Microsoft first launched the Windows 10 Game Mode in the Creators Updated of 2017. It was introduced to provide an enhanced gaming experience to the users. However, now, it is doing the opposite.
Many Windows 10 gamers have recently reported that they are facing problems while playing certain games with Game Mode enabled. Surprisingly, the problem vanishes when they switch Off the Game Mode.
To fix various Windows 10 problems, we recommend Outbyte PC Repair:
This software will repair common computer errors, protect you from file loss, malware damage, hardware failure, and optimise your computer for peak performance. In three simple steps, you can resolve PC issues and remove virus damage:
- Download Outbyte PC Repair Software
- Click Start Scan to detect Windows 10 issues that may be causing PC issues.
- Click Repair All to fix issues with your computer's security and performance.
This month, Outbyte has been downloaded by 26,078 readers.
In this post, we would discuss the advantages and problems of enabling the Game Mode and whether Windows 10 Game Mode should be On or Off.
Advantages of Windows 10 Game Mode
As mentioned in the introduction, Microsoft launched the Windows 10 Game Mode to intensify the gaming experience on the Windows 10 devices. Especially for the devices with the low-end configuration, Game Mode was supposed to be a big boon.
But Game Mode is not just limited to maximize the Gaming apps performance. There is a simple trick to use the Game Mode to improve the performance of other Windows 10 applications too.
The trick is to make Windows treat your other productivity applications like they are games.
First, let us know how Game Mode works. When enabled, the Windows 10 Game Mode will shutdown the non-essential background services, slow down the essential services, turn-off the notifications, and reallocate the resources to the game app to maximize its performance. Resource hungry apps and processes like File Indexing, Windows update, malware scans are paused to prioritize running the game.
Now, to make Game Mode treat your essential applications like a game and enhance their performance, you can follow these steps.
On the Windows search box, type Turn on Game Mode and click on its icon.
Toggle the button to switch ON the Windows 10 Game Mode and close the settings.
Now, open the application whose performance you want to increase. For example, I am using a sample Word Document.
After opening the application, press Windows+G to launch the Game Bar
Click on the Settings icon and then select the box next to Remember this is a game.
Close the Game Bar.
That’s it. Now, whenever you launch the Word App, it will be considered as a game, and accordingly, the CPU will allocate resources.
Problems with Windows 10 Game Mode
Though it is designed to make games perform faster, the Windows 10 Game Mode is doing the opposite and often causing several issues.
Recently, many Windows 10 PC gamers reported Reddit that playing games while Game Mode enabled leads to stutters, lower FPS, and frozen screens. Both NVIDIA ad AMD graphics cards are also affected by it. The website Guru3D specifically stated about the performance issues in the Radeon RX 5700 XT, RX 570, RX 480, R9 290, Geforce GTX 980, and the Geforce GTX 1080 Ti.
The website also stated that the Windows 10 Game mode issues usually occur with different games such as Call of Duty: Warzone or League of Legends.
Surprisingly, after turning off the Game Mode, the problem didn’t persist, and the game was running as usual.
Why is Game Mode causing the problem?
It is shocking that the feature that was specifically built to make the gaming experience better is delivering the exact opposite. The reason for this is still unclear, but there are some assumptions.
There is a possibility that while deallocating the resources from the background apps or processes, Game Mode might be unintentionally stopping any process that is essential for running the game itself.
It is also possible that the recent Windows 10 update might have introduced a bug in the system or the Game Mode, causing the current trouble.
Such issues generally occur when there is a conflict between how games are being coded vs how Microsoft assumes them to be coded.
How to Enable or Disable the Windows 10 Game Mode?
If you are also facing problems with the Game Mode, you can disable it easily from the Windows settings. Note that it is by default enabled on the latest Windows 10 version, so even if you have never allowed it before, it might be automatically ON.
To disable/enable the Windows 10 Game Mode, type the Game Mode settings on the Windows search bar and click on its icon.
Now toggle the button to switch the Game Mode ON or OFF.
Theoretically, the Game Mode is designed to enhance the performance by killing the non-required services, processes, and running apps. However, recently it has started to create a problem.
Users reported that Gaming Mode has slight to no difference in high-end gaming laptops and desktops, but it has a good impact on low-end systems.
Peter is an Electrical Engineer whose primary interest is tinkering with his computer. He is passionate about Windows 10 Platform and enjoys writing tips and tutorials about it.
