The computer graphics seem better if displayed pretty smooth visually, but this is not always the case as screen tearing is always expected if your computer is running Windows 10 operating system with NVIDIA graphic cards installed on it.
What is screen tearing?
Many computer users often observe some sort of distortion in displayed screens while playing video games or watching videos on their PCs; this screen distortion is basically what we call the screen tearing phenomenon.
Note that even a minor split in displayed graphics also comes in the context of screen tearing.
In other terms, screen tearing can be defined as a distorted visual state that occurs when your computer monitor’s refresh rate doesn’t synchronize with the frame rate of graphic cards installed on the system; subsequently, the information or data of multiple frames gets displayed in a single frame.
What causes screen tearing?
Screen tearing effects promptly vanish the graphical smoothness, and if we consider the gaming perspective, the entire gaming experience becomes annoying consequently. Therefore, you need to identify the primary erroring cause and address the issue timely.
In this regard, the loaded display hardware is often considered as the most common erroring cause of the respective issue. For instance, NVIDIA graphic cards are most frequently used for windows 10 operating systems, and NVIDIA cards often get loaded if you play games or watch videos more often.
How to fix the screen tearing issue in windows 10?
If you have identified the accurate erroring cause, then figuring out a right Screen tearing fixing way isn’t a big deal. The fixing process might be as simple as changing the system resolution. Here, we have cited a few proven fixing strategies that would definitely sort out the screen tearing issue instantaneously.
Note: If your system’s hardware specifications don’t authorize the frame rate synchronization, you won’t be able to fix this screen tearing issue that occurred on your monitor screen. However, the replacement of monitor hardware might work in such a scenario.
Restart the computer
Restarting the System is probably one of the quickest & most straightforward ways to fix the screen tearing issue as it can readily synchronize the System’s refresh rate with the frame rate. What you have to do is just restart your PC and then relaunch your respective game on your System.
Although this is considered as the primary solution in this regard, but it may not always work. So, if this doesn’t work in your case, too, then move on to the following stated fixing ways.
Change system resolution & refresh rate
As it is already mentioned, the computer’s unsynchronized refresh rate is the primary cause of the screen tearing issue, so it can be fixed merely by changing the system resolution and adjusting the refresh rate to a suitable level so that it won’t cause the screen distortion issue.
For this:
- Launch the search application by using the shortcut key Windows + S.
- Enter Resolution and launch the first application from the displayed results in the Search dialog box.
- In the launched system settings, scroll down and click on the option “Advanced display settings.”
- A new window will get prompted with all the display details. Here click on the option “Display adapter properties for Display 1.”
- Then, select the Adapter tab in the prompted hardware properties and click on the option “List All Modes.”
- Now, a list of various resolutions will pop up. Here you can easily alter the resolution with respect to your system specifications.
- Once the resolution is changed, press Ok to save the settings.
- Then it is recommended to restart your computer system to check the display difference afterward.
Alter the game mode
Although the Game Mode feature was introduced as an advancement in the windows version as it enables the users to optimize system, broadcast using Game bar, record game clips, and supports screenshots but in some scenarios, all these updated features might be troubling and can lead to screen tearing state subsequently, so it is better to disable this Game Mode feature if you are encountering the screen tearing problem.
- Launch the Search app by the shortcut key Windows + S and type Settings in the displayed search tab.
- In the windows settings menu, select the Gaming option.
- Choose the Game bar option from the left panel of Gaming settings.
Here, click on the displayed toggle to turn off the option “Record game clips, screenshots and broadcast using the Game bar.” - Now, choose the Broadcasting option from the left panel of Gaming settings.
- Here, click on the toggle to turn off the option “Record audio when I broadcast.”
- Then restart your computer and relaunch the game to check if the screen tearing problem still persists there.
Disable the full-screen optimizations
If disabling the “Game Mode” feature doesn’t fix your screen tearing or distortion problem, then you might also need to disable the Fullscreen optimization option. To do so:
- Click right on the respective game to access its Properties.
- Select the Compatibility tab in the game Properties window and checkmark the option “Disable Fullscreen optimizations.”
- Click on the option Apply to save the settings and finish the process by clicking on the Ok button.
- Afterward, restart your computer and relaunch your game to check whether the screen tearing issue has been resolved or not.
Enable or disable the NVIDIA Vsync option
If you have installed the NVIDIA graphics card on your System and encountered the screen tearing issue, then you may also be aware of what does Vsync do in such a case.
NVIDIA Vsync is another highly effective option to instantly fix the screen tearing issue. You can either enable or disable it considering your situation. To do so:
- Click right anywhere on the Desktop screen and choose the option NVIDIA Control Panel.
- In NVIDIA Control Panel, locate the “3D settings” and select the “Manage 3D settings” option.
- Here navigate to the Global settings tab available in the right section of the Window and click on the option Vertical Sync. Now you can either turn it off or on depending on what is more effective in your case.
- Save your settings and exit the NVIDIA Control Panel window.
Disable smooth scrolling
Windows operating system presents an option to scroll smoothly by introducing the smooth scrolling feature, which is quite helpful to adjust the graphic output to a smooth visual level.
Therefore, it is mainly enabled by Windows 10 users. But in some contradictory situations, the smooth scrolling feature may cause the screen tearing problem too.
If this is the case with you also, then you actually need to instantly disable this feature on your system. For this:
- Press the Windows icon key and type smooth scrolling the search bar.
In the displayed results, choose the option “Adjust the appearance and performance of windows.” - Now in the prompted Performance Options window, uncheck the option Smooth-scroll list boxes.
- Click on Ok to save the settings.
Use a high-performance power plan.
The game you intend to play may require a sufficient amount of power to run smoothly, but if it doesn’t get the necessary level of power; you may subsequently bump into the screen tearing situation.
So, to avoid such a case, it is recommended to use a high-performance power plan for your system. (Note that this fixing strategy is not applicable on laptop devices). To implement this fixing way, what you need to do is:
- Launch the Run application by the shortcut key Window + R.
- Type powercfg.cpl in the Run dialog box and press Enter to continue the process.
- Now click on the option Show additional plans in the prompted Power Options window.
- Here click on the “High Performance” option.
- Then just restart your PC.
Update or reinstall the System’s graphics driver
Graphics card plays the primary & significant role in displaying the graphics. If you are encountering screen tearing in your game or video, it might be because of the malfunctioning graphics card installed on your System. The graphics card might be damaged or outdated.
So, you need to make sure the installed graphics cards are updated and functioning correctly in the first place. To update an outdated driver, you may also need to reinstall the drivers if the automatic update process doesn’t work accurately. To do so:
- Launch the Run app by using the shortcut key Windows + R.
- In the Run dialog box, type devmgmt.msc and press Enter to proceed on.
- In the Device Manager menu, locate the option NVIDIA hardware.
Right-click on the NVIDIA hardware and select the option Uninstall device. - After the successful uninstallation of the driver, restart your System.
After the successful restart, the system will automatically reinstall the default drivers in the latest version. But if it isn’t the case with you, you can reinstall the drivers manually by following way:
- In the first place, just right-click anywhere on the vacant space and select the option “Scan for hardware changes.” If the problem still remains, then you need to proceed to the next step.
- Launch your browser and navigate to NVIDIA’s official site.
- Now, you can access & install the latest version of the compatible driver on your System.
Suppose you don’t want to install it manually. In that case, you can go for the automatic installation too, in such as case the Windows will automatically search for the updates & install the latest driver version.Note that the automatic update process is always the recommended one. So, what you need to do is:
- Right-click on the hardware device or driver and select the option “Update driver.”
- In the prompted Window, choose the option “Search automatically for updated driver software.”
- Once the update process is finished, restart your computer system.
Conclusion
The windows 10 users often report a common issue regarding the visual distortion of monitor screens, also known as screen tearing; you might encounter the distorted or split visual screen in this respective issue that is supposed to annoy the entire gaming or video watching experience.
The screen tearing factor might be based on various erroring grounds, but still, you have many choices when it comes to fixing this screen tearing problem.
In this brief guide, we have suggested and comprehensively elaborated on the ways you can opt for fixing this screen tearing issue, such as altering the game mode, system resolution, or computer refresh rate in this regard.
In some cases, the users may also need to update or reinstall the system’s graphic drivers.
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