If you’ve ever noticed a harsh horizontal line splitting your screen mid-game, you’ve experienced screen tearing. It’s one of the most annoying visual glitches in PC gaming, and it happens more often than you’d think.
Screen tearing occurs when your GPU and monitor fall out of sync.
Your graphics card is pumping out frames at one rate, but your monitor is refreshing at a different rate.
When the monitor starts drawing a new frame before the GPU has finished delivering it, you get that ugly split where the top half shows one frame and the bottom half shows another.
The classic fix has always been VSync (Vertical Synchronization), which forces your GPU to wait for the monitor to finish its refresh cycle before sending the next frame.
But VSync comes with serious tradeoffs: noticeable input lag, a hard frame rate cap, and brutal stuttering if your GPU dips below the refresh rate.
The good news? VSync is far from your only option in 2026. There are several ways to eliminate or dramatically reduce screen tearing without those downsides.
Use a FreeSync or G-Sync Monitor
If you want the single best solution to screen tearing, this is it. FreeSync (from AMD) and G-Sync (from NVIDIA) use Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) technology that solves the problem at the hardware level.
Instead of refreshing at a fixed rate, VRR allows your display to dynamically adjust its refresh rate to match whatever frame rate your GPU is outputting. If your GPU renders at 87 FPS, your monitor refreshes at 87Hz. If it drops to 54 FPS, the monitor follows along at 54Hz. This eliminates tearing entirely with virtually no input lag.
Here’s the best part: FreeSync is an open standard, so the vast majority of modern monitors support it, including many budget displays.
NVIDIA users can also take advantage of FreeSync monitors through G-Sync Compatible mode, available on GTX 10-series cards and newer when connected via DisplayPort.
To enable adaptive sync, turn it on in your monitor’s OSD menu (usually under a Gaming section), your GPU’s control panel, and set VSync to “On” in the driver settings as a safety net for when FPS exceeds the monitor’s maximum refresh rate.
One important note: adaptive sync only works within your monitor’s VRR range.
A typical 144Hz FreeSync monitor might support a range of 48-144Hz. If your frame rate drops below 48 or exceeds 144, you’ll need a backup solution, which brings us to the next method.
Enable NVIDIA Fast Sync or AMD Enhanced Sync
Fast Sync and Enhanced Sync are smarter versions of VSync built into your GPU drivers.
Instead of forcing the GPU to wait for the monitor, Fast Sync lets the GPU render freely and picks the most recently completed full frame to send to the display. No frame rate cap, no stuttering, and significantly less input lag than VSync.
AMD’s Enhanced Sync works on a similar principle.
When your FPS is above your refresh rate, it prevents tearing without capping performance. If your FPS dips below, it disables itself and allows minor tearing rather than causing VSync-style stuttering.
There’s a catch, though. These technologies work best when your frame rate is at least double your refresh rate. On a 60Hz display, that means sustaining 120+ FPS consistently. If your FPS hovers close to your refresh rate, you might notice occasional micro-stuttering.
To enable Fast Sync on NVIDIA, open NVIDIA Control Panel, go to Manage 3D Settings, find the Vertical Sync option, and set it to “Fast.” You’ll need a GeForce 900-series card or newer.
For AMD users, toggle Enhanced Sync in AMD Radeon Software under the Graphics section. Intel Arc GPU owners can use Speed Sync through Intel Arc Control software.
Cap Your Frame Rate With RTSS
RivaTuner Statistics Server (RTSS) is a lightweight utility with one of the best frame rate limiters available.
By capping your FPS at or just below your monitor’s refresh rate, you dramatically reduce tearing because your GPU stops wildly overproducing frames.
What makes RTSS special is how it limits frames. It operates at the CPU level before frames are handed off to the GPU driver, introducing roughly 1ms of delay. Compare that to the 16ms+ of lag VSync adds on a 60Hz display.
The recommended approach is to set your RTSS frame limit to 2-3 FPS below your monitor’s maximum refresh rate. If you have a 144Hz display, cap at 141. For a 60Hz monitor, try 57-58. This small buffer prevents your GPU from spiking above the refresh rate.
RTSS pairs beautifully with FreeSync and G-Sync.
Use adaptive sync for synchronization and RTSS to keep your frame rate within the VRR range. You can grab RTSS as a standalone download or bundled with MSI Afterburner, and configure it globally or per-game.
Try RTSS Scanline Sync
For those willing to get hands-on, Scanline Sync is one of the most impressive enthusiast-level solutions available.
It’s built into RTSS and delivers a virtually tear-free experience with almost zero input lag.
Scanline Sync controls exactly where on the screen the tear line appears.
Every display has a small invisible area called the vertical blanking interval. Scanline Sync positions the tear line in that invisible zone, so tearing technically still happens but you never see it.
The result is the visual cleanliness of VSync with input lag closer to running completely uncapped.
Your GPU needs enough headroom to consistently hit your target frame rate, since dips cause the tear line to reappear.
Exclusive fullscreen mode is strongly recommended, as borderless windowed mode interferes with the precise timing involved.
In RTSS, enter a negative scanline value (like -30 or -50) to push the tear line below the visible screen area.
You can enable hotkeys to adjust this in real-time while gaming. For even better results, combine it with Fast Sync or Enhanced Sync to handle occasional frame time spikes more gracefully.
Upgrade to a Higher Refresh Rate Monitor
Upgrading from 60Hz to 144Hz or higher won’t technically eliminate screen tearing, but it makes it dramatically less noticeable.
On a 60Hz display, each frame stays on screen for about 16.7 milliseconds, giving your eyes plenty of time to spot a tear.
On a 144Hz monitor, each frame lasts only 6.9 milliseconds. At 240Hz and above, frames last just 4.2ms or less, making tearing essentially invisible during normal gameplay.
High refresh rate monitors have become very affordable, with solid 144Hz and 165Hz displays available for well under $200 in 2026.
Many include FreeSync support too. Just make sure your GPU can push the frame rates to match.
Adjust In-Game and Driver Settings
Before spending money on new hardware, there are several software-level tweaks that can help reduce screen tearing or make other solutions work better.
Lower your graphics settings to maintain a stable frame rate. Tearing gets worse when your FPS fluctuates wildly. A consistent 100 FPS looks much better than bouncing between 60 and 140.
NVIDIA users should check out Low Latency Mode in NVIDIA Control Panel under Manage 3D Settings. Setting it to “On” or “Ultra” reduces the number of pre-rendered frames, cutting input lag and improving frame pacing. AMD offers a similar feature called Radeon Anti-Lag under the Gaming tab in Radeon Software.
Also check the Maximum Pre-Rendered Frames setting (NVIDIA) or Flip Queue Size (AMD). Setting this to 1 reduces how many frames your GPU prepares in advance, lowering input lag and improving frame delivery timing.
Don’t overlook your display cable either. An older HDMI 1.4 cable on a 144Hz monitor might limit you to 60Hz. Use DisplayPort or HDMI 2.0/2.1 to get the full refresh rate.
Also check your Windows display settings (right-click desktop, Display Settings, Advanced Display) to confirm your monitor is actually running at its maximum refresh rate.
Which Method Should You Use?
The right choice depends on your setup and the games you play.
If you’re buying a new monitor, get one with FreeSync or G-Sync support and a high refresh rate. Pair it with RTSS to cap frames within the VRR range for the smoothest experience possible.
If you’re a competitive gamer chasing the lowest input lag, Fast Sync or Enhanced Sync is your best bet, as long as your GPU pushes frame rates well above your refresh rate.
If you’re on a budget, start with RTSS frame capping set a few FPS below your refresh rate. For an even cleaner result, learn Scanline Sync for a nearly tear-free experience on any display.
If you’re a casual gamer who mostly plays single-player titles, Adaptive VSync through your GPU’s control panel is the simplest path. It enables VSync when your FPS meets your refresh rate and disables it when you dip below.
The bottom line: you don’t have to put up with screen tearing in 2026.
Between adaptive sync monitors, smart driver features, and tools like RTSS, there’s a solution for every budget and play style.
VSync was the only game in town for a long time, but those days are over.