League of Legends FPS Drops Solved? Yes, Here’s How

Yes, League of Legends FPS drops can usually be solved by addressing a handful of common causes: outdated graphics drivers, incorrect in-game settings, background programs hogging resources, and Windows power or game mode settings. While no single fix works for every player, the steps below resolve the vast majority of FPS drop issues on current Windows systems.

Why League of Legends Drops FPS

League of Legends is not a demanding game by modern standards, so sudden frame rate drops are almost never caused by the game itself. The most frequent culprits are:

Graphics driver issues – outdated, corrupted, or poorly configured GPU drivers cause stutters and frame spikes.
Background applications – browsers, Discord, or Windows updates can consume CPU and disk resources.
Power settings – Windows or laptop battery saver modes limit CPU and GPU performance.
In-game settings – uncapped frame rates, high shadows, or anti-aliasing can overload weaker hardware.
Overheating – thermal throttling reduces performance when components get too hot.

Identifying which of these applies to your system is the first step to a permanent fix.

Step 1: Update Your Graphics Drivers

Outdated or buggy graphics drivers are the #1 cause of FPS drops in League. Here’s how to update them properly:

Press Win + X and select Device Manager.
Expand Display adapters, right-click your GPU, and choose Update driver.
Select Search automatically for drivers. If Windows finds nothing, go to the manufacturer’s website (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel) and download the latest driver for your exact model.
After installing, restart your PC.

If you recently updated and the drops started, try rolling back the driver: in Device Manager, right-click the GPU, select Properties → Driver → Roll Back Driver. Sometimes new drivers introduce problems for older GPUs.

Step 2: Optimize In-Game Settings

League’s default settings often cap the frame rate at 60 or enable effects that cause stutters on mid-range PCs. Open the in-game client, go to Settings (gear icon) → Video, and adjust these:

Wait for Vertical Sync – Turn it Off unless you see screen tearing. V-Sync caps FPS to your monitor’s refresh rate and can cause input lag.
Frame Rate Cap – Set to Uncapped or a value slightly above your monitor’s refresh rate (e.g., 144 if you have a 144Hz monitor).
Graphics Quality – Set to Medium or Low. League looks nearly identical at medium, but runs much smoother.
Shadow Quality – Shadows are the biggest FPS killer. Set to Low or Off.
Anti-Aliasing – Turn off or set to 2x. It has minimal visual benefit in a top-down game.
Effects Quality – Lower to Medium if you see FPS drops during team fights.

If your PC is older, also disable HDR and Motion Blur if present.

Step 3: Close Background Programs

League is CPU-intensive, and background apps can cause frame drops, especially during loading screens or team fights. Before playing:

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
Under Processes, sort by CPU and Memory.
Close any programs you don’t need – especially web browsers (Chrome, Edge, Firefox), Discord, and game launchers like Steam or Epic.
Right-click any suspicious process and select End Task.

If you use Discord, enable Hardware Acceleration in its settings (User Settings → Appearance → Hardware Acceleration). This offloads rendering to the GPU, reducing CPU load.

Step 4: Adjust Windows Power & Game Mode Settings

Windows often limits performance to save battery, even on desktop PCs. Fix this:

Open Settings → System → Power & battery (or Power & sleep on older builds).
Set Power mode to Best performance.
In the same menu, click Game Mode and ensure it is On. Game Mode prioritizes CPU/GPU resources for games.
In Graphics settings (under Game Mode), add League of Legends and set it to High performance.

If you’re on a laptop, also check your manufacturer’s power management software (e.g., NVIDIA Control Panel or AMD Radeon Software) and set the GPU to Prefer Maximum Performance for League.

Step 5: Check for Overheating and Hardware Limits

If your PC is a few years old, thermal throttling may be the cause. Monitor temperatures with a free tool like MSI Afterburner or HWMonitor. If your CPU/GPU exceeds 90°C under load, try:

Cleaning dust from fans and vents with compressed air.
Ensuring your laptop’s cooling pad is working or elevating it for airflow.
Reducing in-game settings to lower the load.

Also, ensure your PC meets the minimum requirements for League. While the game runs on almost anything, integrated graphics (like Intel HD 4000) may struggle with high settings. If you have a dedicated GPU, make sure the monitor is plugged into the GPU, not the motherboard.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I get FPS drops only in team fights?

Team fights spawn many particle effects and animations, which strains the CPU. Lowering Effects Quality and Shadow Quality helps the most. Also, close background apps that compete for CPU threads.

Does League of Legends FPS drop fix on Windows 11?

Yes, the same steps apply. Windows 11 has additional gaming features like Auto HDR and Dynamic Refresh Rate, which can cause issues on some hardware. Disable Auto HDR for League if you see drops (Settings → System → Display → HDR).

Can a high polling rate mouse cause FPS drops?

Yes, a 1000Hz polling rate can increase CPU usage slightly. In the mouse’s software, lower the polling rate to 500Hz and see if stutters stop. This is rare but happens on low-end CPUs.

Why is my FPS capped at 60 even though I have a 144Hz monitor?

In League’s settings, the frame rate cap might be set to 60. Go to Settings → Video → Frame Rate Cap and set it to Uncapped or 144. Also, ensure your monitor is set to 144Hz in Windows Settings (System → Display → Advanced display).

Should I use DirectX 9 or DirectX 11 in League?

League defaults to DirectX 9 for compatibility, but DirectX 11 can improve performance on newer GPUs. In the launcher, click the gear icon → Game Settings → check Use DirectX 11 (if available). If you experience crashes, revert to DX9.

Is it safe to overclock my GPU to fix FPS drops?

Overclocking can improve FPS but also increases heat and power draw. It’s safe only if you know what you’re doing and monitor temperatures. For most players, fixing settings and drivers is enough. If you still need more performance, consider upgrading hardware.

What If Nothing Works?

If you’ve tried all the above and still get FPS drops, the issue may be your internet connection (network lag can feel like FPS drops) or a corrupted game installation. Try:

Running the Hextech Repair Tool (from Riot’s support site) to repair game files.
Reinstalling League completely.
Testing your connection with a wired Ethernet cable or a different Wi-Fi band.
Checking if the drops happen in other games – if so, it’s a system-wide issue, not League-specific.

FPS drops in League are almost always fixable with the steps above. Start with the simplest (drivers and settings) and work your way up. Most players see a stable frame rate after updating drivers and disabling V-Sync.

Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.

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