If you're tired of laggy gameplay, stutters, or poor frame rates in your favorite PC games, you're not alone. But what if I told you there's a simple setting inside Steam that could instantly boost your FPS — sometimes even doubling it? No expensive hardware, no shady third-party software, just a powerful tweak hidden in plain sight.
Here’s exactly how gamers are unlocking serious performance gains with one Steam feature in 2025.
The Setting: Steam Launch Options + Vulkan or DirectX Tweaks
Steam allows users to input custom Launch Options for each game. These are commands that tell the game engine how to behave when the game starts. One of the most effective ones for FPS boosts is forcing the game to use a more optimized graphics API like Vulkan or a specific version of DirectX.
For example, if you're playing a game like CS:GO, Dota 2, or even Apex Legends, adding -vulkan or -dx11 in the game’s Launch Options can drastically improve performance. Here’s how to do it:
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Open Steam
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Right-click on the game you want to optimize
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Select “Properties”
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Under the “General” tab, find “Launch Options”
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Type in:
-vulkanor-dx11or even-novid -high -threads X(replace X with your number of CPU threads)
These commands tell the game to run in Vulkan mode, skip the intro video, and use high priority with full CPU threading — perfect for older machines or underperforming rigs.
Other Power Tweaks to Combine
Many gamers are combining this hidden Steam setting with Shader Pre-Caching found in Steam’s main settings (Steam > Settings > Shader Pre-Caching). Enabling this helps load game shaders more efficiently, reducing lag during gameplay.
Boosting FPS with the In-Game Overlay Off
Another secret trick? Disable the Steam Overlay. While useful, it consumes resources. Just go to the same Properties tab and uncheck “Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game.” You’ll immediately notice smoother performance, especially in titles like Elden Ring or Starfield.
Why This Works
Most games default to what’s considered “stable” settings for all systems. But if your system is capable of running optimized APIs like Vulkan or DirectX 11/12, this tweak unlocks better performance tailored to your hardware. That means more frames, less heat, and a smoother gaming experience — all without spending a cent.
Final Word
This hidden Steam setting has become a go-to hack for PC gamers in 2025. Whether you're rocking an older rig or just want to squeeze more power out of your setup, try these launch options and performance tweaks. You’ll be surprised at how much smoother your games run — and your enemies won’t know what hit them.
📹 Watch the FPS comparison video here: