How-To

Windows 11 Making Games Lag: How to Fix

By Brian Burgess

Updated November 19, 2023

Experiencing performance issues while gaming on Windows 11? We’ll show you tips on how to fix game lag on a Windows 11 PC below.

Gamers on Windows 10 have been eagerly anticipating new features and improvements the OS will provide. However, preventing game lag is of interest as it’s one of the ongoing problems for PC gamers.

While Windows 11 is promised to offer enhancements to gaming performance through improved CPU, GPU utilization, and DirectStorage technology, game lag may still be a problem on your system. Luckily, there are ways to fix it.

If you’re experiencing a problem with Windows 11 making games lag, we’ll show you some fixes you can use to improve your gaming experience below.

Update GPU Drivers to Fix Game Lag on Windows 11

One of the first places to look when experiencing game lag on Windows 11 is your graphics card or GPU. For example, you might need to update the GPU driver for optimal gaming performance.

To update your GPU driver:

1. Press the Windows key, type device manager, and choose the top result.
2. Expand the Display adapters tree, right-click your graphics card, and select Update driver.
3. On the following screen, choose the option to search automatically for a driver or browse your computer for one to update the driver manually.
4. Try the GPU manufacturer’s software for driver updates if a new driver isn’t found. For example, NVIDIA’s GeForce Experience software often finds the most current and best driver updates.

Update Windows 11

While Windows generally does a good job of keeping itself up to date, you can manually check for updates. For example, if there is a system bug causing gaming to lag or an OS improvement is available, they’re a few clicks away.

To update Windows 11:

1. Press the Windows key and open Settings.
2. When the Settings app opens, click Windows Update in the left column and select the Check for Updates button on the right.
3. Download and install any available updates. Note that you may need to restart Windows 11 to complete the update process.

Disable Background Apps to Fix Game Lag on Windows 11

If you have several apps that run in the background to contact the mothership for updates, messages, notifications, or upload files, disabling background apps before starting your gaming session can fix game lag on Windows 11.

To disable background apps:

1. Press the Windows key, open Settings, or hit Windows key + I to launch it directly.
2. Select Apps in the left column and click Installed apps from the options on the right.
3. Type the app you want to prevent from running in the search field at the top.
4. Click the three-dot button next to the app name and choose Advanced options from the menu.
5. Under the Background apps permissions section, set the Let this app run in the background option to Never.

Disable the Memory Integrity Feature

Windows 11 includes the Memory Integrity security feature, which helps protect your device from high-level attacks from malicious code. However, while it’s enabled, you’ll see a hit in gaming performance, including lag. Disabling the feature can help optimize Windows 11 gaming performance.

To disable Memory Integrity on Windows 11:

1. Press the Windows key to open the Start menu.
2. Search for Windows Security and select the top result.
3. When the security app launches, select Device security > Core isolation details.
4. Turn off the Memory integrity switch.
5. Close out of the Windows Security app and restart Windows 11.
6. Start your gaming session; you should no longer experience lag or other performance issues. When you are done with the gaming session, go back in and flip the Memory integrity switch back on.

Disable High Precision Event Timer to Fix Game Lag on Windows 11

Another great way to improve framerates and fix game lag on Windows 11 is turning off the High Precision Event Timer (HPET) device.

To disable HPET:

1. Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog.
2. Type in devmgmt.msc and click OK.
3. Device Manager will launch.
4. Expand the System devices tree, right-click High precision event timer, and select Disable from the menu.
5. Click Yes when the verification notification appears.

After turning HPET off, launch your game and see if its FPS and other performance areas have improved. Your results will vary when disabling or enabling HPET based on the game and your system’s configuration.

Uninstall a Recent Windows Update

Keeping Windows 11 updated is vital for security and improved system performance. But if you notice game lag after installing a recent update, you can uninstall a cumulative update, so your system works how it did before the update.

To uninstall a recent Windows Update:

1. Press the Windows key and launch Settings.
2. When Settings opens, select Windows Update in the left column.
3. Click Update history on the right.
4. Scroll down to the Related settings section and click Uninstall updates.
5. Find the most recently installed update (each will display the date installed and its ID value) and click Uninstall.
6. Wait while the uninstall process completes and restart your machine.

After the restart, log into your PC and check if your gameplay is as it was before the update. To prevent unwanted Windows updates in the future, read our guide on how to pause Windows updates. And you’ll not appreciate a Windows update restart while gaming, so set Active Hours accordingly.

Get Better Gaming Performance on Windows 11

Microsoft promised a better gaming experience with the new version of Windows; however, there are times when you need to fix game lag on Windows 11. Luckily, using one or more of the options above should get you back into your gaming groove.

Another thing you can do to reduce game lag on Windows 11 is to disable startup apps. The fewer apps you run during your gaming session, the more your experience will improve. And if you use Steam, sometimes the Xbox Game Bar gets in the way. So, to prevent the problem, disable the Xbox Game Bar on Windows.

Additionally, if you aren’t on Windows 11 yet, you can disable startup apps on Windows 10. You might also want to check out how to optimize gaming on Windows 10.