Game Mode feature improves gaming performance in some games. Here is how to turn on or turn off Game Mode in Windows 11.
Windows is the default choice for almost every computer user when gaming. No matter the game you want to play, it is highly likely to be made for and available to Windows. One of the main reasons for this is that Windows has many gaming-specific features and functionality that make developing and playing games a breeze. Not only that, but PC gaming is way more fun than any other type, at least for me.
One such gaming-specific feature Microsoft introduced way back in Windows 10 is the Game Mode. By default, the Game Mode feature is turned on in Windows 11. When turned on, the Game Mode makes it so that you get a consistent frame rate, which improves your overall gaming experience.
Though the Game Mode feature is made to improve the game performance, it may not be the case for every game. Maybe the Game Mode feature is interfering with other parts of the game and slowing it down or causing other performance issues. In that case, you must turn off Game Mode in Windows 11 to fix the game problems.
No matter if you want to turn on game mode or turn off the game mode in Windows 11, you can do it with just a couple of clicks.
So, without further ado, this easy how-to guide shows how to turn on or turn off Game Mode in Windows 11.
Jump to:
What is Game Mode?
Microsoft added Game Mode to Windows way back in 2017 in Windows 10. That same feature is still available in Windows 11. As you can tell from the feature name, Game Mode is designed to improve your overall gaming experience. When enabled, Game Mode will automatically detect a game and increase its priority to improve access to the system resources like CPU and GPU. Other background apps and processes are restricted to fewer system resources.
In addition to that, Game Mode also restricts background activity like installing updates, showing notifications, PC restart prompts, etc., while gaming.
So, in theory, when the Game Mode is enabled, you should get constant frame rates in games.
Turn Off Game Mode in Windows 11
You can turn off Game Mode from the Windows 11 Settings app or the Registry Editor. I will show both methods. Follow the one you like.
From Settings
Being an important feature, the Game Mode option is available in the Settings app. With a single click, you can turn off Game Mode in Windows 11. Here is how to do it in simple steps.
- Press “Win + I” to open Settings.
- Select “Gaming” on the sidebar.
- Click on the “Game Mode” option.
- Turn OFF the “Game Mode” option.
- Close the Settings app.
- With that, the Game Mode feature is turned off in Windows 11.
Detailed steps with screenshots:
First thing, open the Settings app. You can either click on the “Settings” icon on the taskbar or search for “Settings” in the Start menu and open it from there. If needed, press the “Windows key + X” shortcut and select the “Settings” option to open it.
There is a dedicated section in the Windows 11 Settings app to manage some gaming-related settings. So, click on the “Gaming” option on the sidebar. This is where you will find some of the game-related settings like Game Bar, Captures, and Game Mode. Click on the “Game Mode” option on the main page.
Now, turn off the “Game Mode” option.
That is it. With that, the Game Mode feature is turned off instantly. You can now safely close the Windows 11 Settings app. There is no need for a system reboot.
From Registry
If the Settings app is not working correctly or feeling adventurous, you can turn off Game Mode from the Windows Registry. Here is how to do it in simple steps.
Backup registry before making changes to it.
- Open the Start menu.
- Search and open “Registry Editor.”
- Copy “HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\GameBar”.
- Paste it in the address bar and press Enter.
- Right-click on the “GameBar” folder on the sidebar.
- Select the “New > DWORD (32-bit) Value” option.
- Set the name as “AutoGameModeEnabled”.
- Double-click on the value.
- Type “0” in the “Value Data” field.
- Click the “Ok” button.
- Close the Registry Editor.
- Reboot the computer.
With that, the Game Mode in Windows 11 is turned off.
Detailed steps with screenshots:
Press the Start key on the keyboard, search for “Registry Editor,” and open it. In the Registry Editor, go to the “HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\GameBar” folder. You can copy the path, paste it in the address bar, and press Enter.
Once you are here, right-click on the “GameBar” folder on the sidebar and select the “New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.” Name the new value as “AutoGameModeEnabled.”
Since we want to turn off Game Mode, we need to set the Value to 0. So, double-click on the “AutoGameModeEnabled” value, type “0” in the Value Data field, and click the “Ok” button.
Finally, close the Registry Editor and reboot the computer.
With that, the Game Mode is turned off in Windows 11.
Turn On Game Mode in Windows 11
If you want to turn on Game Mode in Windows 11, you can either use the Settings app or change a value in the Registry Editor. The settings app method is pretty easy, while the Registry method is useful when the Settings app is troubling you.
From the Settings app:
- Press “Win + I” to open Settings.
- Select “Gaming” on the sidebar.
- Click on the “Game Mode” option.
- Turn ON the “Game Mode” option.
- Close the Settings app.
- With that, the Game Mode feature is turned on in Windows 11.
From the Registry Editor:
- Open the Start menu.
- Search and open “Registry Editor.”
- Copy “HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\GameBar”.
- Paste it in the address bar and press Enter.
- See if you can find the “AutoGameModeEnabled” value on the right page. If you can, ignore the following three steps.
- Right-click on the “GameBar” folder on the sidebar.
- Select the “New > DWORD (32-bit) Value” option.
- Set the name as “AutoGameModeEnabled”.
- Double-click on the value.
- Type “1” in the “Value Data” field.
- Click the “Ok” button.
- Close the Registry Editor.
- Reboot the computer.
With that, the Game Mode feature is turned on in Windows 11.
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That is it. It is that simple to turn on or turn off Game Mode in Windows 11.
I hope this simple Windows 11 how-to guide helped you.
If you are stuck or need some help, comment below, and I will try to help as much as possible.
