How do I cap the frame rate in MSFS 2020?

To cap the frame rate in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, open General Options > Graphics, turn V-Sync on, choose a Frame Rate Limit, then Apply & Save. On PC, an NVIDIA or AMD per-game limiter is better when you need an exact target such as 40 FPS; use only one frame-rate limiter at a time.

Cap FPS with the MSFS 2020 built-in limiter

The built-in frame limiter is the quickest option and requires no external software.

1. From the main menu, open Options > General Options > Graphics.
2. Find V-Sync and switch it on.
3. Set Frame Rate Limit to the offered value nearest your target.
4. Select Apply & Save.
5. Load a demanding flight and confirm that the frame rate stays at or below the selected limit.

MSFS 2020 presents preset limits rather than a box for entering any number. If you want an exact 35, 40 or 50 FPS cap, use a graphics-driver profile on PC instead.

How do I set an exact MSFS frame-rate cap on PC?

A driver-level limiter lets you set a precise target without making the simulator's built-in presets dictate the result.

NVIDIA graphics cards

1. Close Microsoft Flight Simulator.
2. Open NVIDIA Control Panel and select Manage 3D settings.
3. Under Program Settings, select Microsoft Flight Simulator or add FlightSimulator.exe. Do not apply the cap only to the Xbox app, Steam client or another launcher.
4. Set Max Frame Rate to the required value and apply the profile.
5. Leave the simulator's own Frame Rate Limit disabled so the two limiters do not compete.

Our explanation of NVIDIA per-program settings for MSFS covers the associated V-Sync and monitor options.

AMD graphics cards

1. Close MSFS and open the AMD graphics control application.
2. Create or open the gaming profile for FlightSimulator.exe.
3. Use the profile's frame-rate target control where available. If Radeon Chill is the available method, setting its minimum and maximum to the same value produces a fixed target.
4. Apply the change, start the simulator and verify it in a loaded flight.

AMD changes the names and availability of some controls between driver packages, so use the per-game FPS control presented for your hardware. Avoid running it alongside the MSFS frame limiter.

Can I set a custom FPS cap on Xbox?

No. The Xbox version of MSFS 2020 does not provide a PC-style graphics-driver profile or an arbitrary frame-rate box. Console refresh-rate and VRR settings can affect frame delivery, but they cannot create a custom target such as 40 FPS if the simulator does not expose one.

What FPS cap should I use in MSFS 2020?

Choose a cap the computer can maintain at a complex airport, not the higher frame rate seen during cruise over empty terrain. Use the Developer Mode FPS counter steps to measure a representative flight, then set the cap a few frames below the lowest rate the system can sustain.

• Fixed 60 Hz monitor: use 30 FPS when the system cannot hold 60. Thirty divides evenly into 60 Hz, whereas an arbitrary 40 FPS can produce uneven frame delivery without VRR.
• 120 Hz monitor: 30, 40 and 60 FPS all divide evenly into the refresh rate. A 40 FPS cap is often a practical choice when 60 cannot be maintained.
• VRR, G-SYNC or FreeSync display: choose a sustainable target inside the display's variable-refresh range. If performance approaches the monitor ceiling, place the cap a few FPS below its maximum refresh rate.
• Heavy airliner and add-on airport use: test in that exact workload. A cap chosen from a default aircraft at a quiet airfield may collapse once avionics, traffic and detailed scenery increase the CPU load.

Do not cap the simulator at its average frame rate if it repeatedly falls below that number. A stable 30 or 40 FPS normally feels better than constant movement between the target and lower values.

Should V-Sync be on with an FPS cap?

V-Sync must be enabled for the built-in MSFS limiter, but it is a separate decision when using a driver cap.

• On a fixed-refresh display, V-Sync prevents tearing but may add latency when the GPU reaches the refresh-rate ceiling.
• With VRR, an external cap below the monitor's maximum refresh rate usually prevents repeated contact with that ceiling.
• If tearing does not bother you and minimum latency is the priority, use the external cap with V-Sync off.

For the display-specific trade-offs, see our guidance on choosing V-Sync or an external limiter in MSFS.

Why is the MSFS 2020 frame cap not working?

An ignored frame cap is usually caused by the wrong application profile, disabled V-Sync or two conflicting limiters.

• The built-in limit is ignored: confirm V-Sync is on, select Apply & Save, and retest after loading into the cockpit.
• The driver limit has no effect: make sure the profile targets FlightSimulator.exe, not the launcher used to start it.
• FPS locks to an unexpected value: check for another cap in MSFS, the graphics driver or an overlay. Keep one active frame limiter.
• The selected target is unavailable: the in-simulator control only offers presets. Use a driver-level limiter for an arbitrary number.
• FPS remains below the cap: a limiter is a ceiling, not a performance boost. Main-thread, GPU, scenery-streaming or add-on load can still pull the simulator beneath it.
• Counters disagree: frame-generation and overlay counters may measure different stages of frame output. Compare before and after with the same counter and the same flight.

Will an FPS cap reduce MSFS stutters?

A sustainable cap can improve frame pacing, reduce GPU load and preserve headroom for busy scenes. It will not cure pauses caused by scenery streaming, shader compilation, an overloaded main thread or a troublesome add-on.

If the simulator cannot hold the chosen target, lower the cap or reduce the settings responsible for the bottleneck. Our MSFS stutter and micro-pause troubleshooting explains how to distinguish unstable frame pacing from pauses that a limiter cannot fix.