Diagnose & fix
How to show an FPS counter while gaming
Reviewed July 2026
No install needed: Game Bar (Win+G), Steam overlay, NVIDIA App (Alt+R), AMD (Ctrl+Shift+O), or the in-game option (lightest). For 1% lows and frametimes: RTSS. Watch 1% lows over average FPS — that's where real stutter lives.
Step by step
01 Xbox Game Bar (built into Windows)
No install needed: press Win+G, open the Performance widget and pin it. It shows FPS, CPU, GPU and RAM live. It's the fastest way on Windows 10 and 11.
02 The Steam overlay
If you play through Steam: Settings → In Game → In-game FPS counter, and pick a corner. Simple, and it works in any game launched from Steam.
03 The NVIDIA overlay (App / GeForce)
On an NVIDIA GPU: open the NVIDIA App (or GeForce Experience), enable the overlay and the performance HUD with Alt+R. It shows FPS plus latency and GPU usage if you want them.
04 The AMD overlay (Adrenalin)
On an AMD GPU: in the Adrenalin software enable the Performance Metrics Overlay (default shortcut Ctrl+Shift+O). It shows FPS, temperatures and usage, all configurable.
05 The option inside the game itself
Many games have their own FPS counter under Settings → Video/Graphics. It's the lightest option because it adds no external overlay — check there before installing anything.
06 RTSS / MSI Afterburner (the most complete)
For detailed data — FPS, 1% lows, frametime, temperatures — RivaTuner Statistics Server (bundled with MSI Afterburner) is the standard. It's more to set up, but it's what people who measure seriously use.
07 What the number tells you
Average FPS matters less than stability. Watch the '1% lows': if the average is high but the 1% lows crater, you'll feel stutter. That's what the FPS-drops and stutter guides are for.
Where Neon helps
Once you can see your FPS and spot drops, Neon helps you find and reduce the real causes — without inventing the number you're already measuring.
- Reduces the background load that causes the micro-hitches you see in the 1% lows.
- Shows its own before/after with numbers measured on your machine, not estimates.
- Detects limiters (old driver, power plan, thermals) that an FPS counter alone won't explain.
To be transparent: an FPS counter measures, it doesn't improve. Neon helps you act on what the counter shows you. The installer isn't code-signed yet, so Windows SmartScreen may show a warning.
Want a more detailed overlay (GPU temperature, RAM usage)? See our guide to MSI Afterburner alternatives.