How to Check Your PC's Frame Rate Right Now

What FPS means and why you might want to check it

FPS stands for frames per second — the number of individual images your graphics card draws and displays every second. A higher FPS means smoother motion on your screen. Most people notice the difference between 30 FPS (choppy) and 60 FPS (smooth), and competitive gamers often aim for 100+ FPS.

You might want to check your FPS to see if your PC can handle a game you just installed, to troubleshoot stuttering or lag, or simply to understand what your hardware is actually doing. The good news is that checking FPS takes less than a minute, and you have several methods to choose from depending on what you're running.

Key Takeaways

Windows 11 has a built-in FPS counter you can turn on through Settings, which works in most games without installing anything.
NVIDIA and AMD graphics cards come with their own overlay tools that show FPS while you play, and both are free to use.
Steam and Discord both have built-in FPS counters that appear in the corner of your screen during gameplay.
Third-party tools like MSI Afterburner and Fraps will show FPS in any game or application, even older ones.

Using Windows 11's built-in FPS counter

If you're running Windows 11, you have a frame rate counter built into the operating system. Open Settings, then go to Gaming in the left sidebar. Click Game Bar, then toggle on Open Game Bar using this button. Now when you're playing a game or running any full-screen application, press Windows key + G to open the Game Bar overlay.

Once the Game Bar appears, look for the Performance widget — it's usually in the top-left corner but you can drag it anywhere. Click on it to expand the performance panel, and you'll see your FPS displayed in real time along with CPU, GPU, and RAM usage. This method works in most modern games and requires no installation or third-party software.

If the Game Bar doesn't appear when you press Windows key + G, your game might not be recognized as a game by Windows. This happens with some older titles or non-gaming applications. In that case, try one of the other methods below.

Checking FPS with NVIDIA or AMD graphics overlays

If you have an NVIDIA graphics card, right-click on your desktop and select NVIDIA Control Panel. Go to 3D Settings in the left menu, then click Manage 3D Settings. Scroll down to find Frame Rate Limiter or Frame Rate Counter and set it to On. Your FPS will now appear in the corner of any game you run.

For AMD graphics cards, right-click your desktop and open AMD Radeon Settings. Navigate to Global Settings, then find Performance Monitoring and toggle it on. You can then customize which metrics appear on your overlay, including FPS. Some AMD cards also have a Radeon Overlay that you can activate by pressing Alt + R during gameplay.

Both of these methods are free and come with your graphics card drivers. The overlay will persist across all your games, so you only need to set it up once. If you don't see these options, your drivers may be outdated — visit NVIDIA.com or AMD.com to download the latest version for your specific graphics card model.

Using Steam's built-in FPS counter

If you play games through Steam, the platform has its own FPS counter. Open Steam and go to Settings (the gear icon in the top-right). Click In-Game in the left sidebar. Under In-Game FPS Counter, select which corner of your screen you want the counter to appear in — top-left, top-right, bottom-left, or bottom-right. You can also set it to Off if you don't want it.

Once you've selected a corner, the FPS counter will appear automatically whenever you launch a game through Steam. This works with most games in the Steam library, including older titles. The counter is small and unobtrusive, and you can toggle it on and off without changing your settings again.

Checking FPS in Discord games

Discord also has a built-in FPS counter for games launched through the platform. Open Discord and click the gear icon to go to User Settings. Navigate to Game Activity in the left sidebar, then look for Overlay. Toggle on Enable in-game overlay. Once enabled, press Ctrl + Shift + O during any game to open the Discord overlay, and you'll see performance stats including FPS.

This method is most useful if you're already using Discord while gaming. The overlay can be toggled on and off without restarting your game, so you can check your FPS whenever you need to without leaving the game running.

Using third-party tools for any game or application

MSI Afterburner is a free tool that works with any graphics card and will display FPS in virtually any game or application. Download it from the MSI website, install it, and launch the program. In the settings, enable On-Screen Display and make sure Show FPS is checked. Your frame rate will now appear in the corner of your screen whenever you run a game.

Fraps is another older but reliable option that has been around for years. It's free to download and use, and it works with older games that newer tools sometimes miss. Like MSI Afterburner, it displays FPS in the corner of your screen and requires minimal setup.

These third-party tools are useful if the built-in options don't work with your specific game or graphics card. They also give you more detailed performance information if you want to dig deeper into CPU and GPU usage, temperatures, and memory consumption.

What your FPS number actually means

Once you have your FPS counter running, you'll see a number that changes constantly. In most games, 60 FPS is considered smooth and responsive. Anything below 30 FPS will feel noticeably choppy. If you're playing a competitive game like a first-person shooter, 100+ FPS gives you a noticeable advantage in reaction time, though the difference between 60 and 100 is less dramatic than the difference between 30 and 60.

If your FPS is lower than you expected, it usually means your graphics card or CPU is working at its limit. You can improve FPS by lowering graphics settings in the game (resolution, texture quality, shadow detail), closing background applications, or updating your graphics drivers. If your FPS is consistently high and stable, your PC is handling the game well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my FPS counter show different numbers every second?

FPS fluctuates because your PC's workload changes moment to moment — different parts of a game require different amounts of processing power. A scene with lots of explosions and characters on screen will drop your FPS compared to a quiet area. This is normal. What matters is the average FPS and whether it stays relatively stable or drops suddenly.

Can I check FPS in games that aren't full-screen?

Most built-in counters (Windows Game Bar, Steam, Discord) only work in full-screen mode. If you're playing in windowed mode, try MSI Afterburner or Fraps instead, which work in any window. Some games also have their own built-in FPS counter in the graphics settings menu.

Does checking FPS slow down my game?

No. The FPS counter itself uses almost no processing power — it's just reading a number your graphics card is already calculating. You won't see a measurable drop in performance from having the counter on.

What if my FPS counter isn't showing up?

Make sure the game is running in full-screen mode, not windowed. Restart the game after enabling the counter. If you're using a graphics overlay, check that it's actually enabled in your graphics card settings. Try a different method — if Windows Game Bar doesn't work, try Steam or MSI Afterburner instead.

Is 60 FPS good enough for all games?

For most games, yes. Casual games, story-driven games, and strategy games play smoothly at 60 FPS. Competitive shooters and fighting games benefit from higher FPS because faster refresh rates give you quicker feedback. If you're just playing for fun, 60 FPS is a solid target.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.