The first thing to try for a higher frame rate in Fortnite on PC is Performance mode, which Epic built for exactly this: open Settings, go to the Video tab, set Rendering Mode to Performance, apply, and restart the game. After that, Epic’s own advice is to lower Textures and Meshes, turn off V-Sync and set your Frame Rate Limit, and keep your graphics driver up to date.
Below we go through each step in order, what Performance mode trades away, and the launcher and hardware checks Epic suggests when the game still runs poorly.
Which Version This Covers
This guide reflects Fortnite on PC as of Chapter 7 Season 4, Fortnite Override, on the v42.20 update. That update fixed an ESP-INIT-001 launch error and several crashes when closing the game on PC, but did not change the graphics options below. These settings are not seasonal.
It is PC only for a reason: Epic’s help center says Performance mode is not available on consoles, where the frame rate is set by the console’s own modes.
Step 1: Switch to Performance Mode
Per Epic’s help center:
- Select your Player Icon in the lobby, then Settings (the gear icon).
- Open the Video tab (the monitor icon).
- Find Rendering Mode and use the arrows to select Performance.
- Select Apply.
- Restart Fortnite, since the change only takes effect after a restart.
The community wiki lists three Rendering Mode choices: DirectX 11, DirectX 12, and Performance, which the game labels as lower graphical fidelity. Epic’s announcement of the mode explains the trade: it lowers visual quality to reduce memory use and lighten the load on the CPU and GPU, and it is available on any PC that meets Fortnite’s minimum specs. Epic’s own examples were laptops at 720p in a Squads match: one with Intel UHD Graphics 620 went from 24 FPS on low settings to 61 FPS in Performance mode, and one with an AMD Radeon HD 8610G went from 18 to 45 FPS. Epic says the mode works in all Fortnite modes and can be switched off the same way.
If you have a stronger graphics card and want the game to look better, you may prefer DirectX 11 or 12 with lower settings instead. The FPS counter tells you which works best on your machine; our guide on showing ping and FPS explains how to turn it on.
Step 2: Lower the Settings That Cost the Most
Per Epic’s help center, in the Video tab scroll to the Graphics Quality section, set Textures to Low and Meshes to Low, and select Apply.
The same section holds more options, which the community wiki lists as:
- Quality Presets (Low, Medium, High, Epic), which changes several settings at once.
- 3D Resolution, a slider that renders the 3D scene at a lower resolution.
- View Distance, Shadows, Effects and Post Processing, each with Low to Epic steps.
- Anti-Aliasing and Super Resolution, with options including TSR and NVIDIA DLSS. The game’s own description says Super Resolution methods improve performance by rendering fewer pixels each frame.
Lower one setting at a time and watch the FPS counter, so you know which change actually helped.
Step 3: Set Your Frame Rate Limit and V-Sync
Epic’s help center says V-Sync limits your frame rate to your monitor’s refresh rate. To run above or below that, turn V-Sync off and choose a Frame Rate Limit in the Video tab. The highest cap in Fortnite’s settings is 360 FPS, and Unlimited removes the cap entirely.
Step 4: Fix the PC Around the Game
Epic’s low frame rate troubleshooting points to several fixes outside the settings menu:
- Update your graphics driver. Epic notes that manufacturers regularly release drivers that improve performance and fix bugs.
- Verify the game files. In the Epic Games Launcher, open your Library, select the three dots next to Fortnite, and choose Verify.
- Drop the high-resolution textures. In the same menu, choose Options and uncheck the high-resolution textures box. Epic’s Performance mode post says this removes around 14 GB, and it suits players already running low settings.
- Check your mouse polling rate. If FPS drops only when you move the mouse, Epic’s help center blames a high polling rate and suggests testing values between 500Hz and 1,000Hz. Close Fortnite before you change it.
Closing other programs while you play also leaves more CPU and memory for the game. Epic’s Performance mode post adds a hardware tip for older machines: running the game from an SSD and having at least 6 GB of RAM reduces hitches and stutters, and a dedicated graphics card helps but is not required.
Check Your PC Against Epic’s Requirements
If none of this helps, compare your PC with Epic’s system requirements article. Epic’s help center warns that if you do not meet the requirements, none of these steps will improve your experience. Per that article, the recommended tier is an Nvidia GTX 960, AMD R9 280 or equivalent DirectX 11 graphics card with 2 GB of VRAM, 16 GB of RAM, an NVMe SSD, and 64-bit Windows 10 or 11. Epic adds that a PC at the minimum specs will run the game, but probably not on the highest settings.
One more PC note: if you play tournaments, Epic’s anti-cheat rules require Secure Boot and TPM on Windows PCs, and competitive events also need two-factor authentication, which our 2FA guide covers. And if you capture clips from replays, Epic suggests the opposite of everything above: raise your settings as high as your PC allows before recording, as our guide on watching replays explains. For more, see every Fortnite guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Rendering Mode for FPS in Fortnite? Performance. Epic says it lowers visual quality to increase frame rate, and it needs a restart after you select it.
Does Performance mode work on PS5 or Xbox? No. Epic’s help center says Performance mode is not available on consoles.
Why is my Fortnite FPS capped at 60 or 144? V-Sync is probably on, which locks FPS to your monitor’s refresh rate. Turn it off and raise the Frame Rate Limit.
Why does my FPS drop when I move my mouse? Epic points to a high mouse polling rate. Test between 500Hz and 1,000Hz, closing the game before each change.
Does removing high-resolution textures increase FPS? Epic lists it among its low frame rate fixes. It also frees around 14 GB of storage, at a small cost in texture quality.