Windows Game Mode: what it does and how to turn it on
Brought to you by the minds at Hypertune.
Last updated 2 November 2026.
Leave Windows Game Mode on. It is already on by default. While a game is running, it holds back Windows Update driver installs and restart notices, and it tries to keep the frame rate steadier. Xbox Support does not give a set FPS number for that.
Source for the switch and the two jobs: Xbox Support, Use Game Mode while gaming on your Windows device. Older Microsoft posts also said Game Mode gives the game more of the PC. This page follows the current Xbox Support page, not those older posts.
Three things to check first
What Windows Game Mode changes
Path on the Xbox page: Start, type Settings, then Gaming, then Game Mode.
| What | Value | Why it is there |
|---|---|---|
| Game Mode | On | It is turned on by default. Leave it unless the same spot in a game feels worse with it on. |
| Driver installs | Held back while a game runs | Windows Update does not install drivers in the middle of a game. |
| Restart notices | Held back while a game runs | A restart prompt does not pop up over the game. |
| Frame rate | Steadier, if it changes at all | Xbox says this depends on the game and the system. No percentage is published on that page. |
| In-game video settings | Unchanged | Game Mode does not edit a game's own menu. It is not an overclock, and it does not replace a graphics driver update. |
How to turn it on
Play one spot you can repeat with Game Mode on, then the same spot with it off. Keep the one that feels steadier. If you cannot tell them apart, leave the default on.
Where guides disagree
A 2017 Microsoft post told people to tick Game Mode inside Xbox Game Bar for each game. The current Xbox Support page does not. It uses one switch under Settings, and that switch is on by default. Follow the current page.
A PC Gamer test from 2022 found no FPS change with Game Mode on or off. That is their test, not a Hypertune result. It does not replace the Xbox page. Leave Game Mode on.
Where Hypertune fits
The steps above are free. Hypertune is a separate Windows app. It reads your CPU, GPU, memory and storage once, then applies only the features you turn on. Windows Game Mode is the switch on this page. It is not Hypertune's Windows Debloating feature.
Game Hub changes in-game settings through each game's config files, and that is all it changes. Users see up to 60% higher FPS. Hypertune is an Intel and AMD partner, and supports NVIDIA graphics cards. To undo Hypertune's changes, open the Restore tab, choose the most recent restore point, and select Restore.
Questions
Is Windows Game Mode on by default?
Yes. Xbox Support says it is turned on by default.
Does Windows Game Mode raise FPS by a set amount?
No. The current Xbox page says it helps a more stable frame rate depending on the game and the system. It does not publish a percentage.
Is Xbox Game Bar the same as Game Mode?
No. Game Bar is the overlay for capture, opened with Windows + G. Game Mode is the switch under Settings, Gaming.