How to Reduce Input Lag on PC and Console
If your shots land late or your character feels “floaty,” learning how to reduce input lag is one of the cheapest upgrades you can make. Input lag is the delay between pressing a button and seeing the result on screen, and most of it comes from settings you can change for free.
This guide covers both PC and console. You will learn how to set up your TV or monitor, pick the right sync and frame cap settings, use NVIDIA Reflex or AMD Anti-Lag, and tune your mouse, controller and Windows. We also explain why input lag is not the same thing as network lag, so you fix the right problem.
Last updated: October 27, 2026
At a Glance: Fastest Ways to Cut Input Lag
| Fix | Platform | Cost | Typical impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turn on TV/monitor Game Mode (or ALLM) | PC and console | Free | Large on TVs |
| Use a higher refresh rate (120Hz+) | PC and console | Free if your display supports it | Medium to large |
| Turn off V-Sync, use G-Sync/FreeSync/VRR | PC and console | Free | Medium to large |
| Cap FPS a little below refresh rate | PC | Free | Medium |
| Enable NVIDIA Reflex or AMD Anti-Lag | PC | Free | Medium in GPU-heavy games |
| Use wired or low-latency wireless gear | PC and console | Low | Small to medium |
| Raise mouse polling rate to 1000Hz | PC | Free on most gaming mice | Small |
What Is Input Lag?
Input lag is the total time from your physical input to the visible change on screen. It builds up across several steps: your controller or mouse, your PC or console, and your display.
Each step adds a few milliseconds (ms). Intel’s gaming guide notes that delay becomes noticeable beyond about 50 ms, while competitive players aim for under 15 ms. You cut it by shaving time from every stage.
- Peripheral delay: how fast your mouse, keyboard or controller reports a press.
- System delay: how long the game, CPU and GPU take to turn that press into a frame.
- Display delay: how long your TV or monitor takes to process and show the frame.
Turn On Game Mode on Your TV or Monitor
Switching your TV to Game Mode is usually the single biggest fix for console players. It turns off picture processing that can add a lot of delay.
TVs apply effects like motion smoothing and noise reduction. These look nice for movies but hold each frame back while the TV works on it. Game Mode skips most of that work.
Use ALLM on Consoles
Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) tells a compatible TV to switch into Game Mode on its own when a game starts. Xbox Series X|S supports it, and Sony added ALLM to PS5 in a March 2022 system update.
- Xbox: go to Settings > General > TV & display options > Advanced > Video modes and check “Allow auto-low-latency mode.”
- Your TV: look for a setting called ALLM, Auto Game Mode or something similar, and make sure it is on.
Raise Your Refresh Rate
A higher refresh rate shows new frames more often, so your input appears sooner. At 60Hz, a new frame arrives every 16.7 ms. At 120Hz it is every 8.3 ms, and at 240Hz it is every 4.2 ms.
On PC, open Windows Settings > System > Display > Advanced display and pick the highest refresh rate your monitor lists. Also use a DisplayPort cable or an HDMI cable that supports your target refresh rate.
On console, you need a TV or monitor that supports 120Hz, and the game must offer a 120Hz or “performance” mode.
V-Sync, G-Sync and FreeSync: Which Should You Use?
Traditional V-Sync stops screen tearing but can add noticeable input lag, so most players should turn it off. Variable refresh rate (VRR) tech like NVIDIA G-Sync and AMD FreeSync is the better choice because it removes tearing with far less delay.
V-Sync makes the GPU wait for the display, and that waiting builds a queue of frames you feel as lag. With VRR, the display waits for the GPU instead.
- NVIDIA cards: turn on G-Sync in the NVIDIA Control Panel or NVIDIA App if your monitor supports G-Sync or is “G-Sync Compatible.”
- AMD cards: turn on FreeSync in your monitor menu and in AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition.
- PS5: Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output > VRR, then set it to Automatic.
- Xbox Series X|S: enable “Allow variable refresh rate” in the same Video modes menu used for ALLM.
Use a Frame Rate Cap
Capping your frame rate a few FPS below your refresh rate keeps VRR active and stops the GPU from maxing out. Both help keep input lag low and steady.
When your FPS goes above the refresh rate, VRR stops working and you get either tearing or V-Sync lag. A cap a few frames under your refresh rate (for example, around 138 FPS on a 144Hz monitor) avoids that. Use the game’s built-in limiter if it has one, or the frame cap in your GPU software.
Without VRR, running well above your refresh rate can help instead, since each frame shown is newer. Intel’s guide calls this a small but noticeable gain.
How to Reduce Input Lag With NVIDIA Reflex and AMD Anti-Lag
NVIDIA Reflex and AMD Anti-Lag cut system latency by keeping the CPU and GPU in sync so frames do not pile up in a queue. Turn them on in any game that offers them, especially when your GPU is running near 100% usage.
NVIDIA Reflex
According to NVIDIA’s Reflex supported products page, Reflex Low Latency mode works on GeForce 900 Series GPUs and newer, though Rainbow Six Siege requires a GeForce 10 Series card or newer. Look for “NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency” in a game’s graphics settings and set it to “On” or “On + Boost.”
As of October 2026, NVIDIA’s Reflex page still lists Reflex 2 with Frame Warp as “coming soon.”
AMD Anti-Lag and Anti-Lag 2
AMD offers two versions. The original Radeon Anti-Lag is a driver toggle in AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition. AMD’s Anti-Lag page says it supports Radeon RX 400 Series and newer GPUs, works in DirectX 9, 11 and 12 games on Windows 10 and 11, and can be turned on per game or through HYPR-RX.
Radeon Anti-Lag 2 is built into games by developers and works on select RDNA-based Radeon graphics. AMD lists it in Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2 and Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut, with more games planned. If a game offers Anti-Lag 2 in its menu, use that instead of the driver version.
Wired vs. Wireless Peripherals and Polling Rate
Wired gear is the safest low-lag choice, but modern gaming wireless that uses a 2.4GHz USB dongle is close enough for most players. Bluetooth is usually slower and less consistent, so avoid it for competitive play.
Controllers
- Plug your PS5 or Xbox controller in with a USB cable for the most consistent response.
- Keep wireless controllers charged, since low batteries and weak signal can add delay.
Mouse and Keyboard Polling Rate
Polling rate is how often your device reports to the PC each second. Higher is faster:
| Polling rate | Time between reports |
|---|---|
| 125Hz | 8 ms |
| 500Hz | 2 ms |
| 1000Hz | 1 ms |
| 4000Hz | 0.25 ms |
| 8000Hz | 0.125 ms |
Set your mouse to 1000Hz in its app. Rates of 4000Hz and up use more CPU time for small gains, so only use them if your PC runs without stutter.
Windows Settings That Lower Input Lag
On PC, turn on Game Mode, use exclusive or optimized fullscreen, and enable Windows’ optimizations for windowed games. These settings take two minutes and cost nothing.
- Game Mode: Settings > Gaming > Game Mode, then switch it on. It gives your game priority over background tasks.
- Fullscreen: pick “Fullscreen” or “Exclusive Fullscreen” in the game’s display menu when it is offered. Older windowed modes can add extra delay.
- Windowed optimizations: Microsoft’s support page explains that this Windows 11 setting moves DirectX 10 and 11 games in windowed or borderless mode to a newer “flip model,” which reduces latency and enables VRR. Find it at Settings > System > Display > Graphics.
Network Lag vs. Input Lag
Network lag (ping) is the delay between your device and the game server, while input lag happens inside your own setup. The fixes are different, so figure out which one you have first.
If the game feels slow even in offline modes, menus or practice ranges, that is input lag. If enemies teleport, hits do not register, or problems only show up online, that is network lag. For network issues, use wired Ethernet and the closest server region. Many tips in our esports coverage focus on setup as much as skill.
Conclusion
Reducing input lag comes down to removing delay at every stage. Put your display in Game Mode, run the highest refresh rate it supports, swap V-Sync for G-Sync, FreeSync or VRR, and cap your FPS a little below the refresh rate. On PC, add NVIDIA Reflex or AMD Anti-Lag, set your mouse to 1000Hz and turn on Windows Game Mode.
Change one thing at a time and test it. For more ways to play better, browse our game guides and the rest of our gaming tips.
FAQ
Does Game Mode on a TV really reduce input lag?
Yes. Game Mode turns off most picture processing, such as motion smoothing and noise reduction, which is often the largest source of delay on a TV.
Should I turn off V-Sync to reduce input lag?
In most cases, yes. If your display supports G-Sync, FreeSync or VRR, use that instead, along with a frame cap a few FPS under your refresh rate.
Which GPUs support NVIDIA Reflex?
NVIDIA says Reflex Low Latency mode is supported on GeForce 900 Series GPUs and newer. The game also needs to include Reflex in its settings.
Is AMD Anti-Lag 2 the same as Anti-Lag?
No. Anti-Lag is a driver setting that works in many DirectX games, while Anti-Lag 2 must be built into each game by the developer and runs on select RDNA-based Radeon graphics.
Is a wireless controller worse for input lag?
It can add a little delay, especially with low battery or weak signal. A USB cable is the most consistent option.
Can a better internet connection fix input lag?
No. Internet speed and ping affect network lag, not input lag. Fix input lag with display, sync and device settings.
Sources
- NVIDIA – NVIDIA Reflex supported products page
- NVIDIA – NVIDIA Reflex technology page (Reflex 2 Frame Warp status)
- AMD – Radeon Anti-Lag and Anti-Lag 2 product page
- Microsoft Support – Optimizations for windowed games in Windows 11
- Intel – How to Fix Input Lag (gaming resources)
- TechRadar – PS5 system update adds ALLM support (March 2022)