The Nvidia App keeps getting better and better, to the point where it now has a ton of configuration options. But what configuration is best? What settings are worth changing to get the best experience on PC? We've been testing GeForce graphics cards for a long time, and we've spent plenty of time exploring what the app has to offer, so we think there are several settings you should be using on a daily basis.
This guide isn't necessarily aimed at hardcore PC gaming enthusiasts who already know the Nvidia App inside and out. But if you want to learn more about the app's features, see the configuration we recommend, or simply aren't very familiar with the software, hopefully you'll pick up a few useful tips from this article.
These days, the Nvidia App installs by default alongside GeForce Game Ready drivers. Once installed, it's accessed through the Windows system tray. On first launch, you'll see some initial setup options. For gamers, we recommend the Game Ready driver branch.
After that, you'll be greeted with a toggle to optimize games. This applies Nvidia's recommended graphics settings to games in your library, so if you prefer tweaking in-game settings yourself, we'd recommend disabling this option.
Nvidia's optimizations can also be inconsistent at times, often recommending aggressive levels of frame generation and upscaling that aren't always necessary, so in general this isn't a feature we recommend unless you want the most basic experience possible.
We do recommend enabling the Nvidia Overlay because it's genuinely useful, and we'll go over some great options within it later. Signing in is optional, after which you can head straight into the app.
Optimal Display Settings
First things first, we think it's a great idea to configure your display for the best possible gaming experience. The Nvidia App includes several settings that aren't available in Windows but are important to enable while gaming. That said, it's also worth remembering that when connecting a monitor for the first time, your PC often won't default to the highest refresh rate your monitor supports.
To get the refresh rate you actually paid for, go into the Windows settings menu, head to System > Display > Advanced Display, then make sure the refresh rate is set to the highest supported value. Avoid refresh rates with an asterisk next to them, as those will switch the monitor to a non-native resolution.
Experienced PC gamers will think this recommendation is obvious, but when we previously published a guide on setting up a gaming monitor, this was one of the tips that generated the most positive feedback. You'd be shocked how many people later commented that they had no idea would not default to the highest refresh rate.
We genuinely think this explains many of the comments from people claiming they can't tell the difference between 60Hz and 144Hz. They bought a 144Hz monitor but never actually enabled 144Hz because it isn't the default behavior.
You'd be shocked how many people buy a 144Hz monitor and unknowingly leave it running at 60Hz, never realizing Windows does not default to the highest refresh rate.
There is also a way to change the refresh rate in the Nvidia App, but it's unnecessarily convoluted because Nvidia separates resolutions and refresh rates into "PC" resolutions and "Ultra HD, HD, SD" resolutions. Windows 11 does a much better job of consolidating everything into a clearer view of your monitor's maximum capabilities, which is why we recommend adjusting the refresh rate through the Windows settings menu instead.
However, there are still important display settings inside the Nvidia App. These are found under System > Displays.
The first thing we recommend adjusting is enabling G-Sync variable refresh rates, regardless of whether you own a G-Sync monitor. This can be done by turning G-Sync on under the G-Sync and Surround tab, then scrolling down to Display Properties and making sure "Allow G-Sync Settings for the selected Variable Refresh Rate display" is also enabled.
Both settings will be turned on by default if you have a G-Sync or G-Sync Compatible monitor, but enabling them manually can also allow G-Sync variable refresh to work on other monitors.
You probably noticed that the initial G-Sync settings menu offers the choice between enabling G-Sync for full screen only or for both full screen and windowed applications. In 2026, we recommend sticking with the "full screen" option because it allows G-Sync to work with the vast majority of modern games, regardless of whether they're running in borderless windowed, fullscreen, or exclusive fullscreen mode.
The "full screen and windowed" option is more of a legacy feature that can extend variable refresh support to older games that don't work properly with the default full screen option. However, enabling it can also trigger variable refresh behavior in desktop applications, which isn't ideal because it may cause the display refresh rate to drop unexpectedly. For most people, the "full screen" option is the better choice.
The Nvidia App also includes several Display Color settings. We recommend leaving all Color Channel settings at their default values because that provides the best color accuracy. We also suggest leaving the "override to reference mode" setting disabled. With this configuration, the Color Accuracy Mode should display "Accurate," which is the best way to use your monitor because it allows color profiles to function properly for optimal accuracy.
The Color settings near the top may still be worth adjusting, though. By default, Nvidia typically uses 8-bit output even if your monitor supports 10-bit. You can change this by switching the mode from Default to Nvidia, then setting Output Color Depth to 10-bit.
Only do this if the Output Color Format remains RGB, which indicates there's enough bandwidth to support 10-bit color without sacrificing image quality. If the Output Color Format changes to YCbCr422 or 420 after enabling 10-bit, you should switch the color depth back to 8-bit.
Using 10-bit color instead of 8-bit can reduce color banding in some situations, especially in games or applications that support high bit depth and on monitors with native 10-bit support. This is something we especially recommend for OLED and true HDR displays.
Output Dynamic Range is another setting most people won't need to touch. However, on some displays, it needs to be configured correctly to avoid raised or crushed blacks. In our experience, this is typically only necessary when connecting an Nvidia GPU to a display over HDMI.
If you're using a gaming monitor or capture card over HDMI, the correct setting is usually "Full." If you're using a TV over HDMI, the correct setting is probably "Limited," though in some cases it may still be "Full."
You can verify whether this setting is configured correctly using the Lagom Black Level test. If the setting is correct, the test background should appear black and each dark square should remain distinct and visible. If you're using Limited mode when the correct setting is actually Full, the image will appear washed out and the background won't look truly black. Switching to Full fixes this.
On the other hand, if you're using Full when the correct setting should be Limited, the test will show severe black crush, with most of the first three rows appearing identical. Switching to Limited resolves the issue.
Optimal Graphics Settings
Next, we're going to focus on the Graphics menu, where we can control features that apply directly to games. The Program Settings tab gives you control on a per-game basis, while the Global tab changes settings for all games.
For modern games that support it, it's worth using Nvidia's DLSS Override feature found under the Driver Settings section for a specific game. We'll start with the Model Presets option. This allows you to upgrade the DLSS version used by older games to newer versions, typically providing superior image quality. For example, in a game that natively supports DLSS 3.0, you can upgrade it to DLSS 4.0 or DLSS 4.5 using DLSS Override.
The best way to use the Model Presets override is through the Custom option. However, the available settings are fairly complex, so we'll try to simplify things as much as possible.
Super Resolution has the most preset choices, ranging from A to L. So which one should you use? That depends on the GeForce GPU generation you own and the level of performance you're targeting. Newer GPUs are more flexible and can run any of these presets with little performance cost. Older GPUs can struggle with newer models, often suffering a noticeable performance hit.
DLSS shortcut #1: On RTX 40 and 50 series GPUs, the best setting in our opinion is Preset L.
On RTX 40 and 50 series GPUs, the best setting in our opinion is Preset L. We've extensively tested the visual output, comparing Preset L to other presets, and in most games it delivers the best image quality with the fewest visual artifacts during upscaling. We recommend Preset L across all DLSS upscaling modes, including Quality, Balanced, Performance, and Ultra Performance, if your priority is the best visual quality possible.
DLSS Override - Model Presets Recommendations
| Graphics Card Series | DLSS Super Resolution Quality | DLSS Super Resolution Balanced | DLSS Super Resolution Performance | DLSS Super Resolution Ultra Performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GeForce RTX 50 Series | Preset L (Preset M or K for Extra Performance) |
Preset L (Preset M or K for Extra Performance) |
Preset L (Preset M for Extra Performance) |
Preset L |
| GeForce RTX 40 Series | Preset L (Preset M or K for Extra Performance) |
Preset L (Preset M or K for Extra Performance) |
Preset L (Preset M for Extra Performance) |
Preset L |
| GeForce RTX 30 Series | Preset K | Preset K | Preset K | Preset K (Preset L for Better Visual Quality) |
| GeForce RTX 20 Series | Preset K | Preset K | Preset K | Preset K (Preset L for Better Visual Quality) |
However, Preset L is also the most performance-intensive option. It runs roughly 5% slower than Preset M, which is a very similar model from the DLSS 4.5 family, though not quite as visually refined. It also runs about 10% slower than Preset K, which comes from the previous DLSS 4.0 family.
If you want better performance while still maintaining good image quality, Presets M and K are solid alternatives, especially at higher-quality modes such as DLSS Quality. The image quality advantages of Preset L become more significant at lower modes like Performance and Ultra Performance, so in those situations we'd recommend Preset L regardless of the performance cost.
DLSS shortcut #2: On RTX 20 and 30 series GPUs, Preset K is the optimal choice in most cases.
On RTX 20 and 30 series GPUs, there is a much larger performance penalty associated with Presets M and L. For that reason, you may not want to use those options. Even on the flagship RTX 3090, Preset M can run 15 to 25% slower than Preset K, so in most cases Preset K is the optimal choice for RTX 20 and 30 series GPUs.
The best Model Preset options for the other DLSS features are more straightforward. Ray Reconstruction doesn't provide preset options, so this should simply be set to Recommended, which uses the latest available model. Frame Generation should be set to Preset B where available, as it's the newest model and offers improved image quality along with better UI handling. Not all games support Frame Generation Preset B, so if the option isn't available, that's the reason why.
The DLSS Override - Frame Generation Mode option allows you to increase the amount of Frame Generation in games that don't support the latest multipliers. For example, if you want to use 4X or 6X Frame Generation in an older game that only includes a basic on/off Frame Generation toggle, you can use this override to convert 2X frame generation into 4X or 6X. You'll also find Dynamic Frame Generation in this section of the Nvidia App. Based on our testing so far, it still needs refinement before we can fully recommend it, though it may still be worth experimenting with.
There's also the DLSS Override - Super Resolution Mode option. This is useful if you want to use DLSS for anti-aliasing at native resolution, also known as DLAA, but the game doesn't support it natively. Setting this option to DLAA will override any DLSS setting used in that game, such as DLSS Quality, and apply DLAA instead. DLAA typically delivers much better image quality than the standard TAA implementation found in most games.
DLAA typically delivers much better image quality than the standard TAA implementation found in most games.
Overrides can also be configured globally, so you don't need to change the settings manually for every game. That's a useful set-and-forget setup, especially if you already know you prefer the image quality and performance characteristics of something like DLSS Preset L. However, we don't recommend doing this if you prefer tweaking settings on a per-game basis.
There are also a few other useful settings here. If you want to use Frame Generation without allowing the frame rate to exceed your monitor's refresh rate and introduce tearing, you can manage this through Driver Settings. The best way to achieve this is by forcing Vertical Sync on.
Some games automatically force V-Sync off when Frame Generation is enabled, but you can override that behavior through the Nvidia App. The Max Frame Rate setting is another way to achieve similar results, as it's essentially a frame rate limiter. Setting it slightly below your monitor's maximum refresh rate is usually the optimal configuration for preventing tearing.
The Nvidia Overlay
The Nvidia Overlay is a useful in-game tool that allows you to view statistics, record gameplay, and apply filters. The default shortcut for bringing up the overlay is Alt+Z. On the left, you'll see the various features available. For example, selecting the play button or using the Alt+F9 shortcut will immediately begin recording gameplay.
If you're planning to use the Nvidia Overlay for gameplay recording (and it's a great tool for that), you'll probably want to configure the recording settings for the best possible quality. This can be done through Settings > Video Capture. Here you'll find options for recording resolution, frame rate, bitrate, and codec.
Resolution should either be set to in-game or to the same resolution as your monitor. Frame rate should typically be set to 60 FPS, as that's the most practical and widely supported format for sharing content, though you can also switch to 30 or 120 FPS. Just keep in mind that while 120 FPS creates smoother footage for local playback, it's largely pointless for YouTube uploads because YouTube currently supports a maximum playback frame rate of 60 FPS.
Recording quality is determined by both the selected quality preset, which also controls bitrate, and the codec. H.264 and HEVC are lower-quality codecs compared to AV1, but they're more widely supported and easier to play back.
AV1 delivers higher image quality at smaller file sizes, but support is still more limited. You can upload AV1 footage to YouTube, though not all platforms support it, and we generally don't recommend AV1 if you plan to edit the footage because it's significantly slower to work with in most video editing applications.
In our experience, the bitrates Nvidia uses with the "High" quality preset are generally very good, so that's what we'd recommend for most users. However, for extremely fast-paced gameplay where storage space or upload bandwidth isn't a concern, we'd increase the bitrate to the maximum setting.
The statistics overlay is also very useful if you want to monitor in-game FPS and utilization metrics. It can be enabled directly through the overlay or with the Alt+R shortcut. If you open the Statistics section in the overlay, you'll find multiple overlay layouts available under Statistics View if you'd like to display additional information. The DLSS view is especially useful when using overrides, as it confirms whether the override is functioning correctly and shows which presets are currently active.
When HDR is enabled, the overlay can appear excessively bright by default, often much brighter than the game's UI itself. We find the default HDR overlay settings fairly harsh, and they're also not ideal for OLED displays, which are more susceptible to burn-in at higher brightness levels, especially with largely static elements like overlays.
Unfortunately, there isn't an easy way to reduce overlay brightness in HDR mode, but you can partially work around it by changing the overlay color. To do this, open Configure Heads-Up Display, then navigate to Font Color. Set it to Custom and enter the color code #bbbbbb. This is our preferred setting because it keeps the overlay looking white while significantly reducing brightness.
RTX HDR Settings
Finally, we want to touch on Nvidia's RTX HDR feature, which can be used with an HDR monitor to convert SDR games without native HDR support into HDR experiences. This generally works better than Windows Auto HDR for SDR-to-HDR conversion. It's enabled through System > Video > RTX Video Enhancements > HDR.
Once enabled, you'll find several adjustable settings for peak brightness, contrast, and saturation. If you're planning to use RTX HDR, we'd recommend following one of the detailed community configuration guides on Reddit, which provide recommended values based on your display's peak brightness as well as personal preferences for saturation and gamma.
That said, we generally don't recommend RTX HDR for SDR-to-HDR conversion in PC games. In most cases, the better option is using a RenoDX mod if one is available. RenoDX is a ReShade add-on framework that injects an HDR rendering pipeline directly into supported games, replacing the SDR pipeline entirely.
This approach typically delivers much more accurate HDR handling than Nvidia's RTX HDR post-processing filter and often results in an experience that feels far closer to native HDR. There are even RenoDX mods for games with built-in HDR support that improve or fix HDR output, which makes the framework well worth exploring.
That's not to say RTX HDR is useless, because it's much easier to enable and works broadly across games without requiring per-title mod installations. Still, it's worth being aware that RenoDX exists because the results can be excellent.
The Nvidia App does have other features, like automatic tuning and mild overclocking capabilities, but the features we've covered in this guide are the essentials. At this point, there are very few reasons to return to the Nvidia Control Panel for adjustments and, not coincidentally, the legacy Control Panel has now been deprecated. The vast majority of important settings are now found within the Nvidia App, including features that are exclusive to the app itself, such as DLSS Overrides.