LoL low FPS, FPS drops in teamfights or lag: how to fix it
LoL runs on modest PCs, but FPS tends to drop right in teamfights, when everything happens at once. And in LoL, "lag" can mean FPS, your connection or the client. Start by telling the three apart.
Rise TeamGuide written by the Rise team. The steps work with or without Rise; the facts about the game come from the sources at the end of the page, with the date we checked them.
Short answer
According to Riot, low FPS or drops in teamfights are almost always the PC not keeping up with what the game asks for at that moment. Start with the video menu: lower character, environment and effects quality and turn off shadows and anti-aliasing. If the client is what’s slow, turn on Low Spec Mode and check the option to close the client during games.
First, find out what is holding you back
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| FPS drops in teamfights and busy moments | The PC can’t keep up with what the game asks for at that moment[2] | Lower characters, environment and effects and turn off shadows (Video section)[3] |
| Client slow or freezing in champ select | Client animations and effects weighing on the PC[4] | Turn on Low Spec Mode and use the default window size (Client section)[4] |
| Good FPS, but champions teleporting | Unstable connection, not the PC | Check your ping with Ctrl+F and use a wired connection if you can[4] |
| Play button grayed out | Graphics card without DirectX 11 feature level 11_0, required since patch 25.21[1] | Check your card in the DirectX Diagnostic Tool; without support, the only fix is a new card[1] |
| Game won’t open on Windows 11 | TPM 2.0 turned off[1] | Turn on TPM 2.0 in your PC’s BIOS[1] |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
How to see your FPS in LoL
In a game, Ctrl+F shows FPS and ping in the corner of the screen. If the shortcut doesn’t work, it may have been changed: check under Hotkeys. To test, Riot suggests a solo custom game before jumping into a match with other people. Always compare at the same spot on the map.
The video settings Riot recommends
In a game, press Esc and open Video. According to Riot’s graphics guide, these are the settings that affect FPS the most:
- Lower Character Quality, Environment Quality and Effects Quality.
- Turn off Shadows and Anti-Aliasing.
- Test with Wait for Vertical Sync turned off. You may see screen tearing; if it bothers you, turn it back on.
- Adjust the Frame Rate Cap.
- Under Esc › Interface, turn off HUD animations and other optional visual indicators.
- If FPS improves, raise one setting at a time until you find the balance between image and performance.
If the game still doesn’t run right, Riot offers MinConfig: two files (game.cfg and PersistedSettings.json) that set everything to the minimum, to drop into LoL’s Config folder. They replace your settings, so write yours down first.
Slow client: Low Spec Mode
The client (queue, champ select and store) has its own cost, separate from the game. Riot recommends:
- In the client’s gear menu, on the first page, check Low Spec Mode. It turns off the client’s animations and effects.
- On the same page, check the option to close the client during games. Riot recommends this if you get FPS drops in game.
- Use the default window size, 1280x720: the Restore Defaults button is at the top of the settings page.
- Close the programs you’re not using and use a wired internet connection if you can.
- On a laptop with two graphics cards, make LoL use the dedicated one.
What your PC needs (and DirectX 11)
Since patch 25.21, LoL requires a graphics card with DirectX 11 at feature level 11_0. Without it, the Play button is grayed out and a warning asks for new hardware. On Windows 11, TPM 2.0 has to be on.
| Item | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Core i3-530 or FX-4100, with SSE 4.2[1] | Core i5-8250 or Ryzen 3 1200[1] |
| Graphics card | GeForce 400 series, Radeon HD 6570 or Intel HD 4600, with 1 GB[1] | GeForce 560, Radeon HD 6950 or Intel UHD 630, with 2 GB[1] |
| Memory and storage | 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of available space on an HDD[1] | 4 GB of RAM and 16 GB of available space on an SSD[1] |
| Windows | Windows 10 (build 19041 or newer) or 11, retail version[1] | Windows 11[1] |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Riot warns that if you only meet the minimum, you may still have performance issues. Enterprise and Server editions of Windows aren’t supported.
What Rise does in League of Legends
Everything here shows what changes before you apply it.
- LoL video presetOnly rewrites the settings game.cfg already has (shadows, characters, environment, effects, character inking, FXAA, grass, HUD animations and V-Sync), with menu values and your PC’s tier. The Max FPS goal sets everything to the minimum, in fullscreen. The FPS cap stays in the menu, because its scale in the file isn’t documented. At login, Riot’s server may rewrite some settings it stores, like HUD animations.Games › League of Legends · Rise Premium
- Network priorityMarks LoL’s packets as urgent traffic through a Windows QoS policy. It only helps when your router honors that marking; otherwise, it changes nothing.Optimizations · Rise Basic and Premium
- Windows, graphics card and networkWhat matters in any game: power plan, background programs and your PC’s Windows, graphics card and network settings. Each optimization shows what changes before you apply it.Optimizations · Rise Basic and Premium
- Before-and-after BenchmarkRuns the same 3D scene before and after your tweaks and compares average FPS, 1% low and stutters on your PC.Benchmark · Rise Basic and Premium
What Rise does not do in League of Legends
- Doesn’t touch Vanguard and doesn’t inject anything into LoL.
- Doesn’t write PersistedSettings.json, the copy of your settings that Riot syncs with the server.
- Doesn’t turn off TPM or Secure Boot.
- Doesn’t improve your internet’s route to the server.
- Doesn’t promise an FPS number: measure before and after on your PC.
Frequently asked questions
How do I increase FPS in LoL?
Measure with Ctrl+F. Then, under Esc › Video, lower character, environment and effects quality, turn off shadows and anti-aliasing and test without vertical sync. Under Esc › Interface, turn off HUD animations. Update your graphics driver and close what’s running alongside the game.
Why does my FPS drop in teamfights in LoL?
In teamfights, the game draws more champions, effects and abilities at once. According to Riot, drops at those moments are the PC not keeping up with what the game asks for. Lowering effects, shadows and characters gives the most relief.
How do I show FPS and ping in LoL?
In a game, press Ctrl+F. If nothing shows up, the shortcut may have been changed: check under Hotkeys, in the settings menu.
What is Low Spec Mode in the LoL client?
It’s an option on the first page of the client settings that turns off the client’s animations and effects. According to Riot, it improves the client, not the game. For FPS drops in a match, Riot recommends checking the option to close the client during games.
Why is the LoL Play button grayed out?
Since patch 25.21, LoL requires a graphics card with DirectX 11 at feature level 11_0. Without it, the Play button is grayed out. The DirectX Diagnostic Tool shows what your card supports.
Can LoL run on a low-end PC?
Yes: Riot asks for at least a Core i3-530 or FX-4100, 2 GB of RAM and a card like the GeForce 400 series or Intel HD 4600, with DirectX 11. At the minimum, set the video settings to the lowest value; Riot warns you may still have performance issues.
Can a PC optimizer get you banned in LoL?
LoL uses Vanguard, Riot’s anticheat, which runs with a driver in the Windows kernel. The risk is in messing with the game or with Vanguard. Rise doesn’t inject anything and doesn’t touch Vanguard: the preset writes the settings file the game itself uses. Still, be wary of anyone who promises you can’t get banned.
Sources
- Riot: LoL minimum and recommended requirements (checked on Nov 3, 2026)
- Riot: low FPS in LoL (checked on Nov 3, 2026)
- Riot: graphics settings for better FPS (checked on Nov 3, 2026)
- Riot: slow client or low FPS (checked on Nov 3, 2026)
- Riot: what is Vanguard (checked on Nov 3, 2026)
Spotted something out of date? Let us know on the Rise Discord and we will fix it. Report on Discord
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