If you suddenly see an on-screen box showing items like FPS, GPU utilization, CPU temperature, and frame time—especially while gaming or running a fullscreen app—you may have enabled a performance overlay via a keyboard shortcut. This can happen from a “fat-finger” key press and may persist across reboots depending on the software that controls it.
What the Overlay Usually Is
Most “mystery overlays” on Windows 11 come from one of a few places: GPU driver software (AMD or NVIDIA), Windows’ built-in gaming overlay, or third-party monitoring tools. The visual style often gives it away—some overlays look like a compact diagnostic panel with multiple lines of GPU/CPU stats.
In many cases, an overlay showing FPS plus detailed GPU/CPU telemetry is associated with AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition (Performance Metrics / Performance Overlay). It can be toggled on/off with a hotkey and may remain enabled until it’s toggled back off.
Overlay visuals and hotkeys can vary by software version, vendor utilities, keyboard layouts, and whether a laptop manufacturer adds custom gaming tools. Treat any single hotkey as “likely,” not universal.
The Fastest Fix for Common AMD Overlays
If the overlay looks like a hardware telemetry panel (FPS, frame time, GPU power, temperatures), try this first: Ctrl + Shift + O. Many AMD setups use that shortcut to toggle the performance overlay off.
If nothing happens, try it again while the affected app/game is in focus (not on the desktop). Some overlays only respond when a 3D application is active.
For reference and official documentation about AMD overlay features and hotkeys, you can review AMD’s support resources: AMD: Monitor Performance Metrics (Hotkeys) and AMD: Radeon Overlay Overview.
How to Confirm Which App Is Drawing the Overlay
When you’re not sure what enabled the overlay, focus on identification before changing settings:
- Look for a matching vendor name or style. AMD overlays often show GPU power (watts), GPU temp, CPU temp, and micro-stutter/frame time metrics in a compact block.
- Try opening the likely controller app. For AMD, open “AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition” (sometimes searchable as “AMD Software”). For Windows, open Game Bar with Win + G.
- Check the system tray. Monitoring tools often run in the background and can inject an overlay into games.
Windows’ built-in overlay (Game Bar) is documented here: Microsoft: Xbox Game Bar on Windows and Xbox Support: Game Bar Performance Widget.
How to Disable It at the Source
Hotkeys are convenient, but the most reliable approach is turning the overlay off in the software that controls it. The exact menu names can differ slightly by version, but the pattern is consistent.
AMD Software (Adrenalin) approach
- Open AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition.
- Navigate to the area related to Performance / Metrics / Overlay.
- Toggle off the Performance Overlay or Metrics Overlay.
- Optional: go to Hotkeys settings and either change the shortcut or clear it to reduce accidental toggles.
Windows Game Bar approach
- Press Win + G to open Game Bar.
- Find the Performance widget.
- If it is pinned, unpin it so it doesn’t stay on screen while gaming.
NVIDIA overlay approach
If you use NVIDIA GeForce Experience / NVIDIA App overlays, they are typically managed through the NVIDIA overlay settings. A commonly used overlay hotkey is Alt + Z (though it can be customized). For general guidance, see NVIDIA’s GeForce Experience community discussions: NVIDIA GeForce Experience Forums.
Common Overlay Hotkeys and Where They Come From
This table doesn’t cover every tool, but it includes the usual suspects when an overlay appears unexpectedly. If one key combo doesn’t work, check the software settings directly.
| Overlay / Feature | Common Hotkey | Where to Turn It Off |
|---|---|---|
| AMD Performance Metrics Overlay | Ctrl + Shift + O | AMD Software (Adrenalin) → Performance / Metrics / Overlay (and Hotkeys) |
| Windows Xbox Game Bar | Win + G | Game Bar → Performance widget (unpin/close) |
| NVIDIA In-Game Overlay | Alt + Z | NVIDIA overlay settings (disable in-game overlay or change shortcut) |
| Steam Overlay | Shift + Tab | Steam → Settings → In-Game (disable overlay) |
| Third-party monitoring tools (varies) | Varies | Tool settings (often “On-Screen Display” / “OSD” toggles) |
Why It Comes Back After a Reboot
An overlay can persist across reboots for a few reasons:
- It’s a persistent toggle stored in the GPU software profile (so it returns until disabled).
- The controlling app launches with Windows and re-enables the last-used display state.
- A game profile is applying it (less common, but some tools store per-game overlay states).
That’s why “restart the PC” often doesn’t help: you’re restarting into the same configuration.
Troubleshooting If It Won’t Turn Off
If the hotkey does nothing and you can’t find a toggle, work through these checks:
- Confirm you’re pressing the letter O, not zero. It sounds obvious, but “O vs 0” is a common confusion with overlay shortcuts.
- Open the vendor app and check hotkeys. If a hotkey was changed or conflicts with another tool, the expected combo may not work.
- Look for overlapping overlays. You can have more than one overlay enabled (for example, Game Bar plus GPU overlay), which can make diagnosis confusing.
- Disable startup items temporarily. If you suspect a third-party utility, temporarily disable it from launching at startup and see whether the overlay disappears.
- Update the relevant software. GPU driver utilities and gaming overlays are updated frequently; UI labels and toggles can change across versions.
If your system is managed by an organization or a laptop vendor bundle (preinstalled utilities), some overlays may be controlled by OEM software rather than the vendor’s standard driver UI.
Preventing Accidental Toggles in the Future
Once you’ve turned the overlay off, these small adjustments can reduce repeat surprises:
- Change or clear overlay hotkeys in the controlling software.
- Avoid stacking multiple overlays unless you truly need them for troubleshooting.
- Keep driver utilities updated so settings pages and toggles match current behavior.
- Document your performance tools (a quick note of which overlay you use) so future issues are faster to identify.
Key Takeaways
A sudden FPS/CPU/GPU stats panel on Windows 11 is often a performance overlay that was toggled on by accident. In many AMD setups, Ctrl + Shift + O toggles it off, and the most reliable fix is disabling the overlay (or its hotkey) in the software that controls it.
Because multiple apps can draw overlays, identifying the source first helps you avoid chasing the wrong setting. From there, you can decide whether the overlay is useful, distracting, or simply something you prefer to keep off.
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