How to reduce input delay on Windows 11 (what really matters)

1. Make sure your monitor really runs at its refresh rate

The most common mistake we see in tickets: a 144 / 165 / 240 Hz monitor running at 60 Hz. Settings › System › Display › Advanced display › Choose a refresh rate — pick the highest. Use a DisplayPort cable (or an HDMI cable and port that support the rate). Then check the in-game setting too.

2. Use the latency options of your GPU

• NVIDIA Reflex (in the game's settings) — on, or “On + Boost”.
• AMD Anti-Lag in AMD Software, per game.
• With G-Sync / FreeSync: cap your FPS a few frames under your refresh rate so frames never queue up.

3. Fullscreen and overlays

Exclusive fullscreen or a modern borderless mode both work today, but stacked overlays (recording, chat, RGB, performance counters) add work to every frame. Keep the ones you use, close the rest.

4. Mouse and keyboard

• Turn off Enhance pointer precision (mouse acceleration) for consistent aim.
• Set the mouse polling rate to 1000 Hz in its own software (higher only if your CPU has headroom).
• Plug the receiver close to the mouse — wireless dropouts feel like lag.

5. Background load

Downloads, cloud sync, browser tabs playing video and update services steal CPU time at the worst moment. Pause them while you play, and keep the power plan on a performance mode on desktops.

What doesn't help (or hurts)

• Forcing a fixed timer resolution, disabling CPU idle states or turning off security mitigations: little or no gain on modern PCs, more heat, and some break anti-cheats.
• Registry “packs” for the GPU driver: they can cause black screens and crashes.
• Anyone promising a fixed number of milliseconds or FPS for every PC.