Is your PC struggling to run Fornite at an acceptable level? In this post, we highlight ten ways to help you make Fortnite run better on PC.
We’re well into Season 3 of Chapter 3 in Fortnite and the popular Battle Royale game is still going strong. The game has seen a number of updates this Chapter and if you’re considering jumping into Fortnite for the first time (or, you want to hop back in after being away from the game), now is a great time to do so.
However, not everyone is fortunate enough to have the latest PC hardware to run the game on, so if you’re someone that is trying to make the most of their current setup, you’re in the right place. In this article, we’re going to go over a bunch of different things you can do to make Fortnite run better on your PC so you can get the best experience possible.
Let’s get straight into it.
Table of Contents
2. Close unnecessary applications
3. Set Fortnite to highest priority
1. Adjust in-game settings
One of the easiest ways to boost your game’s performance is to look at your in-game settings to see if there’s anything that can be tweaked. The higher your graphics settings, the more stress you’ll put on your gaming PC, leading to lower frames per second and a less smooth experience.
You can check out our guide on the Best Settings for Fortnite for help on dialing in your in-game settings. But, if you’re averaving a low framerate, try turning shadows and anti-aliasing off and lowering the settings for things like textures, effects, and quality. Fortnite should run more smoothly, although it won’t look as good, so be sure to play around with all the settings and find a balance that you’re happy with.
Lowering your screen resolution either in the in-game settings or in your Windows settings is another thing you can try, although things might look a bit too pixelated for your liking.
2. Close unnecessary applications and processes
The more things you have open on your PC, the slower it will be able to run Fortnite, so it’s a good idea to open up the Windows task manager and close down any applications or processes that aren’t essential before you play.
On a Windows PC, you can access the task manager by pressing either Ctrl + Shift + Esc or Ctrl + Alt + Del.
Once it opens up, you’ll be able to see all the apps and processes your PC has running, as well as how much of the CPU, memory, disk, network, and GPU they’re using. Web browsers eat up a lot of resources, so if you have any open, be sure to close them ASAP and watch as your game performance goes up!
Also Read: How to Open Task Manager in Windows 11
3. Set Fortnite to the highest priority in the task manager
On the topic of the task manager, it’s worth noting that you can give priority to certain applications over others. This means you can set your computer to dedicate more system resources to running Fortnite, improving performance.
The way you assign priority to applications in the Windows task manager is by going to the Details tab, right-clicking on Fortnite, and selecting Set Priority -> High. Voila! It’s as simple as that, and you should hopefully notice an increase in your game performance.
If it doesn’t work or doesn’t help much, then don’t worry, as there are still plenty more things listed in this article for you to try. Let’s head onto the next suggestion.
4. Update your drivers
Sometimes having out-of-date drivers can hold your PC back from performing at its best, so it’s a good idea to regularly check that you have the latest ones installed. This is especially true for your graphics drivers.
To update your GPU’s drivers, you’ll need to determine whether or not you have an NVIDIA or AMD graphics card.
- NVIDIA drivers can be updated through NVIDIA’s GeForce Experience software.
- AMD drivers can be updated through AMD’s Radeon Software.
For Windows updates, the easiest way to check for driver updates is to head to the Update & Security tab in the Windows settings and click “Check for Updates.” Your entire device will be scanned and if there are any updates available for any devices, they’ll show up here.
Alternatively, you can open up the device manager and right-click on every device individually to try and update its driver. This process can take a while though, so instead, we’d recommend just sticking to the first method.
Also Read: How to Update Drivers in Windows 11
5. Adjust your PC power settings
Windows computers have a few different power plans, which are collections of settings that will optimize your PC in different ways.
There’s a Power Saver plan, which aims to reduce energy consumption where possible, a High Performance plan, which boosts performance as much as possible at the cost of higher energy consumption, and there’s a Balanced plan, which finds a balance between the two.
Needless to say, the High Performance plan is the one you’ll want to use if you want to make Fortnite run better on your PC. You can activate the plan by going to your computer’s Power & Sleep settings, clicking on “Additional power settings”, and selecting “High Performance”.
6. Defragging your hard drive
Another thing you can try that might help make Fortnite run better on your PC is defragging your hard drive.
Defragging is the process of rearranging files on a disk, putting relevant ones all in one place. Files will often be scattered all over a disk, so by putting them in one accessible place, it makes it easier for your computer to locate them all, which can help boost overall performance.
7. Check your network
How fast and stable your network connection is can have a huge impact on your game’s performance, so our next suggestion is to make sure the connection between your computer and router is good.
If the connection is weak, try moving the router closer to you or somewhere where it’s less obstructed by walls and furniture.
Also, if you’re playing on Wi-Fi, it might be worth investing in a network cable that you can plug directly into your router. Having a direct connection will boost stability and speed, so it’s definitely worth considering to help make Fortnite run better on your PC.
8. Clean out dust
You may be wondering, does dust really affect PC performance that much? And the answer is yes, absolutely. (Check out our guide on how to clean out your computer.)
Dust impedes airflow which is crucial for keeping your PC components cool. Too much dust and your components are more at risk of overheating, leading to thermal throttling which slows down overall PC performance. We want to avoid that.
Dust will inevitably build up over time in your PC, so it’s important to clean it out every once in a while to keep your PC running optimally.
9. Overclocking your GPU
GPU overclocking refers to pushing your computer’s GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) beyond its default limit to get the absolute most out of it. Though overclocking puts more stress on your GPU than normal and increases its temperature, the process is generally quite safe, so it’s worth trying if you’re looking for a quick gameplay boost.
In terms of how to overclock your GPU, you’re going to want to use a program called MSI Afterburner, which you can download for free online. This software gives you control over all kinds of things like core voltage, core clock speed, memory clock speed, and temperature limit, so try tweaking some settings and see how far you can push your GPU.
Every GPU has a limit to its capabilities, and MSI Afterburner won’t push yours beyond that limit, so there’s no need to worry about causing permanent damage to it.
10. Upgrade your hardware
At the end of the day, if you’ve tried everything else and your PC still isn’t running Fortnite up to your desired standard, upgrading your hardware is the way to go. You can either upgrade the individual components in your system, or buy a whole new gaming PC or gaming laptop.
Recommended: Best Cheap Gaming PCs for Fortnite
The good news is that Fornite isn’t too demanding, so a budget gaming PC build, or a gaming laptop under $1,000 should run the game fine.
Below are both the minimum and recommended hardware specs for Fortnite, taken directly from the Epic Games website, which you might find helpful when searching for new PC hardware or a new gaming PC altogether.
Fornite Minimum System Requirements
- Video Card: Intel HD 4000 on PC; Intel Iris Pro 5200
- Processor: Core i3-3225 3.3 GHz
- Memory: 4GB RAM
- OS: Windows 7/8/10 64-bit or Mac OS Mojave 10.14.6
Fornite Recommended System Requirements
- Video Card: Nvidia GTX 960, AMD R9 280, or equivalent DX11 GPU
- Video Memory: 2 GB VRAM
- Processor: Core i5-7300U 3.5 GHz, AMD Ryzen 3 3300U, or equivalent
- Memory: 8 GB RAM or higher
- OS: Windows 10 64-bit
Spending money on upgrading your PC is a big investment, but trust us when we say it’s absolutely worth it if you game a lot. Being able to play games at high FPS without having to compromise on graphics quality is a fantastic feeling, and absolutely worth the money.
Final thoughts
So, there you have it, 10 ways to make Fortnite run better on your PC. No one’s gaming ability should be limited by the capabilities of their hardware, so we hope you’ve found some of the above tips useful in getting the most out of your setup.
Be sure to give Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 3 a go, as it’s out now and full of exciting new features like never-before-seen weapons, sliding, boar/wolf taming and riding, and swinging mechanics, as well as a bunch of cool new skins.
See you on the island!
