Learn when to enable HAGS for non-VR MSFS 2024, why DLSS Frame Generation needs it, how to switch it on and when to turn it off.
For non-VR Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 on Windows, we recommend enabling Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling (HAGS) when using supported DLSS Frame Generation, because that feature requires it. Without frame generation, HAGS is optional: test both states and retain the one that gives steadier frame times, as an FPS increase is not guaranteed.
When should HAGS be enabled in MSFS 2024?
HAGS should remain enabled when desktop frame generation depends on it; for ordinary rendering, the best setting varies between systems and drivers.
| MSFS 2024 use | Recommended HAGS setting | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| DLSS Frame Generation on a supported GPU | On | Frame generation requires HAGS to be enabled and Windows restarted. |
| Standard monitor rendering without frame generation | Test On first | It may improve frame-time consistency, do nothing measurable or occasionally make stuttering worse. |
| New stutters, crashes or capture problems after enabling it | Off for comparison | This establishes whether HAGS is involved rather than blaming an unrelated graphics setting. |
| Xbox or PlayStation | Not applicable | HAGS is a Windows graphics setting and has no user-accessible console switch. |
| Native VR | Assess separately | Desktop frame generation and VR reprojection are different systems; use our separate HAGS guidance for Microsoft Flight Simulator VR. |
What does HAGS actually change?
With HAGS enabled, Windows offloads most high-frequency GPU scheduling to a dedicated scheduler on the graphics hardware. It does not overclock the GPU, add VRAM or directly make the simulator's flight model run faster.
MSFS 2024 frequently shifts between CPU, GPU, VRAM and scenery-streaming limits. That is why one computer may show smoother frame delivery with HAGS while another records no useful change. It also explains why HAGS cannot compensate for excessive traffic, level of detail, render scale or cloud settings.
How do I enable HAGS for MSFS 2024?
Windows controls HAGS globally; Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 has no in-game HAGS switch and nothing needs editing in UserCfg.opt.
- Close MSFS 2024. This prevents the simulator or its graphics driver state from carrying over during the change.
- Open Windows Graphics settings. In Windows 11, use
Settings > System > Display > Graphics. On Windows 10, search Settings forGraphics settings, as the path varies between builds. - Open the default graphics options. Depending on the Windows build, this may be labelled
Default graphics settingsorChange default graphics settings. - Enable Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling. Do not confuse it with the separate windowed-game optimisation or variable-refresh-rate switches.
- Restart Windows. A simulator restart alone is not enough after changing HAGS.
- Launch MSFS 2024 and verify your graphics options. If frame generation is the goal, follow our desktop frame-generation setup checklist for the remaining GPU, driver and simulator requirements.
If the HAGS switch is absent, make sure Windows and the graphics driver are suitable for the installed GPU. If it remains unavailable, the hardware or driver is probably not exposing HAGS; reinstalling MSFS will not add the switch.
Does HAGS improve MSFS 2024 FPS?
HAGS does not guarantee higher native FPS in MSFS 2024, and any change outside frame generation may be small enough to disappear between different aircraft, airports or weather conditions.
Frame generation can substantially raise the number of frames presented to the monitor, but it does not raise the simulator's underlying CPU update rate by the same amount. A low base frame rate can therefore still produce delayed controls or uneven motion despite an impressive displayed FPS figure.
If performance is poor with HAGS both on and off, use our method for identifying MSFS 2024 CPU, GPU, VRAM and streaming bottlenecks before reducing settings at random.
How should I test HAGS in MSFS 2024?
The reliable way to judge HAGS is to compare identical non-VR flights after restarting Windows for each setting.
- Choose a repeatable scene. Use the same aircraft, airport, cockpit view, weather and time of day.
- Remove changing variables. Disable live traffic, multiplayer and live weather during the comparison if they would alter the workload between runs.
- Let the flight settle. Wait for initial scenery loading and compilation-related stutters before judging performance.
- Watch frame times as well as FPS. The simulator's developer FPS display can help identify whether
MainThreador the GPU is limiting performance. Smooth, consistent delivery matters more than a tiny average-FPS increase. - Change only HAGS, restart Windows and repeat. Do not alter render scale, traffic, frame generation or driver settings during the same comparison.
A common mistake is comparing HAGS off with frame generation disabled against HAGS on with frame generation enabled, then attributing the whole difference to HAGS. To measure HAGS itself, keep frame generation off in both tests. If the objective is simply to use frame generation, leave HAGS on and test frame generation separately.
What if HAGS causes stuttering or frame-generation problems?
If stuttering, instability or capture problems begin after enabling HAGS, disable it, restart Windows and repeat the same scene with frame generation off.
- If the problem disappears and frame generation is not needed, leaving HAGS off is a valid configuration.
- If HAGS is needed for frame generation, re-enable it and check the Windows build, graphics driver, overlays, capture tools and driver-level overrides one at a time.
- If frame generation is missing, flickering or unstable, use our targeted fixes for MSFS 2024 frame-generation faults.
- If the same stutter occurs with HAGS in both states, HAGS is unlikely to be the cause; investigate the main-thread, GPU, VRAM or streaming limit instead.