How to Make Valorant Run Smoother on Windows 10: The Ultimate Performance Guide



If you're an avid Valorant player but your game feels sluggish, stutters, or drops frames — don’t worry. You're not alone. Even with modest hardware, Valorant can run smoothly if your system is properly optimized. Here’s a comprehensive, no-nonsense guide to boost your FPS and improve gameplay on Windows 10.

1. Disable Fullscreen Optimization

Valorant sometimes doesn't play well with Windows 10’s "fullscreen optimization" feature.

How to fix it:

  • Right-click the Valorant shortcut or Valorant.exe in the Riot Games folder.

  • Go to Properties > Compatibility tab.

  • Check "Disable fullscreen optimizations".

  • Click Apply, then OK.

2. Set Valorant to High Priority

Allocating more CPU focus to Valorant can reduce lag.

Steps:

  • Open Valorant.

  • Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to launch Task Manager.

  • Go to Details tab, find Valorant.exe.

  • Right-click > Set priority > High.

Warning: Don’t set to "Realtime" — this can crash your system.

3. Tweak In-Game Settings for Maximum FPS

Valorant is well-optimized, but fine-tuning settings can give you smoother gameplay.

Recommended settings:

  • Display Mode: Fullscreen

  • Resolution: Native (or lower if needed)

  • Material Quality: Low

  • Texture Quality: Low

  • UI Quality: Low

  • VSync: Off

  • Anti-Aliasing: None

  • Anisotropic Filtering: 2x

  • Improve Clarity: Off

  • Bloom: Off

  • Distortion: Off

Pro tip: “Show Stats” can help track FPS and packet loss.

4. Disable Xbox Game Bar and Background Recording

Game Bar and background capture eat up system resources.

Turn them off:

  • Go to Settings > Gaming > Xbox Game Bar

  • Turn off the toggle.

  • Then go to Captures and turn off background recording.

5. Update Your Graphics Drivers

Outdated drivers are a common FPS killer.

  • For NVIDIA users: Use GeForce Experience

  • For AMD: Use Radeon Software

  • Or go to the official site and manually install the latest drivers.

Don’t rely on Windows Update for graphics drivers — they’re usually outdated.

6. Switch to High Performance Mode

This setting ensures your PC uses full power instead of trying to conserve energy.

How to enable:

  • Go to Control Panel > Power Options

  • Select High Performance (you might have to click “Show additional plans”)

7. Clean Up Unused Background Apps

If Chrome, Discord, Spotify, or other apps are running in the background, they’re stealing RAM and CPU.

  • Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc

  • Go to Startup tab

  • Disable any unnecessary apps

  • Use MSConfig (via Run > msconfig) to further control startup items

8. Optimize Network Settings

Valorant is an online shooter — bad ping is as damaging as low FPS.

  • Use a wired Ethernet connection if possible

  • Close all downloads and streaming apps while gaming

  • Consider using Cloudflare WARP or a gaming VPN to stabilize ping

  • Set DNS to 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8 (via Network Adapter > IPv4 settings)

Bonus: Reinstall Riot Vanguard

If all else fails, Vanguard might be causing hiccups.

Steps:

  1. Uninstall Riot Vanguard from Add or Remove Programs

  2. Restart your PC

  3. Open Valorant again — it will auto-reinstall Vanguard

Final Thoughts

A few simple adjustments can drastically improve Valorant’s performance. Start with the basics: tweak settings, disable bloat, and update drivers. Consistent 144+ FPS isn’t reserved for high-end rigs — you just need to squeeze the most out of your current setup.

Have tips of your own?
Drop them in the comments — let’s help fellow gamers level up their performance!

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