What people mean by “FPS capped” in borderless mode
A common Windows 11 gaming question goes like this: “In borderless windowed mode, my FPS won’t go above my monitor’s refresh rate, even with V-Sync and limiters off.” Switching to exclusive fullscreen “fixes” it, and turning on Windows 11’s Optimizations for windowed games also “fixes” it.
The confusing part is that borderless mode often feels like fullscreen—fast Alt+Tab, overlays work, multi-monitor behavior is smoother—so it’s natural to expect the same “uncapped” FPS behavior too. But the way frames are presented to the display can differ, and that difference is where the refresh-rate-looking cap comes from.
The Windows presentation pipeline in plain language
On Windows, what you see on screen is typically managed by the Desktop Window Manager (DWM). In many windowed scenarios, the game renders frames, and DWM composes them with the desktop. When a game is being composed like a normal window, the final scan-out is naturally tied to the display’s refresh behavior.
Modern Windows graphics stacks include more efficient “flip” presentation paths (often described as DXGI flip model), where the system can present frames with less copying and, in some cases, behave more like fullscreen even while technically windowed. That “more fullscreen-like” path is exactly what many optimizations try to enable.
If you want the deep technical background, Microsoft’s documentation on the flip model is a good starting point: DXGI flip model (Microsoft Learn).
| Display Mode (User-facing) | What’s usually happening under the hood | Why FPS may appear “tied” to refresh rate | Typical feel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exclusive Fullscreen | App controls the display path more directly | Less likely to be constrained by desktop composition behavior | Often lowest latency; can Alt+Tab slower depending on game |
| Borderless Windowed | Often composed by DWM (unless using a more direct flip path) | Presentation may synchronize with the desktop/display cadence | Smooth Alt+Tab; overlays and multi-monitor behavior usually easier |
| Windowed (non-borderless) | Composed by DWM | Most likely to track the desktop’s refresh cadence | Convenient multitasking; usually higher overhead than fullscreen |
What “Optimizations for windowed games” actually changes
Windows 11 includes a setting called Optimizations for windowed games, designed primarily to improve performance and latency for games running in windowed and borderless modes. In practice, enabling it often nudges more games toward modern presentation behavior (commonly associated with flip-model improvements), making borderless act closer to fullscreen in how frames are delivered.
Microsoft documents where to find this setting and how it behaves here: Optimizations for windowed games (Microsoft Support).
That’s why turning the option on can make the “refresh-rate-looking cap” disappear in some titles: the game may be presented through a different path than it used before.
Presentation behavior is not only a “Windows setting” issue. It’s also influenced by the game engine, the DirectX version it uses, how the swap chain is configured, driver features, overlays, and multi-monitor setup. Two games can behave differently on the same PC even with identical global settings.
Why it may happen in one game but not others
A particularly frustrating pattern is: most games run “uncapped” in borderless, but one specific game looks capped. That can happen when the outlier game uses an older or different presentation configuration (for example, a legacy DX11 path, a different swap-chain mode, or engine-level timing assumptions).
Another wrinkle: different FPS counters measure different things. Some overlays report the game’s internal render loop; others report the “presented” frames observed by the compositor or driver. That can produce situations where one overlay says “capped” while another looks “uncapped,” even though nothing magical is happening—just different measurement points.
If you’re curious about how Microsoft frames modern fullscreen-like behavior without giving up borderless convenience, their discussion of fullscreen optimizations provides useful context: Demystifying Fullscreen Optimizations (Microsoft DirectX blog).
Practical checks that explain the behavior
The goal here isn’t “one universal fix,” but a way to understand why the cap-like behavior is showing up. These checks often reveal what part of the chain is driving the result:
- Confirm the game’s real mode: Some titles label “borderless” but still behave like standard windowed, especially when overlays, capture tools, or multi-monitor behaviors are involved.
- Compare more than one FPS metric: Use at least one in-game counter plus one external overlay. If they disagree, that’s a clue you’re seeing a measurement mismatch (render loop vs present/output).
- Check Windows 11 “Optimizations for windowed games”: If enabling it changes behavior, that strongly suggests a presentation-path difference rather than a hidden FPS limiter.
- Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) / G-SYNC settings: VRR can change how “smooth” or “tied to refresh” things feel. For NVIDIA users, the official Control Panel help shows the choice between fullscreen-only and windowed+fullscreen: To set up G-SYNC (NVIDIA Control Panel Help).
- Per-game drivers and profiles: Even with global V-Sync off, a per-game profile (or a game’s own “smoothness” setting) can influence presentation timing.
- Multi-monitor and cable/port quirks: Refresh reporting and overlay interpretation can vary by display path. If behavior changes when moving the game to another monitor, that’s evidence the display chain matters.
Tradeoffs: latency, tearing, overlays, and VRR
It’s worth separating two ideas that often get mixed together:
1) “Can the game render above refresh?”
A game can render internally at very high FPS, but what you actually see is still constrained by scan-out.
Some players chase high FPS anyway because it can reduce input latency in certain competitive scenarios, even when the display refresh is lower.
2) “Should it be uncapped?”
Uncapped FPS can increase tearing and power draw, and it can sometimes make frametime consistency worse.
VRR (G-SYNC/FreeSync) and sensible caps can improve consistency without fully “locking” you into a rigid feel.
In borderless mode, Windows features that improve presentation behavior can reduce the traditional downsides (extra latency, worse pacing). But because the final output still interacts with DWM, overlays, capture, and drivers, the “best” choice depends on your priorities: consistent visuals, minimal latency, easiest multitasking, or maximum stability.
Key takeaways
Borderless windowed mode is convenient, but it doesn’t always behave like exclusive fullscreen because the Windows presentation pipeline can differ. When FPS appears capped to refresh rate in borderless mode, it often reflects how frames are being presented (and measured), not just an obvious FPS limiter.
Windows 11’s Optimizations for windowed games exists largely to make windowed and borderless modes behave more like modern fullscreen paths. If that option changes your result, it’s a strong hint you were on a less optimal presentation route before.
Ultimately, the “right” setting depends on what you value more: the convenience of borderless, the predictability of exclusive fullscreen, or a balanced approach using modern presentation features and VRR.
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