display → Graphics settings.
• Step 4.2: Under “Choose an app to set preference,” click Browse and locate your game’s executable (.exe).
• Step 4.3: Add the game to the list.
• Step 4.4: Click the game entry you added, then choose “Options” and select “High performance” (or "Power saving" if you want to test other behavior). Click Save.
• Step 4.5: Launch the game to confirm the setting takes effect.

Notes:

• This targets the game to use the discrete GPU (for laptops with both integrated and discrete GPUs) or a preferred GPU on desktops with multiple GPUs.

5) Activate a High-Performance Power Plan

• Windows 10 users:
  • Step 5.1: Open Control Panel → Hardware and Sound → Power Options.
  • Step 5.2: If you don’t see High performance, click “Show additional plans.”
  • Step 5.3: Select “High performance.” This minimizes processor downclocking during gaming.
• Windows 11 users:
  • Step 5.4: Open Settings → System → Power & battery.
  • Step 5.5: In Power mode, choose “Best performance” (the closest equivalent to High performance). If you still want the classic High performance plan, you can also open Control Panel → Hardware and Sound → Power Options → Show additional plans, and select “High performance.”
• Step 5.6: Optional: For a quick check, run a game and monitor temps and FPS to ensure stability. If you notice higher power draw or thermal throttling, you can switch back to Balanced.

Notes:

• The High Performance plan prioritizes maximum performance over energy savings. On laptops, this may reduce battery life; use on AC power for best results.

6) Additional optimization tips and notes

• Turn off fullscreen optimizations for problem games:
  • Right-click the game’s .exe → Properties → Compatibility → Uncheck “Fullscreen optimizations.” Test whether this reduces input lag or stutter for that game.
• Background apps and overlays:
  • Close unnecessary background apps and overlays (Discord overlays, recording software, performance monitors) if you notice micro-stutters.
• In-game settings:
  • If you’re GPU-limited, reduce sensitive settings like shadows, anti-aliasing, or draw distance. If CPU-limited, adjust CPU-heavy effects or background tasks.
• Battery life vs. performance:
  • If gaming on battery is necessary, you will likely want to revert to Balanced or Power Saver modes, since High Performance can drain the battery quickly.
• Re-check after driver updates:
  • Each major GPU driver release can alter how Game Mode and HAGS behave. Periodically revisit these settings after driver updates.

Tips and troubleshooting notes

• If a feature isn’t visible (e.g., Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling option missing):
  • Ensure you’re on Windows 10 version 2004 or later, or Windows 11.
  • Update to the latest graphics driver from the GPU vendor.
• If you experience instability after enabling HAGS:
  • Turn HAGS off and test again. Some older GPUs or driver versions may have compatibility issues.
• If Game Mode seems to reduce performance in a particular title:
  • Some games don’t benefit from Game Mode. You can toggle it off for those games in Settings → Gaming → Game Mode or per-game settings under Graphics Settings.
• Stability and telemetry:
  • When adjusting power plans and GPU scheduling, monitor system temperature and stability. Excessive throttling could indicate thermal constraints or a need for better cooling.

Conclusion
By following these steps, you enable a trio of Windows features designed to maximize gaming performance: Game Mode to prioritize gameplay, hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling to reduce CPU-GPU bottlenecks, and a High-Performance power profile to minimize throttling. Per-game graphics preferences let you tailor resource allocation, while careful testing helps you find the best balance for your hardware.
Key Takeaways

• Game Mode and per-game graphics settings can reduce stutter and improve responsiveness without needing new hardware.
• Hardware-accelerated GPU Scheduling can offload work from the CPU to the GPU on supported systems, with potential gains in some titles.
• A High-Performance power plan (or Best performance on Windows 11) prioritizes peak performance, at the cost of higher power usage.
• Always update both Windows and GPU drivers before tweaking, and test each change to confirm it benefits your games.

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This tutorial was generated to help WindowsForum.com users get the most out of their Windows experience.