Optimizing Windows 11 for gaming isn’t as “plug-and-play” as Microsoft would have you believe. As great as the operating system is for gamers, there are several settings you’ll need to tweak to get the most out of your system so you can play your games in all of their glory. That’s what we’re going to show you here – how to optimize Windows 11 for gaming.
Method 1 – Switch on Game Mode
Windows 11 has a special feature specifically for gaming rigs called “Game Mode.” It’s often turned on by default, but it’s always worth checking with these steps.
Step 1: Type “Settings” into the search bar at the bottom of your screen and click the icon with the same name in your results.
Step 2: Select “Gaming” from the navigation bar on the left, followed by “Game Mode.”
Step 3: Flick the “Game Mode” toggle to “On,” assuming it isn’t on already, and close settings.
Method 2 – Boost Your Power Mode to Best Performance
You’ll want your system delivering as much juice as it can manage when you’re gaming, which means using these steps to tweak its performance capabilities.
Step 1: Enter “Settings” in the search field in your Windows 11 taskbar and click the “Settings” icon.
Step 2: Choose “System” from the navigation menu and scroll down to your device’s power settings. This is simply titled “Power” on desktops, or “Power & Battery” for laptops.
Step 3: Click the drop-down menu next to the “Power Mode” option and select “Best Performance” from the list before closing the “Settings” menu.
Method 3 – Update Your Graphical Processing Unit (GPU) Driver
Your GPU is almost like a computer in and of itself, at least in the sense that it needs constant updates to run effectively. Here’s how to make sure yours is up-to-date for your gaming.
Step 1: Right-click the “Start” button in your Windows 11 taskbar and choose “Device Manager” from the options.
Step 2: Click the little arrow next to “Display Adaptors” to open a list containing your GPU and any other adaptors relevant to your system.
Step 3: Right-click your GPU and choose “Update driver.” Windows 11 will run an online search for any new drivers that haven’t been installed and, if it finds one, will update your drivers so your GPU is running at full capacity.
Method 4 – Turn on Storage Sense
Not only does Storage Sense clean up all of those unneeded temporary files that bog down your Windows 11 device, but it also keeps pesky background processes from getting in the way of your gaming. You just need to switch it on using these steps:
Step 1: Head into the “Settings” menu by typing “Settings” into your Windows 11 search bar and clicking the corresponding icon.
Step 2: Type “Storage Sense” into the “Settings” search bar and choose “Turn on Storage Sense” from the list.
Step 3: You should see some data about what’s stored and where on your device. Underneath that, toggle the “Storage Sense” icon to “On.” Then, click the little arrow to the right of the “Storage Sense” option.
Step 4: Check the “Keep Windows running smoothly by automatically clearing up temporary system and app files” to have Windows run Storage Sense based on the criteria you set in the drop-down menus below this checkbox. You can also run Storage Sense manually by scrolling to the bottom of this screen and hitting “Run Storage Sense Now.”
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