Elden Ring Screen Tearing Issues [SOLVED!]

If you’ve ever noticed a pesky screen tear disrupting your Elden Ring adventure, you’re not alone. It happens when the game’s frame rate and your monitor’s refresh rate aren’t quite in sync, and so the images look choppy and hard to follow.

In this article, we’ll show you 7 proven fixes to help reduce or eliminate screen tearing in Elden Ring, so you can immerse yourself fully in the game. Read on…

Fix 1: Update your graphics drivers

Outdated graphics drivers are a major cause of screen tearing, particularly in demanding games like Elden Ring. If your drivers are outdated, your GPU may struggle to maintain a stable frame rate, causing it to fall out of sync with your monitor’s refresh rate. In this case, updating your graphics driver can ensure your GPU is optimized to handle Elden Ring.

You can update your drivers manually through the NVIDIA or AMD website. However, the process can be a bit tedious—finding the right driver, downloading it, and carefully following installation steps to avoid mistakes. If you’d prefer to skip the hassle, Driver Easy does all of this for you automatically.

Driver Easy is an easy-to-use driver updater that detects outdated drivers, downloads the latest versions, and installs them with just a few clicks. You won’t need to worry about downloading the wrong drivers or worrying about installation errors — it takes care of everything.

Fix 2: Enable V-Sync

V-Sync (Vertical Synchronization) is a technology that helps prevent screen tearing by syncing your game’s frame rate with your monitor’s refresh rate. When V-Sync is enabled, your GPU will wait until the monitor is ready to display a new frame, ensuring smooth synchronization between the two. This prevents tearing, which occurs when your game’s frame rate exceeds your monitor’s refresh rate.

To enable V-Sync in Elden Ring:

NVIDIA Control Panel Method (For NVIDIA GPUs)

1. Right-click on your desktop and open NVIDIA Control Panel.
2. Click Manage 3D settings.
   
3. Click the Program Settings tab, then elect Elden Ring from the list (or add it if it’s not there).
   
4. Scroll down to locate Vertical sync, then make sure it’s set On.
   
5. Click Apply and close the window.
6. Check to see if the tearing issue improves.

AMD Radeon Software Method (For AMD GPUs)

1. Right-click on your desktop and open AMD Radeon Software.
2. Go to the Gaming tab and select Elden Ring.
3. In Profile Graphics, select the Wait for Vertical Refresh menu and choose Always On or Enhanced Sync.
   
4. Apply the changes.
5. Check to see if the tearing issue improves.

Tips: Some AMD users have reported that turning off Fluid Motion Frames resolves screen tearing. If V-Sync doesn’t fix the issue, you may want to try disabling it.

Fix 3: Enable G-Sync or FreeSync

G-Sync (for NVIDIA GPUs) and FreeSync (for AMD GPUs) are adaptive sync technologies designed to eliminate screen tearing and reduce input lag by dynamically adjusting your monitor’s refresh rate to match your game’s frame rate. Unlike V-Sync, these technologies don’t lock the frame rate, so they could potentially resolve the screen tearing issue without delay.

Before enabling G-Sync or FreeSync, make sure your GPU is compatible with these technologies. Also, ensure your monitor supports G-Sync or FreeSync and is connected via DisplayPort or HDMI for the best performance.

How to Enable G-Sync (For NVIDIA GPUs)

1. Right-click on your desktop and open the NVIDIA Control Panel.
2. In the left menu, double-click on Display and click Set up G-Sync. Then in the right panel, check the box to Enable G-SYNC, G-SYNC Compatible and choose the Enable for windowed and full screen mode option.
   
3. Click Apply to finalize the changes.

How to Enable FreeSync (For AMD GPUs)

1. Right-click on your desktop and open AMD Radeon Software.
2. Click the Display tab and then make sure the AMD FreeSync Premium toggle is turned On.
   
3. Apply the changes.

Launch Elden Ring and check if the screen tearing persists during gameplay. If you still notice tearing, proceed to Fix 4 to further optimize your performance.

Fix 4: Use borderless window mode

While fullscreen mode typically offers better performance, it directly connects your GPU to your display which can lead to screen tearing when they fall out of sync. In this case, using the borderless window may help improve the issue, and it can be particularly helpful if you’ve tried V-Sync but experienced input lag, or if you frequently alt-tab between Elden Ring and other applications.

Here is how to do it:

1. Launch Elden Ring.
2. Click the System menu.
   
3. Navigate to the Graphics tab. In Screen Mode, choose Borderless Windowed.
   
4. Apply the changes.
5. Once you’ve switched to borderless window mode, launch Elden Ring and see if the screen tearing still occurs. If it stops, enjoy! If not, continue with Fix 5, below.

Fix 5: Cap your FPS

If your FPS is higher than your monitor’s refresh rate, your GPU may keep pushing out frames faster than your monitor can display them, leading to choppy gameplay. To prevent this mismatch, you can cap your FPS to match or slightly below your monitor’s refresh rate. This can keep the frame rate consistent and reduce unnecessary GPU workload.

NVIDIA Control Panel (For NVIDIA GPUs)

1. Right-click on your desktop and open NVIDIA Control Panel.
2. Navigate to Manage 3D settings > Program Settings. Then select Elden Ring from the list (or add it if needed).
   
3. Scroll down to Max Frame Rate, enable it, and set it to match your monitor’s refresh rate (e.g. 58 FPS for a 60Hz monitor).
   
4. Click Apply for the changes to take effect.

AMD Radeon Software (For AMD GPUs)

1. Right-click on your desktop and open AMD Radeon Software.
2. Go to Gaming > Elden Ring.
3. Locate Radeon Chill and make sure its toggle is Enabled. Then for the Max FPS value, enter a max FPS limit to match your refresh rate(e.g. 60 FPS for a 60Hz monitor).
   
   
4. Apply the settings.

Launch Elden Ring to check if the tearing persists. If it’s gone, enjoy smoother gameplay! If it remains, move on to Fix 6, below.

Fix 6: Adjust your monitor’s refresh rate

Sometimes, the screen tearing issue in Elden Ring may occur due to a mismatch between your monitor’s refresh rate and your game’s frame rate. If your refresh rate is set too low, it can lead to stuttering or tearing. Increasing the refresh rate (if your monitor supports it) can help reduce tearing by ensuring that your monitor displays frames more frequently, keeping them in sync with the GPU output.

1. Right-click on your desktop and select Display Settings.
2. In the left panel, click System. Then in the right panel, scroll down and click on Advanced display.
   (If you have more than one monitor, select the one you’re using for gaming.)
   
3. For the Choose a refresh rate section, select a higher value (e.g., 60Hz, 120Hz, 144Hz, or higher, depending on your monitor’s capabilities).
   
4. Close the window.
5. Open Elden Ring and see if the game plays smoothly. If yes, then congrats! If the screen still looks fragmented, please move on to Fix 7, below.

Fix 7: Disable fluid motion frames (for AMD Users)

Fluid Motion Frames is an AMD feature designed to enhance frame rate interpolation, but it can sometimes introduce issues like screen tearing in certain games. According to online forums, many players have found that turning off Fluid Motion Frames has effectively reduced screen tearing in Elden Ring.

If you’re using an AMD GPU, it would be worth a try:

1. Right-click on your desktop and open AMD Radeon Software.
2. Click the Gaming tab > Graphics, and then make sure the AMD Fluid Motion Frames toggle is Disabled.
   
3. Fire up Elden Ring to see if there are still signs of tearing. If it’s smooth, you’re good to go!

That’s it! Seven proven fixes to help you eliminate or reduce screen tearing in Elden Ring. Hopefully, they have helped. Remember to experiment with different solutions, as the most effective fix can vary based on your system and hardware. Happy gaming!

• Elden Ring