How to fix PUBG lag
Developed by the PUBG corporation, a subsidiary of BlueHole, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, otherwise known as PUBG, is an online game where players compete against each other in your typical battle royale-type gameplay.
The inspiration for PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds was drawn from previous mods created by Brendan Greene, otherwise known as the elusive “PlayerUnknown.” Greene had based his mods on the movie, Battle Royale, and eventually expanded them into the standalone game that came to be known as PUBG.
In the game, up to one hundred players are dropped onto an island, where they have to scavenge for equipment and weapons to kill other players, while trying to survive for as long as possible.
Each match has an available safe zone, but it shrinks in size as the game progresses, forcing encounters between players. In the end, the last team or individual player surviving wins the match.
PUBG lag issues
Although PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds has become a wildly popular favorite amongst gamers, many players have experienced lag or stuttering while playing the game. So, if you’ve been experiencing either of these issues, know that you’re not alone and there are a few things you can do to try and counteract the problem.
Below, we’re going to go over some of the most common issues that cause PUBG stuttering, and we’ll also explain how to fix them.
But before we try to figure out how to fix PUBG lag, it’s vital to make sure that your system meets the minimum system requirements to run the game properly.
PUBG system requirements
Below, we’ll go over both the minimum and recommended system requirements for running PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. Just keep in mind that while you’ll still be able to run the game by meeting the minimum requirements, you’ll be much more likely to experience issues, since your PC will just barely be able to keep up with the heavy demands of the game.
Minimum system requirements
- Processor: Intel Core i5-4430 or AMD FX-6300
- RAM: 8 GB
- Graphics card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 960 2GB or AMD Radeon R7 370 2GB
- Storage: 30 GB
- Operating system: 64-bit Windows 7, 8.1, or 10
Recommended system requirements
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 5-1600 or Intel Core i5-7600k
- RAM: 16 GB
- Graphics Card: Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB or higher
- Storage: 30 GBOperating System: 64-bit Windows 10
If you meet these system requirements, and you’re still experiencing lag and stuttering, you might be able to solve the issues by trying one of the following fixes.
PUBG stuttering caused by server lag
One of the most common causes of stuttering and glitching is caused by PUBG server lag.
However, since these servers are controlled directly by the game’s developers, there really isn’t all that much that we can do about it. However, there are a few simple changes we can make to increase your computer’s ping and solve the issue of stuttering or lag.
This includes restricting internet access for others using your connection, increasing your internet package’s bandwidth, or simply using a wired connection, as opposed to a wireless connection, to play the game.
These fixes should work for most PUBG stuttering issues, however, if you’re getting an error message that says, “PUBG Network Lag Detected”, check out this step-by-step guide to help solve your issue.
Update the graphics card and network drivers
To get the best possible performance from your hardware, it’s important to make sure that all your drivers are current and up to date. In fact, updating your graphics card driver can sometimes improve performance by up to 30%.
On the other hand, missing or outdated network card drivers are likely to contribute to network and connection lag.
Therefore, we recommend checking and updating any device drivers that are missing or outdated. This can be done either manually or automatically by using an automatic update tool.
To update your device drivers manually, you’ll need to find the latest version of the drivers from your manufacturer’s website. Then, download and install them on your computer. Reboot your game and check to see if this had made any difference with your latency issue.
However, the easiest method for updating your drivers is to use an automatic update tool. These are excellent for those who don’t have the time or skills to properly download and install new drivers. The software will simply scan your computer to find any drivers that are missing or outdated and then, it will automatically install the latest versions.
Fix PUBG lag by using a VPN
When using a VPN, any data that leaves your computer is automatically encrypted, which works to keep your information safe and protected while traveling back and forth to the network’s server. A VPN can help with speed particularly when your ISP is throttling your connection speed. It also helps you connect to the game server through a faster connection by allowing you to choose a server that is nearest to the PUBG game servers, minimizing the drop-off in speed.
To use a VPN, you’re first going to need to select a VPN provider (suitable for Pubg) of your choice and then, download and install the software to your PC. Once installed, open the program and connect to one of the high-speed servers from your list of options.
Then, you’re free to boot up your game and play PUBG via a fast, safe and secure connection.
Restrict background applications
One simple way to make sure that your PC is performing at optimal levels is to restrict any unnecessary background applications which could be drawing from your system’s resources.
To do this, open your Task Manager and scan the list for any programs that you aren’t currently using. Right click on the applications that you wish to close and then select “End Task”.
This should free up a bit of your computer’s RAM and might be enough to fix the issues that you’ve been having.
Limit local network usage
The lag you’ve been experiencing might also be caused by inadequate bandwidth due to other people or devices being connected to your network.
Therefore, make sure that you’re the only person connected to the network and that there are no other devices using up any of your bandwidth.
You might even want to try changing your internet password to make sure that no one in your router’s vicinity is stealing your connection. If you change your password and your issue seems to disappear, then it was likely being caused by another person using your network.
Lower your resolution
Sometimes, if your resolution is set too high, it could contribute to causing lag while playing PUBG. To fix this, you’re going to want to create a shortcut to the PUBG game. Then, right click on the shortcut you’ve just created and select Properties.
Select the Shortcut tab and in the Target field, leave a blank space and then type a lower resolution such as 1024 x 768.
Next, load your game to see if running it in a lower resolution has solved the lag issue you’ve been having.
Set PUBG as High Priority
As we’ve already mentioned, you can use your system’s Task Manager to get some useful insight into how well your PC is performing. Aside from restricting background applications and ending unnecessary tasks that are using up your system’s RAM, you can also use it to set PUBG as a high priority.
This will allow the game to draw whatever resources necessary in order for it to run properly. To do this, open your task manager and right click on PUBG under the Details tab. Then, simply change its priority to High and click on Ok.
Boost your PC’s performance
There are also a few settings that you can try changing to help boost your PC’s performance. For starters, make sure that your PC is running in Game Mode, which might be enough on its own to solve the latency issue that you’ve been having.
You can also try making your way into the Control Panel and selecting System and Security. Then, click on System, Advanced System Settings. Then, under the Performance tab, click Settings one more time and select “Adjust for Best Performance”. Finally, hit “Apply” and your computer should now be optimized to run efficiently.
Optimizing settings like this might not totally solve your PUBG lag issue, however, they ensure that your computer will be running at its maximum efficiency for gaming.
Play PUBG in full screen
One simple and effective way to reduce your latency issue is to make sure that you’re running the game in full screen mode. For this, while playing the game, simply press Alt and Enter at the same time and the game should switch to full screen.
Change your PC’s power options
For laptop users, there’s one final tip that can help solve the issue.
Most of the time, our computer’s power plans are set to Balanced or Power Saver by default. While this is an excellent way to conserve battery life, it can also compromise your PC’s operating capacity and overall performance.
Therefore, it’s recommended to switch your power settings to High Performance, which may drain your battery faster, however, it might be enough to solve issues related to lag.
