How to lower input lag on PC in 10 minutes
Small settings changes that make your aim feel instantly snappier.
Input lag is the delay between pressing a button and seeing the result on screen. You will never get it to zero, but most setups have easy wins hiding in the settings. Work through these in order and test after each one.
Match your refresh rate
A 144 Hz monitor running at 60 Hz is more common than you would think. Open your display settings, pick the highest refresh rate, and check the same option inside each game.
Turn off V-Sync, use VRR instead
Classic V-Sync removes tearing but adds noticeable delay. If your monitor supports G-Sync or FreeSync, turn that on and cap your frame rate a few frames below the refresh rate.
Use the low-latency mode in your driver or game
- NVIDIA: turn on Reflex in supported games, or Low Latency Mode in the control panel.
- AMD: turn on Anti-Lag in Adrenalin.
- Prefer exclusive fullscreen over borderless windowed if the game offers it.
Go wired where it matters
Modern wireless mice are fine, but cheap wireless headsets and controllers over Bluetooth can add delay. For competitive play, plug in your controller and use ethernet instead of Wi-Fi.
Change one thing at a time. If you change five settings at once, you will never know which one helped.
