If you’re experiencing low FPS, lag, or stuttering while playing Little Nightmares III on your PC, you’re not alone. Many players have reported performance issues such as sudden frame drops, delayed inputs, or micro-stutters during gameplay.
These issues can be caused by outdated drivers, incorrect in-game settings, background applications, or even hardware bottlenecks. In this guide, we’ll walk you through several proven fixes to boost FPS and ensure smooth gameplay.
Common Causes of Lag and Low FPS
Before applying fixes, let’s understand the common reasons behind performance drops in Little Nightmares III:
- Outdated GPU drivers
- In-game graphics settings too high for your hardware
- Background applications consuming CPU or GPU
- Overheating or thermal throttling
- Outdated Windows version or game patch
- Disk fragmentation or HDD installation instead of SSD
🛠️ Fix 1: Update Graphics Drivers
Outdated or corrupted GPU drivers are the number one cause of poor performance.
Steps:
- Identify your GPU brand (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel).
- Visit the official site:
- Download and install the latest version.
- Restart your PC and launch the game again.
✅ Updated drivers can significantly improve frame rates and reduce stutters.
🛠️ Fix 2: Adjust In-Game Graphics Settings
Running the game on ultra settings may overwhelm your system. Try lowering specific options to find a balance between visuals and performance.
Recommended settings:
- Display Mode: Fullscreen
- Resolution: Native (1920×1080 for most monitors)
- V-Sync: Off
- Texture Quality: Medium
- Shadows: Low
- Anti-Aliasing: FXAA or Off
- Post-Processing: Medium
- Motion Blur: Off
✅ Lowering these options can reduce GPU load and eliminate lag spikes.
🛠️ Fix 3: Disable Background Apps
Apps running in the background can consume resources, causing FPS drops.
Steps:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Go to the Processes tab.
- End tasks like Discord overlay, Chrome, OBS, or RivaTuner.
- Restart your game.
💡 You can also disable startup apps under Task Manager → Startup for a cleaner boot.
🛠️ Fix 4: Set Graphics Performance to “High”
Ensure Windows uses your dedicated GPU for the game instead of integrated graphics.
Steps:
- Go to Settings → System → Display → Graphics settings.
- Click Browse and add your LittleNightmares3.exe file.
- Select it → Options → Choose High Performance.
- Save and restart your PC.
✅ This forces your GPU to prioritize game performance.
🛠️ Fix 5: Update Windows & Game
Outdated OS or unpatched games can cause performance instability.
Steps:
- Press Windows + I → Windows Update → Check for updates.
- Install all pending updates.
- Open Steam or Epic Games → Go to Library → Right-click the game → Check for updates.
✅ Ensures compatibility and better optimization for new GPUs.
🛠️ Fix 6: Enable Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling
This Windows feature reduces latency and helps improve FPS on supported systems.
Steps:
- Go to Settings → System → Display → Graphics Settings.
- Toggle Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling to ON.
- Restart your PC.
💡 Works best on Windows 10/11 with modern GPUs.
🛠️ Fix 7: Verify Game Files
Corrupted or missing files can cause heavy stuttering and lag.
For Steam Users:
- Open Steam Library → Right-click Little Nightmares III.
- Select Properties → Installed Files → Verify integrity of game files.
- Wait for Steam to repair missing or damaged files.
✅ Repairs game data and ensures smoother performance.
🛠️ Fix 8: Switch to SSD
If you installed the game on a traditional HDD, moving it to an SSD can dramatically improve performance.
Steps:
- Copy the game folder to your SSD drive.
- Uninstall the game from HDD.
- Reinstall it on the SSD location.
✅ SSDs reduce loading times and eliminate texture stuttering.
🛠️ Fix 9: Lower Resolution Scaling
Reducing resolution scaling can significantly increase FPS without sacrificing too much visual quality.
Steps:
- Open in-game graphics settings.
- Find Resolution Scale / Render Scale.
- Lower it to 90% or 85%.
💡 This helps mid-range GPUs maintain stable frame rates.
🛠️ Fix 10: Turn Off Overlays and Recorders
Overlay and recording tools (like GeForce Experience, Xbox Game Bar, or Steam Overlay) can interrupt rendering.
Steps:
- Disable NVIDIA Overlay: Open GeForce Experience → Settings → In-Game Overlay → Off.
- Disable Xbox Game Bar: Go to Settings → Gaming → Xbox Game Bar → Off.
- Disable Steam Overlay: Steam → Settings → In-Game → Uncheck Enable Steam Overlay.
✅ Reduces input lag and micro-stuttering.
Bonus Optimization Tips
- Use a performance power plan:
Go to Control Panel → Power Options → High Performance. - Clean GPU fans and ensure your system isn’t overheating.
- Use Game Mode in Windows for better performance:
Settings → Gaming → Game Mode → Turn On. - Always close browsers and unnecessary tabs while gaming.
FAQs
Q1: Why is Little Nightmares III lagging on a high-end PC?
A1: Background tasks or driver conflicts can cause stutters even on powerful systems.
Q2: Does running on an SSD help?
A2: Yes, SSDs drastically reduce texture streaming lag and load times.
Q3: Can I fix FPS drops by lowering resolution?
A3: Absolutely. Reducing the resolution can greatly improve frame rates.
Conclusion
Low FPS, lag, and stuttering in Little Nightmares III can ruin the atmospheric experience, but these issues are easy to fix. By updating drivers, tweaking graphics settings, verifying files, and enabling hardware acceleration, you can achieve smooth and stable gameplay.
🎮 Follow these steps and enjoy Little Nightmares III with better performance and no interruptions!
