How to Turn on Game Mode on Laptop 2023

Game Mode is a feature in Windows 10 and Windows 11 that focuses system resources on games when enabled. It can improve the gaming performance and experience by reducing the background processes and optimizing the CPU and GPU usage.

However, not many people know how to turn on Game Mode on their laptops, or whether they should do so. In this article, we will show you how to enable (or disable) Game Mode on your laptop in 2023 and explain the benefits and drawbacks of using it.

What is Game Mode and How Does It Work?

Game Mode is a built-in feature in Microsoft gaming PC that was introduced in Windows 10 Creators Update in 2017, and has been updated and improved in Windows 11 in 2023. It is designed to enhance the gaming performance and experience by allocating more system resources to the game that is running in the foreground and minimizing interference from the background processes and applications. It can also prevent Windows updates and notifications from interrupting your gameplay.

Game Mode works by detecting when a game is launched, and automatically switching to a special mode that prioritizes the game over other tasks. It can also be manually activated or deactivated for specific games, whether they are tested by Microsoft or not. When Game Mode is on, it can do the following things:

• It can increase the CPU and GPU frequency and power, and reduce the thermal throttling, to boost the game performance and framerate.
• It can suspend or lower the priority of the background processes and applications, such as antivirus, browser, or media player, to free up the memory and CPU usage.
• It can prevent Windows updates and notifications from downloading or popping up, to avoid network lag and screen distraction.
• It can enable adaptive sync technology, such as G-Sync or FreeSync, to prevent screen tearing and stuttering.

How to Enable (or Disable) Game Mode on Your Laptop in 2023?

There are three ways you can enable or disable Game Mode on your laptop in 2023, depending on the version of the Windows operating system you are using. Here are the steps for each method:

Method 1: Windows Settings

The easiest and fastest way to turn on or off Game Mode is via Windows Settings. This method works for both Windows 10 and Windows 11. Here are the steps:

• Open the Settings app by clicking the cogwheel icon in the Start Menu. Alternatively, you can simply type “Settings” into the Start menu to find it more easily.
• Select the Gaming section of the Settings menu.
• Navigate to the Game Mode section in the sidebar. You can also simply search “Game Mode” in the Start menu to find it more quickly.
• Click to toggle Game Mode on or off. Turning it on will enable Game Mode for all games while turning it off will disable Game Mode for all games.

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Method 2: Xbox Game Bar

If you can’t enable or disable Game Mode via Windows Settings, you can use the Xbox Game Bar. This method works for Windows 10, but not for Windows 11. Here are the steps:

• Open the Xbox Game Bar by pressing Windows + G on your keyboard. Alternatively, you can click the Xbox icon in the Start Menu to launch it.
• On the game bar, click Settings.
• In the General tab, check or uncheck the setting that says, “Remember this is a game.” Checking it will enable Game Mode for the current game while unchecking it will disable Game Mode for the current game.
• Exit the Game Bar by pressing Windows + G once more.

Method 3: Registry Editor

The third and last way to enable or disable Game Mode on your laptop is via Registry Editor. However, keep in mind that this method requires you to have administrative privileges and that editing the registry can be risky and may cause system errors or damage. Therefore, you should only use this method if you are confident and experienced with the registry, and if you have backed up your registry before making any changes. This method works for both Windows 10 and Windows 11. Here are the steps:

• Open the Registry Editor by pressing Windows + R on your keyboard and typing “regedit”, then press Enter.
• In the User Account Control window, tap on Yes.
• Follow the path in the Address Bar and click GameBar, then press Enter.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\GameBar

• Look for the entry titled “AllowAutoGameMode.”
• Check if the value set for the entry is 0x00000001 (1). This will mean that the Game Mode in your unit is active.
• If not, double-click the “AllowAutoGameMode” and change the value data to 1. Press OK to enable the Game Mode.
• If you want to disable the Game Mode, change the value data to 0 instead.

Should You Turn on Game Mode on Your Laptop in 2023?

The answer to this question depends on several factors, such as your laptop specifications, your gaming preferences, your expectations, and your goals. Generally speaking, the more you turn on Game Mode on your laptop, the better the gaming performance, the experience, and the quality you will get.

However, this does not mean that you have to turn on Game Mode on your laptop all the time. There are some situations where turning on Game Mode on your laptop may not be necessary or beneficial. Here are some pros and cons of turning on Game Mode on your laptop in 2023:

Pros

• Turning on Game Mode on your laptop can improve the gaming performance and experience by reducing the background processes and optimizing the CPU and GPU usage. This can result in higher framerates, smoother gameplay, and less lag or stuttering.
• Turning on Game Mode on your laptop can enhance the gaming quality by enabling adaptive sync technology, such as G-Sync or FreeSync, to prevent screen tearing and stuttering. This can result in clearer and crisper images and videos.
• Turning on Game Mode on your laptop can prevent Windows updates and notifications from interrupting your gameplay. This can result in less network lag and less screen distraction.

Cons

• Turning on Game Mode on your laptop can affect the battery life and the temperature of your laptop. This is because Game Mode can increase the CPU and GPU frequency and power, and reduce the thermal throttling, to boost the game performance and framerate. This can result in faster battery drain and higher heat generation.
• Turning on Game Mode on your laptop can interfere with the multitasking and productivity of your laptop. This is because Game Mode can suspend or lower the priority of the background processes and applications, such as antivirus, browser, or media player, to free up memory and CPU usage. This can result in slower or unresponsive programs and tasks.
• Turning on Game Mode on your laptop may not make a huge difference for some games or laptops. This is because Game Mode may not be compatible or effective with some games or laptops, especially those that are older or less demanding. This can result in negligible or minimal improvement or enhancement.

Conclusion: How to Turn on Game Mode on Laptop 2023

Game Mode is a feature in Windows 10 and Windows 11 that focuses system resources on games when enabled. It can improve the gaming performance and experience by reducing the background processes and optimizing the CPU and GPU usage. However, not many people know how to turn on Game Mode on their laptops, or whether they should do so.

In this article, we have shown you how to enable (or disable) Game Mode on your laptop in 2023 and explained the benefits and drawbacks of using it. We hope that this article has been helpful and informative for you and that you have learned how to turn on Game Mode on your laptop in 2023. If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to leave a comment below.

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