Fix: Returnal Low FPS Drops on PC | Increase Performance
Returnal is a third-person shooter roguelike video game developed by Housemarque and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. After the massive success on...
Abd Razaaq
Last updated on March 24, 2023
Abd Razaaq
Author
I'm a Tech Content Writer and Full-Time blogger. Since I love Android and Google's device, I started my career in writing for Android OS and their features. This led me to start "GetDroidTips". I have completed Master of Business Administration at Mangalore University, Karnataka.
Returnal is a third-person shooter roguelike video game developed by Housemarque and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. After the massive success on PS5, the game is now finally made available for PC users. Though the game is doing well for the PC version, several players report Returnal low FPS drops on their PC and want to increase performance.
If you’re facing the same issue on your PC with frame rate drops and stutters during the gameplay, then you’re not alone. It’s recommended to follow this troubleshooting guide completely to resolve such an issue easily.
Fix Returnal Low FPS Drops on PC | Increase Performance
We’ve provided all the possible workarounds below that should be handy for you. Follow all the methods one by one until your problem gets fixed completely. So, without wasting any more time, let’s jump into it.
1. Check System Requirements
Mostly the compatibility issues with your PC specification may cause such issues whatsoever. So, we suggest you check out the game’s system requirements and PC specifications properly before jumping to conclusions. Here we’ve mentioned both the minimum and recommended system requirements for this title.
It’s recommended to check out graphics driver updates on your PC so games and other graphics-intensive programs can run properly. To do so:
Right-click on the Start Menu to open up the Quick Access Menu.
Click on Device Manager from the list.
Now, double-click on the Display adapters category to expand the list.
Then right-click on the dedicated graphics card name.
Select Update driver > Choose Search automatically for drivers.
An update will automatically download and install the latest version if available.
Once done, make sure to reboot your computer to change the effects.
Alternatively, you can manually download the latest graphics driver version and install it directly from the official website respective to your graphics card manufacturer. Nvidia graphics card users can update the GeForce Experience app via the official site. Meanwhile, AMD graphics card users can visit the AMD website.
3. Switch Between Display Modes
Make sure to switch between fullscreen borderless to windowed bordered display modes or vice versa from the in-game settings menu. It’ll help the game files to run smoothly depending on your screen resolution and PC specifications. You can try it out once. Some affected players got benefitted from this.
4. Run the game as an administrator
To avoid user account control-related privilege issues, you should run the Returnal executable game file as an administrator. To do this:
Right-click on the Returnal exe shortcut file on your PC.
Now, select Properties > Click on the Compatibility tab.
Make sure to click on the Run this program as an administrator checkbox to checkmark it.
Click on Apply and select OK to save changes.
5. Close Background Running Tasks
Sometimes unnecessary background running tasks or programs can also consume a higher amount of CPU or Memory resources on the system, which may cause crashes, lags, stutters, FPS drops, etc. To do that:
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys to open up the Task Manager.
Now, click on the Processes tab > to select tasks unnecessarily running in the background and consuming enough system resources.
Click on End Task to close it > Do the same steps for all unnecessary tasks.
Once done, restart your system to apply changes.
6. Stop Background Downloads
The chances are high that you’re trying to download or install other game updates simultaneously, whatever client you’re using. It’s better to pause or stop other background downloads while launching and playing the Returnal game on the client. Once you finished your gameplay, you can continue downloading games or installing patch updates.
7. Switch to Auto Settings in Video
If you haven’t succeeded in fixing the frame drop issue, then make sure to switch to auto settings in video mode by following the steps below.
Press the Esc button on your keyboard in the gameplay.
Now, go to the in-game Settings menu > Click on Video.
Select Auto Settings > Make sure to resume the gameplay to cross-check whether the frame drops or lags are still appearing or not.
If the in-game lag or frame drops are still there, select All and try lowering the video settings from the game menu.
8. Set High Performance in Power Options
If in case, your Windows system is running on the Balanced mode in Power Options, the system and hardware aren’t running to their full potential. You can simply set the High-Performance mode for the intense gameplay for better results. However, the high-performance mode will consume higher battery usage if you use a laptop. To do this:
Click on the Start Menu > Type Control Panel and click on it from the search result.
Now, go to Hardware and Sound > Select Power Options.
Click on High Performance to select it.
Make sure to close the window and fully shut down your computer. To do this, click on the Start Menu > Go to Power > Shut Down.
Once your computer is turned off, you can power it on again.
9. Contact Returnal Support
If none of the methods worked for you, contact Returnal’s Support for further help.
That’s it, guys. We assume this guide was helpful to you. For further queries, you can comment below.
