Destiny 2 Stuttering, Lags and Freezing Constantly: How to FIX

Destiny 2 Stuttering, Lags and Freezing Constantly: “Destiny 2: Lightfall represents the latest significant expansion for the acclaimed first-person shooter created by Bungie.

Launched on February 28, 2023, this seventh expansion celebrates the game’s sixth anniversary with fresh content. The narrative focuses on Calus, the former Cabal emperor, who plays a recurring role in the Destiny 2 universe.

To enjoy Destiny 2 at its best, players need a robust hardware setup, particularly on PC, as not all systems can support high resolutions and frame rates. This demand for performance is typical for many PC games. In this article, we will outline strategies to address issues such as stuttering and lag in Destiny 2.

Unfortunately, numerous PC gamers have reported experiencing problems like stuttering, lagging, crashes, and frame drops during gameplay.

These issues can vary in severity based on system compatibility, and resolving them is crucial for maintaining a satisfactory gaming experience with decent frame rates. Several factors may contribute to these performance problems, and this guide aims to help players troubleshoot and resolve them effectively.”

Check System Requirements

To determine if your PC is compatible with Destiny 2, please review the system requirements listed below.

Minimum System Requirements:

Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows 7 / Windows 8.1 / Windows 10 64-bit (latest Service Pack)
Processor: Intel Core i3 3250 3.5 GHz or Intel Pentium G4560 3.5 GHz / AMD FX-4350 4.2 GHz
Memory: 6 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 2GB or GTX 1050 2GB / AMD Radeon HD 7850 2GB
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 105 GB of available space

Recommended System Requirements:

Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: System Windows 7 / Windows 8.1 / Windows 10 64-bit (latest Service Pack)
Processor: Processor Intel Core i5 2400 3.4 GHz or i5 7400 3.5 GHz / AMD Ryzen R5 1600X 3.6 GHz
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 4GB or GTX 1060 6GB / AMD R9 390 8GB Memory 8 GB RAM
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 105 GB of available space

Fix: Destiny 2 Stuttering, Lags, and Freezing Badly

Addressing in-game lag or frame drop issues can be quite challenging due to various influencing factors, including your PC’s hardware specifications, the resolution settings of the game, the maximum frame rate cap, and potential conflicts with third-party applications.

To effectively tackle these issues, we suggest systematically trying out the following methods until you notice an improvement or resolution.

One effective approach is to adjust the graphics settings within the game. Lowering certain visual parameters can often lead to immediate enhancements in performance.

Key settings to consider include the game’s screen resolution, texture quality, shadow detail, maximum frame rate, the number of characters displayed on-screen, and other graphical effects that may demand more resources.

By following the steps outlined below, you can work to minimize lag and frame drops based on your chosen resolution and quality settings, in addition to the frame rate limitations.

1. Update Graphics Drivers

To access the Quick Access Menu, perform a right-click on the Start Menu. From the displayed options, select Device Manager.
Next, locate the Display adapters section and double-click it to reveal the list of available devices. Identify your dedicated graphics card, right-click on its name, and choose the option to update the driver.
Select “Search automatically for drivers” to allow the system to search for and install any available updates.
After the installation is complete, it’s advisable to restart your computer to apply the changes effectively.

2. Run the game as an administrator

To prevent any user account control problems related to permissions, it’s important to launch the game executable as an administrator. Additionally, the Epic Games client should also be run with administrative privileges on your computer. Here’s how to do that:

1. Locate the Destiny 2 executable shortcut on your desktop or in your folder.
2. Right-click on the shortcut and choose ‘Properties’ from the context menu.
3. Navigate to the ‘Compatibility’ tab within the Properties window.
4. Check the box labeled ‘Run this program as an administrator’ to enable it.
5. Finally, click ‘Apply’ and then ‘OK’ to confirm your changes.

This will help ensure a smoother gaming experience.

3. Set High Priority in Task Manager

To ensure that your game runs smoothly, you can adjust its priority in the Task Manager. Here’s how you can do this:

1. Right-click on the Start Menu and choose Task Manager from the list.
2. Navigate to the Processes tab and locate the Destiny 2 task.
3. Right-click on the Destiny 2 entry and select “Set Priority” followed by “High.”
4. Once you’ve made this adjustment, close the Task Manager.

Now, launch Destiny 2 to see if the performance issue has been resolved.

4. Verify Integrity of Game Files

If you encounter problems with your game files, such as corruption or missing data, it’s essential to follow the steps below to easily diagnose and resolve the issue.

**For Steam Users:

1. Launch the Steam Library by signing into your account.
2. Locate Destiny 2 and right-click on it.
3. Select ‘Properties’ from the context menu.
4. Navigate to the ‘Local Files’ tab.
5. Click on ‘Verify Integrity of Game Files.’
6. Allow the verification process to complete, then restart the game to see if the Destiny 2 freezing problem is resolved.

**For Ubisoft Connect Users:

1. Open the Ubisoft Connect application on your PC or laptop.
2. Log into your account and click on the ‘Games’ section.
3. Find the Destiny 2 game tile and hover over it, then click on the arrow icon to access the drop-down menu.
4. Select ‘Verify files,’ and if prompted, choose the ‘Repair’ option.
5. Wait for the verification and repair process to finish. Ubisoft Connect will automatically restore any missing or corrupted files.
6. After the process is complete, it’s recommended to close all running applications and restart your computer to ensure the changes take effect.

5. Change GPU Settings

To troubleshoot the issue, it’s important to adjust the graphics card settings on your PC. Follow the instructions below based on your graphics card type:

**For Nvidia Users:**

1. Access the Nvidia Control Panel by right-clicking on your desktop.
2. Select “Nvidia Control Panel” from the context menu.
3. Navigate to “Manage 3D Settings.”
4. In the “Program Settings” tab, locate ‘Destiny 2’ and add it manually if it’s not listed.
5. Adjust the following settings:
– **Monitor Technology:** G-Sync (if supported)
– **Maximum Pre-rendered Frames:** Set to 2
– **Threaded Optimization:** Turned On
– **Power Management Mode:** Set to Prefer Maximum Performance
– **Texture Filtering – Quality:** Optimize for Performance

**For AMD Users:

Make the following adjustments:

– **Monitor Technology:** G-Sync (if supported)
– **Maximum Pre-rendered Frames:** Set to 2
– **Threaded Optimization:** Ensure it is On
– **Power Management:** Choose Prefer Maximum Performance
– **Texture Filtering – Quality:** Set to Performance

By implementing these changes, check if the issue has been resolved.

6. Disable Fullscreen Optimizations

Windows typically uses full-screen optimization and DPI settings by default. To enhance your gaming experience in Destiny 2, you may want to disable these settings by following these instructions:

1. Navigate to the directory where Destiny 2 is installed.
2. Locate the file named Destiny 2.exe, then right-click on it.
3. Choose ‘Properties’ from the context menu, and then switch to the ‘Compatibility’ tab.
4. Look for the option that says ‘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, check the box for ‘Override high DPI scaling behavior,’ and from the drop-down menu, select ‘Application.’
7. Finally, click ‘Apply’ and then ‘OK’ to confirm your changes.

By completing these steps, you can potentially improve your gameplay experience.

7. Update Destiny 2

If you haven’t updated your Destiny 2 game in a while, it’s important to ensure you have the latest patch installed. Here’s how you can check for updates and install them, depending on your game launcher: