COD Black Ops 3 Stuttering, Lags, or Freezing Constantly: How to FIX

COD Black Ops 3 Stuttering, Lags, or Freezing Constantly: Released in 2015, Call of Duty: Black Ops III remains a standout title in the realm of multiplayer zombie action first-person shooters, developed by Treyarch and published by Activision. As a direct sequel to Call of Duty: Black Ops II, which debuted in 2012, it continues to captivate gamers with its engaging gameplay.

However, players on PC may encounter challenges when attempting to run the game, as it demands a robust hardware configuration to function optimally. Many PC gamers do not possess the necessary specifications to achieve full resolution and high frame rates, a common issue among resource-intensive titles. In this guide, we will outline effective strategies to address stuttering and lag issues in Call of Duty: Black Ops III.

Unfortunately, some players on PC have reported experiencing a range of performance problems, including stuttering, lag, crashes, and frame drops during gameplay.

These issues can vary in severity based on system compatibility, making it essential to tackle them for a smoother gaming experience.

By following the steps provided in this guide, players can work towards resolving these performance hiccups and enjoy the game at a more satisfactory frame rate. Various underlying factors may contribute to these issues, and we aim to help you identify and rectify them for better gameplay.

Check System Requirements

Check out the system requirements of the COD Black Ops 3 game below to ensure whether your PC configuration is meeting the game’s system requirements or not.

Minimum Requirements:

  • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
  • OS: Windows 10 64-bit (Version 1909) | For Ray Tracing or VR: Windows 10 64-bit (Version 2004)
  • Processor: Intel Core i3-2130 or AMD FX 4300 |For VR: Intel Core i5-9600k or AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM
  • Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti or AMD RX 470 | For Ray Tracing: GeForce RTX 2060 or Radeon RX 6700 XT | For VR: NVIDIA GTX 1660 Ti or AMD RX 590
  • DirectX: Version 12
  • Network: Broadband Internet connection
  • Storage: 80 GB of available space
  • Sound Card: DirectX Compatible
Recommended Requirements:
  • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
  • OS: Windows 10 64-bit (Version 1909) | For Ray Tracing or VR: Windows 10 64-bit (Version 2004)
  • Processor: Intel Core i5 9600K or AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
  • Memory: 16 GB RAM
  • Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 1660 Ti or AMD RX 590 | For Ray Tracing: GeForce RTX 3070 or Radeon RX 6800 | For VR: NVIDIA RTX 2070 or AMD RX 6700 XT
  • DirectX: Version 12
  • Network: Broadband Internet connection
  • Storage: 80 GB of available space
  • Sound Card: DirectX Compatible

Fix: COD Black Ops 3 Stuttering and Lags Badly

Addressing in-game lag and frame drop issues can be quite challenging due to the various factors involved. These factors include your PC’s hardware specifications, the game’s display resolution, the maximum frame rate settings, potential conflicts with third-party applications, and more. To effectively tackle these issues, we suggest systematically exploring each method until you observe an improvement or resolution.

One effective approach is to adjust the graphics settings within the game. Lowering these settings can often lead to a significant reduction in performance-related problems. Key adjustments may include the game’s screen resolution, texture quality, shadow settings, maximum frame rate, and the number of characters displayed on-screen, as well as other visual effects that demand higher graphical capabilities or memory.

To help minimize lag and frame drops, consider implementing the following steps, which may vary in effectiveness based on your current resolution and graphic quality settings, alongside the frame rate you are aiming for.

1. Use Launch Options

  • To configure your game settings in Steam, follow these steps: Launch your Steam client and navigate to your Library.
  • Find Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, right-click on it, and choose ‘Properties’ from the context menu.
  • In the Properties window, click on the ‘General’ tab where you will see the section for Launch Options.
  • Here, you can input the command ‘-fullscreen‘ to ensure that the game launches directly in fullscreen mode.

2. Update Graphics Drivers

To access the Quick Access Menu, perform a right-click on the Start Menu. From the options presented, select Device Manager.

Next, locate the Display adapters section and double-click it to reveal its contents. Identify your dedicated graphics card, right-click on its name, and select the option to Update driver.

Choose the “Search automatically for drivers” option. If an update is available, your system will automatically download and install the latest driver version.

After the installation is complete, it’s important to restart your computer to apply the changes effectively.

3. Run the game as an administrator

To prevent any privilege-related problems with User Account Control, it’s important to execute the game executable file with administrative rights. Additionally, ensure that the Steam client is also launched as an administrator on your computer. Here’s how you can do this:

  • 1. Locate the shortcut for the COD Black Ops 3 executable on your desktop or in your files.
  • 2. Right-click on the shortcut and choose ‘Properties’ from the context menu.
  • 3. Navigate to the ‘Compatibility’ tab in the properties window.
  • 4. Check the box that says ‘Run this program as an administrator’ to enable it.
  • 5. Finally, click on ‘Apply’ and then ‘OK’ to confirm and save your changes.

By following these steps, you can help avoid any access issues while playing.

4. Set High Priority in Task Manager

To ensure your game runs smoothly, you can adjust its priority within the Task Manager on your Windows system. Here’s how to do it:

  • 1. Right-click the Start Menu and choose Task Manager.
  • 2. Navigate to the Processes tab, then locate the task for COD Black Ops 3.
  • 3. Right-click on the game’s task and select “Set Priority,” then choose “High.”
  • 4. Exit the Task Manager.

Once you’ve made these adjustments, launch COD Black Ops 3 again to see if the performance has improved.

5. Verify Integrity of Game Files

In the event that you encounter problems with your game files, such as corruption or missing data, follow the steps below to effectively diagnose and resolve the issue.

**For Steam Users:

  • 1. Launch the Steam application and navigate to your Library.
  • 2. Locate “Call of Duty: Black Ops 3” in your list of installed games and right-click on it.
  • 3. From the context menu, select “Properties,” then proceed to the “Local Files” tab.
  • 4. Click on the option labeled “Verify Integrity of Game Files.”
  • 5. Allow the verification process to run until it completes.
  • 6. After the process is finished, restart your computer to ensure changes take effect.

**For Battle.net Users:

  • 1. Open the Battle.net client on your device and go to your library, selecting “Call of Duty: Black Ops 3.”
  • 2. Click on the “Options” menu, then choose “Scan and Repair.”
  • 3. Select “Start Scan” to initiate the repair process.
  • 4. Wait for the scan to complete, after which you should be able to play the game without issues. Remember to restart the Battle.net client to implement any updates.

By following these steps, you can quickly identify and rectify any problems with your game files, ensuring a smooth gaming experience.

6. Change GPU Settings

To address the issue, it’s important to adjust the graphics card settings on your PC. Below are the instructions tailored for both Nvidia and AMD graphics cards. Follow these steps to see if the issue has been resolved.

**For Nvidia Users:

  • 1. Right-click on your desktop and select **Nvidia Control Panel**.
  • 2. Navigate to **Manage 3D Settings**.
  • 3. In the **Program Settings** tab, locate **COD Black Ops 3**. If you don’t see it, you can add it manually.
  • 4. Configure the following settings:
  • – **Monitor Technology**: Set to G-Sync (if supported)
  • – **Maximum Pre-rendered Frames**: Change to 2
  • – **Threaded Optimization**: Enable this option
  • – **Power Management Mode**: Select **Prefer Maximum Performance**
  • – **Texture Filtering – Quality**: Adjust to **Performance**

**For AMD Users:

  • 1. Open your AMD settings and look for similar options.
  • 2. Make sure to adjust these settings as follows:
  • – **Monitor Technology**: Set to G-Sync (if available)
  • – **Maximum Pre-rendered Frames**: Set to 2
  • – **Threaded Optimization**: Turn this on
  • – **Power Management**: Opt for **Prefer Maximum Performance**
  • – **Texture Filtering – Quality**: Choose **Performance**

Once you’ve completed these adjustments, test the game again to determine if the problem persists.

7. Disable Fullscreen Optimizations

By default, Windows enables full-screen optimization and DPI settings for applications. To potentially enhance your gaming experience with COD Black Ops 3, you may want to turn off these features by following these steps:

  • 1. Navigate to the directory where COD Black Ops 3 is installed.
  • 2. Locate the file named COD Black Ops 3.exe, then right-click on it.
  • 3. From the context menu, select ‘Properties,’ and then head over to the ‘Compatibility’ tab.
  • 4. In this section, look for the option labeled ‘Disable Full-Screen Optimizations’ and check the box next to it.
  • 5. Next, click on the ‘Change high DPI settings’ button.
  • 6. In the new window that appears, check the box for ‘Override high DPI scaling behavior’ and choose ‘Application’ from the dropdown options.
  • 7. Finally, click ‘Apply’ and then ‘OK’ to confirm and save your changes.

Following these adjustments may help improve your gameplay experience.

8. Update COD Black Ops 3

If you haven’t refreshed your Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 game in a while, it’s a good idea to check for any available updates and install the latest patch. Below are the instructions for both Steam and Battle.net users:

**For Steam Users:

  • 1. Launch the Steam client and navigate to your Library.
  • 2. Locate and select Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 from the list on the left.
  • 3. The client will automatically search for any updates. If an update is available, be sure to click on the “Update” option.
  • 4. Allow some time for the update to install. Once the installation is complete, exit the Steam client.
  • 5. Restart your PC to ensure all changes take effect, and then attempt to launch the game again.

**For Battle.net Users:

  • 1. Open the Battle.net client and go to the “All Games” section.
  • 2. Click on “Installed” and select Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 from the left panel.
  • 3. Click on the Settings icon.
  • 4. Choose the option to check for updates. If an update exists, select “Update” to proceed.
  • 5. After the update has finished, close the Battle.net client.
  • 6. Finally, restart your PC to apply the changes, and try launching the game once more.

By following these steps, you can ensure that your game is up-to-date and ready for action!

9. Delete Battle.Net Cache Data

Corrupted cache data files can lead to a variety of issues. To resolve this, follow these steps:

  • 1. Begin by closing all games and exiting the Battle.net client.
  • 2. Next, press the Windows + R keys simultaneously to bring up the Run dialog.
  • 3. In the dialog box, type %programdata% and hit Enter to access the Program Data folder.
  • 4. Locate and open the Blizzard Entertainment folder, then navigate to the Battle.net directory.
  • 5. Open the Cache folder, select all the files within it, and delete them.
  • 6. After all files have been removed, restart your computer to apply the changes.

That’s all there is to it! We hope you find this guide helpful. If you have any additional questions, feel free to leave a comment below.

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