Fallout 4 is a game for which many players have reported that excessive stuttering spoils the gameplay. This is what one Fallout 4 player said about stuttering, “Fallout (4) stutters every 5-10 seconds, and lags out my laptop… Anyway, since yesterday, my game started stuttering, making it unbearable to play.” All games can stutter, but it seems Fallout 4 stutters more than most. Here are some ways you can fix Fallout 4 stuttering on a Windows PC.
Looking for more Fallout 4 guides from KeenGamer?
- 6 Ways to Fix the Fallout 4 Black Screen Bug on Windows PCs
- 6 Ways to Fix Regular In-Game Fallout 4 Crashing on Windows PCs
- 7 Ways You Can Fix Fallout 4 Not Launching on a Windows PC
Lower Graphical Detail Settings for Fallout 4
Some players confirm that lowering settings for graphical details has fixed Fallout 4 stuttering for them. Sure, the game won’t look as graphically impressive, but it will probably play better with graphics settings lowered. Try setting graphical options like this:
- Launch Fallout 4 from Steam.
- Click Options on the Fallout 4 menu that appears.
- Press the Advanced button.
- Select Medium for Shadow Quality.
- Click Medium for the Shadow Distance option.
The Fallout 4 Advanced Options
- Unselect the Motion Blur option.
- Click OK in the Fallout 4 Advanced Options window.
- Select OK in the Fallout 4 Options window.
Disable Hyperthreading
Disabling Hyperthreading is a way to fix Fallout 4 stuttering, some players say has worked for them. However, you can only disable that setting from the BIOS outside Windows. These manufacturer pages provide details on how to access the BIOS for different PC brands:
When you’ve entered the BIOS on your PC, look for the Hyperthreading setting there. This setting could be on an Advanced, Processor, Performance, or CPU tab or menu. Set the Hyperthreading setting to Disabled and select to apply that setting.
Install the X-Cell Mod
X-Cell is an optimization mod that players confirm to be a good remedy for Fallout 4 stuttering (micro-stuttering especially). You can download that mod by clicking Manual download on this X-Cell mod page. This Fallout 4 mod installation page provides instructions for manually installing mods.
The X-Cell mod
Alternatively, you can utilize the Nexus Mod Manager to automatically install mods. When you’ve installed Vortex Mod Manager, click the Mod Manager Download option on the X-Cell page. Then, click Slow Download and Open Vortex to install the mod.
Configure the Fallout4Prefs.ini File Settings
Changing game screen mode and resolution settings in the Fallout4Prefs.ini file is another way to fix Fallout 4 stuttering that has worked for some players. Applying this potential fix enables borderless fullscreen and maximized window mode settings for the game, and sets an HD resolution. Try configuring the Fallout4Prefs.ini file like this:
- Open File Explorer to navigate to the C:Users\YourWindowsName\Documents\My Games\Fallout4 folder path.
- Next, click the Fallout4Prefs.ini file with your right mouse button to select Open with and Notepad.
The Fallout4Prefs.ini file
- Then, set the following settings as follows:
bBorderless=1
bMaximizeWindow=1
bFull Screen=0
iSize H=1080
iSize W=1920 - Press Ctrl + S to save the settings applied.
Lower Resolution on 4K Monitors
Do you have a 4K monitor? If so, lowering your resolution to HD (1080p) might also reduce Fallout 4 stuttering. The game’s frame rate will likely be higher when played at a more standard high-definition resolution. You lower the resolution like this:
- First, activate the tool for file searching by right-clicking Start and selecting Search.
- Enter a resolution keyword inside the search tool.
- Click Change the resolution of the display to access those settings.
- Select 1,920 x 1,080 on the Display resolution drop-down menu.
The Display resolution setting
- Next, start Fallout 4 from Steam.
- Click Options within the launch menu.
- Select 1,920 x 1,080 for the Resolutions setting.
- Click OK to save.
Disable V-Sync
V-Sync is a graphical feature that can increase game stuttering when enabled because it restricts frame rates to minimize screen tearing. So, disabling that feature might also remedy Fallout 4 stuttering for some players. To do so, open the Fallout4Prefs.ini file by going through steps one and two of resolution four above. Then, change the iPresentInterval setting to iPresentInterval=0 and save your file.
Other Possible Ways to Fix Fallout 4 Stuttering
Try applying the troubleshooting methods for fixing Fallout 4 stuttering. If the game still stutters too much, these are some additional fixes that might be worth trying:
- Install the newest driver for your GPU with any method in this guide for updating graphical drivers.
- Remove the UFO4P mod for Fallout 4 if you’ve installed it.
- Free up system resources for Fallout 4 by disabling background apps and programs with Task Manager before playing the game.
- If your HDD or SSD drive is almost full, try removing unneeded programs to free up storage space.
Although there isn’t any sure way to fix Fallout 4 stuttering, the troubleshooting methods above are more widely confirmed to work. So, applying some of those possible fixes might make your Fallout 4 game smoother and more playable. Players who’ve discovered other good ways to fix the F4 game stuttering are most welcome to share them below.
