Genshin Impact Low FPS or FPS Drops on PC and Boost Performance: If Genshin Impact is running with low FPS, frequent frame drops, hitching, or uneven performance on PC, the game can feel much heavier than it should. Even when the connection is fine, poor frame rate can make combat sluggish, movement delayed, and exploration frustrating.
HoYoverse’s own support guidance for Genshin Impact performance issues points to the same core fixes most players end up needing: lower graphics settings, close background apps, keep graphics drivers updated, avoid overheating, verify game files, and make sure the PC meets the recommended hardware level. (HoYoverse Help Center)
The useful part is that low FPS is usually fixable. In many cases, you do not need a reinstall or expensive upgrade right away. The real solution is to remove the common bottlenecks one by one, then test the game again after each change. This guide walks through the best fixes in a practical order so you can boost performance without guessing. (HoYoverse Help Center)
What low FPS and FPS drops mean in Genshin Impact
Low FPS means the game is not rendering enough frames per second to feel smooth. FPS drops are the sudden dips that happen during combat, in busy towns, during effects-heavy scenes, or when the system is under pressure. HoYoverse groups these symptoms with lag and freezing in its troubleshooting guidance, which is why the same performance checklist often helps all of them. (HoYoverse Help Center)
A stable frame rate depends on several things working together: the PC’s CPU, GPU, RAM, storage speed, temperature, driver quality, and the game’s own graphics settings. If any one of those is struggling, the game may still run, but it will not feel smooth. HoYoverse’s recommended PC specification for Genshin Impact is Windows 10/11 64-bit, 16 GB RAM, a GTX 1060 6 GB or better, DirectX 11, and 110 GB of storage or more, with SSD installation recommended for smoother play. (HoYoverse Help Center)
Step 1: Make sure your PC meets the recommended requirements
The first thing to check is whether the PC is actually strong enough for the game at the settings you are using. HoYoverse lists the minimum PC setup as Windows 10 64-bit, a 6th-gen Intel Core i5 or Ryzen equivalent, 8 GB RAM, a GTX 1050 or equivalent, DirectX 11, and 110 GB of storage space or more.
The recommended setup is Windows 10 or 11 64-bit, a 7th-gen Intel Core i7 or Ryzen 5000 series or better, 16 GB RAM, a GTX 1060 6 GB or better, DirectX 11, and 110 GB of storage or more. (HoYoverse Help Center)
If your PC is below the recommended level, the game may still launch, but performance can become unstable in larger areas, during skill effects, or after extended sessions. HoYoverse also notes that if device specifications are too low, the game may show freezing and other technical issues. (HoYoverse Help Center)
If you are on the edge of the minimum spec, the safest approach is to treat the game as a performance-sensitive title: lower the graphics load, reduce background activity, and keep the install on faster storage. That is the most realistic way to improve frame stability without changing hardware. (HoYoverse Help Center)
Step 2: Lower the in-game graphics settings
HoYoverse specifically recommends lowering in-game graphics settings when you are seeing crashing, lagging, or freezing. The support article suggests reducing items such as Graphics Quality, Shadow Quality, and Special Effects through the Paimon Menu > Settings > Graphics. A separate performance article also recommends lowering Shadows, Texture Quality, and Resolution. (HoYoverse Help Center)
Start with the settings that usually have the biggest performance cost. Reduce the overall graphics preset first, then lower shadows and special effects. If the game still stutters, try reducing resolution or render-related settings next. This approach is often better than changing everything at once because it helps you see exactly which setting had the most impact. (HoYoverse Help Center)
If you want a quick test, lower the settings, restart the game, and revisit the same busy area where the frame drops happened before. If the game becomes smoother in that same spot, you have confirmed that the system was being pushed too hard at your previous settings. That is a practical inference from HoYoverse’s recommendation to reduce graphics load when lag and frame drops appear. (HoYoverse Help Center)
Step 3: Close unnecessary background applications
HoYoverse explicitly recommends closing unnecessary applications running in the background to free up system resources. It gives examples such as web browsers and streaming services. This matters because background software can quietly consume CPU time, RAM, disk access, or even GPU resources through overlays and playback. (HoYoverse Help Center)
Before launching the game, close anything you do not need, especially browsers with many tabs, video apps, downloads, cloud sync tools, screen recorders, and chat overlays. If the game is already open, close those apps, then restart Genshin Impact so the system starts cleanly. HoYoverse’s support guidance suggests that a clean restart after removing background load is part of the normal performance troubleshooting process. (HoYoverse Help Center)
This is one of the highest-value fixes because it costs almost nothing and often gives an immediate improvement, especially on laptops or mid-range PCs. (HoYoverse Help Center)
Step 4: Fully close the game and wait before restarting
HoYoverse recommends completely closing the game and waiting five minutes before restarting it when troubleshooting performance issues. That advice may sound simple, but it helps clear temporary state issues that can build up during a session. (HoYoverse Help Center)
Do not just alt-tab away or minimize the game. Exit it fully, confirm it is no longer running, wait a few minutes, and then relaunch. If the game had been running for a long time, this can help after memory pressure, temporary overheating, or a short-lived driver hiccup. HoYoverse’s support wording treats this as a standard step for crash, lag, and freezing troubleshooting, which makes it a good early fix. (HoYoverse Help Center)
Step 5: Update your graphics drivers
HoYoverse specifically tells PC players to keep graphics card drivers up to date, and if they are already current, to try a clean reinstallation of the drivers. It also instructs users to download the latest driver from the official NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel website rather than relying on guesswork. (HoYoverse Help Center)
Driver updates matter because they often include game-specific performance improvements and bug fixes. If Genshin Impact started stuttering after a driver update, that can also be a clue that the current driver package is part of the problem, in which case a clean reinstall can help. That interpretation is consistent with HoYoverse’s recommendation to update or reinstall GPU drivers when frame drops persist. (HoYoverse Help Center)
After updating, restart the PC and test the game again before changing other settings. That makes it easier to tell whether the driver was the real cause. (HoYoverse Help Center)
Step 6: Check for overheating and poor ventilation
HoYoverse’s performance guide specifically mentions preventing overheating by ensuring the device has proper ventilation and clean fans, and it suggests monitoring component temperatures during gameplay. Overheating can cause the hardware to slow down to protect itself, which often shows up as sudden frame drops or stutter after a while. (HoYoverse Help Center)
If the game starts smoothly and then gets worse after 15 to 30 minutes, heat is worth checking. Make sure the laptop or desktop has enough airflow, clean out dust if needed, and avoid blocking vents. A laptop sitting on a soft surface can trap heat and reduce performance, so a hard, flat surface is usually better. That is a practical extension of HoYoverse’s ventilation guidance. (HoYoverse Help Center)
If you have monitoring software available, checking CPU and GPU temperatures during a demanding scene can help confirm whether thermal throttling is part of the issue. HoYoverse explicitly recommends using monitoring software to check component temperatures during gameplay. (HoYoverse Help Center)
Step 7: Verify the integrity of the game files
If the game was interrupted during an update or started acting strangely after a patch, corrupted files may be involved. HoYoverse recommends verifying the integrity of the game files as part of its crash, lag, and freezing troubleshooting. On PC, this can be done from the launcher or through the in-game resources check path listed in support. (HoYoverse Help Center)
A file check is especially useful if:
- the game began stuttering after a patch,
- textures or effects load strangely,
- the launcher reported a problem,
- or the game freezes in the same spot every time. (HoYoverse Help Center)
If the verification tool finds damaged files, let it repair them before testing the game again. This is one of the safest ways to fix stability issues because it targets the installation without wiping everything out. (HoYoverse Help Center)
Step 8: Use an SSD if possible
HoYoverse recommends installing Genshin Impact on a solid-state drive for a smoother gaming experience. Its PC requirements also require 110 GB of available storage space or more, and they note that storage requirements can increase with future updates. (HoYoverse Help Center)
If the game is on a mechanical hard drive, the system may struggle more during loading, scene changes, and asset streaming. Moving the game to an SSD is one of the most meaningful upgrades for open-world performance because it reduces storage latency and helps the game access files faster. That is consistent with HoYoverse’s SSD recommendation for smoother play. (HoYoverse Help Center)
If you already use an SSD, still make sure there is enough free space left. HoYoverse’s required storage amount is not tiny, and a nearly full drive can make updates and game data handling more difficult. (HoYoverse Help Center)
Step 9: Keep enough free storage space
Genshin Impact’s official PC storage requirement is 110 GB of available space or more. HoYoverse also warns that storage requirements may increase with future updates. If the drive is nearly full, performance and update stability can suffer. (HoYoverse Help Center)
As a practical rule, leave extra headroom beyond the minimum. That gives Windows room to work, gives the launcher space to patch updates, and reduces the chance of odd slowdowns caused by a cramped system drive. This follows directly from HoYoverse’s storage guidance and update warnings. (HoYoverse Help Center)
Step 10: Repair the launcher if update or startup problems are involved
Sometimes what looks like FPS trouble is actually a launch or patch problem that makes the game behave badly. HoYoverse recommends the Repair Now function in HoYoPlay when download or update issues occur, and it also recommends restarting the device and, if needed, reinstalling the game from the official source. The launcher troubleshooting article likewise recommends restarting the computer, closing memory-heavy background apps, checking for updates directly in the launcher, using Repair Now, and reinstalling the launcher if needed. (HoYoverse Help Center)
If the low FPS problem began right after an update, the launcher repair path is worth trying before a full reinstall. A launcher issue can leave the game in an unstable state even if it still opens normally. Repairing the launcher or reinstalling it from official sources can clear that up. (HoYoverse Help Center)
Step 11: Restart the PC after major changes
HoYoverse includes restarting the device as a formal troubleshooting step in both update/download support and launcher troubleshooting. That is useful after driver changes, repair actions, or any major setting adjustment because Windows and the graphics stack often need a clean restart to fully apply changes. (HoYoverse Help Center)
This is especially important if you updated GPU drivers, changed graphics settings, repaired files, or disabled background software. Without a restart, some changes may not take full effect. (HoYoverse Help Center)
Step 12: Collect the right information if you need support
If the problem continues after the main fixes, HoYoverse asks players to provide specific details when contacting support. For performance issues, it recommends your device specifications, a screenshot of in-game graphics settings, and for PC users, a DxDiag report. For crash/lag/freezing reports, it also asks for your Game UID, a screenshot or video of the issue, your OS and device model, ISP, and a detailed description. For launcher issues, it additionally asks for antivirus details and log files. (HoYoverse Help Center)
That information matters because it helps support identify whether the issue is caused by hardware limits, graphics settings, a driver conflict, a launcher problem, or something else. If you reach this stage, you are no longer guessing; you are handing support the evidence they need. (HoYoverse Help Center)
Best order to try the fixes
If you want the fastest path to better performance, this is the order I would use based on HoYoverse’s guidance: lower graphics settings, close background apps, restart the game, update or clean reinstall your GPU drivers, check for overheating, verify game files, make sure the game is on an SSD with enough free space, then repair the launcher or reinstall it if update-related issues are involved. (HoYoverse Help Center)
That order works well because it starts with the fastest and most likely fixes, then moves toward the deeper system and installation issues only if needed. (HoYoverse Help Center)
FAQs
1. Why is Genshin Impact low FPS on my PC even though it used to run fine?
A sudden FPS drop often points to a graphics driver issue, too many background apps, overheating, or a game file problem after an update. HoYoverse recommends lowering graphics settings, closing background applications, updating graphics drivers, and verifying game files when performance becomes unstable. (HoYoverse Help Center)
2. Does Genshin Impact run better on SSD?
Yes. HoYoverse explicitly recommends installing the game on a solid-state drive for a smoother gaming experience. An SSD helps reduce loading delays and can make the game feel more responsive overall. (HoYoverse Help Center)
3. Do I need to reinstall the whole game to fix FPS drops?
Usually no. Most performance problems can be improved by lowering graphics settings, closing background apps, updating GPU drivers, checking overheating, and verifying game files. Reinstalling should be reserved for cases where repair tools and basic troubleshooting do not solve the issue. HoYoverse recommends repair tools before a reinstall in its update and launcher troubleshooting guidance. (HoYoverse Help Center)
Final thoughts
Low FPS and FPS drops in Genshin Impact on PC are usually fixable with a careful, step-by-step approach. HoYoverse’s own guidance points to the main causes: graphics settings that are too high, background apps taking system resources, outdated GPU drivers, overheating, insufficient storage, and corrupted files or launcher issues. The most effective strategy is to tackle those in order and test after each change. (HoYoverse Help Center)
If your PC is close to the minimum spec, the game may still run, but you will likely need lower settings and more careful system management to keep it smooth. If you are already near the recommended spec, the fixes above are usually enough to recover much of the lost performance. And if the problem remains, HoYoverse’s support team asks for the exact device specs, graphics settings, DxDiag, and log information so they can investigate properly. (HoYoverse Help Center)