Disabling gaming overlays - Short guide

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IQandHDR

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Since I am a gamer, not a steamer I thought this might be useful to make a short guide on how to disable all the "game bars" that want to run when you game.

Microsoft Game Bar
Windows 10 -> Settings -> Gaming -> "Game Bar" switch: OFF
Windows 11 -> Settings > System Components -> Advanced options -> Background component permissions: NEVER
EXTRA:
Settings -> Gaming -> Game Bar - > Allow your controller to open Game Bar: OFF

Steam Overlay
Steam -> View -> Settings -> In-Game -> Enable the Steam overlay while in-game: UNCHECK

AMD Overlay
Radeon Software -> Settings -> Preferences -> In-Game Overlay: DISABLE

Intel Overlay
Intel Control Center -> Performance - In-Game Overlay: OFF

NVIDIA Overlay
NVIDIA App -> Settings -> Features -> NVIDIA Overlay: OFF

I do not need up to 3 overlays running when I play a game, and I figure most other people do not either.
 
IQandHDR said:
Since I am a gamer, not a steamer I thought this might be useful to make a short guide on how to disable all the "game bars" that want to run when you game.

Microsoft Game Bar
Windows 10 -> Settings -> Gaming -> "Game Bar" switch: OFF
Windows 11 -> Settings > System Components -> Advanced options -> Background component permissions: NEVER
EXTRA:
Settings -> Gaming -> Game Bar - > Allow your controller to open Game Bar: OFF

Steam Overlay
Steam -> View -> Settings -> In-Game -> Enable the Steam overlay while in-game: UNCHECK

AMD Overlay
Radeon Software -> Settings -> Preferences -> In-Game Overlay: DISABLE

Intel Overlay
Intel Control Center -> Performance - In-Game Overlay: OFF

NVIDIA Overlay
NVIDIA App -> Settings -> Features -> NVIDIA Overlay: OFF

I do not need up to 3 overlays running when I play a game, and I figure most other people do not either.
Click to expand...
I want a single overlay that will tell me stuff like fps, RAM/VRAM use, GPU/CPU use etc. Right now I have to use the NV overlay for FPS and the MS game bar for VRAM and stuff. Is there a single overlay that can do all of this? Maybe it's available now in the NV App and I can't find it.
 
homerdog said:
I want a single overlay that will tell me stuff like fps, RAM/VRAM use, GPU/CPU use etc. Right now I have to use the NV overlay for FPS and the MS game bar for VRAM and stuff. Is there a single overlay that can do all of this? Maybe it's available now in the NV App and I can't find it.
Click to expand...
Tried Intel's PresentMon?

Intel® Arc™ Graphics – PresentMon – Intel Gaming Access

game.intel.com game.intel.com

That is the tool that help me isolate Indiana Jones and FG issues
 
Scott_Arm said:
I like to use nvidia overlay to quickly check gpu utilization but I may just disable all overlays and use PresentMon when I want a close look. It’s a great tool.
Click to expand...
Is there a way to make the NV overlay show vram use? That's the only thing I'm missing with it.
 
homerdog said:
That's annoying. With all their resources they could at least put a little line of text in there that says "VRAM: Not Enough Sucka".
Click to expand...
That would be counter productive to selling GPUs with low VRAM sizes.
 
Davros said:
Silly question but why?
Click to expand...

I have a 240Hz monitor. I generally lower settings until I get as much fps as I can, but I do like to stay gpu limited, or frame capped. Frame times are generally smoother if you're gpu-limited. So I'll lower settings to get my fps really high, and then increase them until I'm just gpu-limited. If Nvidia-Reflex is supported that works really nicely. If it's not, I'll push the settings just until I hit 98-100% gpu and then I'll set a frame cap that keeps me around 95% gpu.
 
Scott_Arm said:
I have a 240Hz monitor. I generally lower settings until I get as much fps as I can, but I do like to stay gpu limited, or frame capped. Frame times are generally smoother if you're gpu-limited. So I'll lower settings to get my fps really high, and then increase them until I'm just gpu-limited. If Nvidia-Reflex is supported that works really nicely. If it's not, I'll push the settings just until I hit 98-100% gpu and then I'll set a frame cap that keeps me around 95% gpu.
Click to expand...
Is the experience at 120hz significantly noticeable compared to 240Hz that you'll reduce the game settings to Space Quest CGA?
 
Malo said:
Is the experience at 120hz significantly noticeable compared to 240Hz that you'll reduce the game settings to Space Quest CGA?
Click to expand...

240Hz is definitely noticeably smoother, but 120 Hz is what I aim for if I’m playing a game that’s more about the visuals.
 
I've always seen warnings about running too many apps that collect system metrics. Part of the reason why I hate all of these overlays. If Windows had a singular neutral overlay that every other app could piggyback on, it would be great. But instead they make it an Xbox overlay full of Xbox shit, which means it's guaranteed that other companies don't want to use it because of branding.
 
I simply had enough one day when starting a new game.
Steam, NVIDIA and Windows overlays all tried gettng my attetion and it made me go "Nope, not wasting CPU and GPU time on 3 seperate apps, time to turn that noise off"

And I am sure having all those running (and more if people have other stuf installed) is asking for issues.

If I want to pin a issue down I use Intel's PresentMon, it gives me the info I need.
 
Another video


You can actually get msi afterburner to show how much cpu time it takes to report each metric and power percent seems to take a noticeable amount of time. Really interesting.
 
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