If Elden Ring suddenly runs worse on PC, check Ray Tracing Quality first and turn it off if it is enabled. Bandai Namco has documented a PC-only issue in which ray tracing could switch on after loading save data from an older game version. Ray tracing improves lighting and reflections but can reduce frame rate and resolution, so disabling it is the most evidence-based first step when smooth performance matters.
On PC, use Graphics (or Graphics Settings) > Ray Tracing Quality. On PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, use Game Options > Ray Tracing. The exact label can vary by update or language. These steps do not guarantee a particular frame rate: performance depends on your hardware, resolution, drivers, game area and other software running on the system.
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Start here: the fastest performance checks
- Disable ray tracing. On PC, open the graphics menu and set Ray Tracing Quality to Off. On PS5 or Xbox Series X, open Game Options and switch Ray Tracing off.
- Restart the game and test the same area. Use a repeatable location or activity so you can tell whether the change helped. Compare traversal, combat and camera movement rather than judging from a different scene.
- On PC, update your graphics driver. Bandai Namco’s February 25, 2022 support message says, “For the PC version, updating your graphics card drivers to the latest version may significantly improve performance.” That is dated general advice, not a guarantee for every current system: Bandai Namco’s performance-issues notice.
- If the problem persists, check for software that controls mouse behavior. Version 1.16 identifies third-party mouse-control applications as a possible source of unstable performance and suggests deactivating them while testing.
- Change one graphics option at a time. Record what you changed and whether frame pacing or image quality improved. No official source establishes one universal best preset for every PC or console.
Keep a simple baseline before making several changes. Note your platform, display resolution, whether ray tracing is on, the area where the slowdown occurs and any unusual message on screen. Returning to that same test after each change helps separate a real improvement from normal variation between busy and quiet areas. It also prevents a common mistake: lowering multiple options at once and then not knowing which setting affected image quality.
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Why ray tracing is the first setting to test
Ray tracing is a visual effect with a direct performance cost. In the Elden Ring 1.09 notes, the publisher warns that enabling it may affect both frame rate and resolution. That makes it a poor starting point when your priority is consistent movement, camera response and combat timing.
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On PC, Bandai Namco’s June 24, 2024 calibration notice explained that ray tracing could be enabled unintentionally when save data from an earlier game version was loaded. If performance changed after importing an old save or updating the game, inspect this setting before changing anything else: Calibration Update 1.12.2.
PC menu path
Open the title or pause menu and choose System, then Graphics or Graphics Settings, and locate Ray Tracing Quality (the 2024 notice spells it “Raytracing Quality”). Set it to Off, apply the change if prompted, and relaunch the game if the option does not appear to take effect. The 2024 notice and the later 1.16 notes use slightly different capitalization and spacing, so search for the equivalent ray-tracing entry if your language or update displays a different label.
Console menu path
On PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, open Game Options, select Ray Tracing, and turn it off. The official notes do not establish a PC-style set of adjustable quality presets for every console model, so do not assume that a console offers the same controls as the PC version.
PC troubleshooting workflow
1. Confirm that ray tracing is really off
Check the setting after loading your character, not only from the title screen. If it has switched back on, disable it again and restart. A saved-game transition from an older version is one documented trigger, but the notice does not say that every PC installation is affected. If the setting remains off and performance is still poor, move to the next check instead of repeatedly changing the same option.
2. Compare the game with and without third-party mouse software
Version 1.16 lists applications that control mouse behavior as a possible cause of unstable performance. Close or deactivate that specific software, then launch Elden Ring and repeat the same test. This is targeted troubleshooting, not evidence that every overlay, peripheral utility or background process causes stutter. Re-enable programs one at a time after testing so you can identify a conflict instead of leaving unrelated software disabled.
3. Update the graphics driver
Use the current driver supplied for your GPU by its manufacturer and reboot before testing. The February 25, 2022 Bandai Namco statement is the source for this recommendation; because it is historical, treat it as a sensible maintenance step rather than a promised FPS increase. A driver update is maintenance, not a substitute for checking whether your computer meets the game’s general requirements or the separate ray-tracing requirements.
4. Adjust quality settings incrementally
With ray tracing off, change one available quality control at a time. Start with the options that have the largest visible effect in your own game, lower one step, and test in the area where you notice slowdowns. If the image becomes unnecessarily soft or loses detail, restore that option and try a different one. This method avoids claiming that an untested combination is “best” and lets you balance clarity against the specific limits of your CPU, GPU and display.
Use the same resolution while comparing settings. The publisher’s ray-tracing figures are specifically 1080p targets, so they cannot be treated as a guarantee for a 1440p or 4K display. If you normally use a higher resolution, first establish whether the issue is present at that resolution with ray tracing disabled, then make small quality changes rather than assuming the ray-tracing recommendation applies unchanged.
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5. Separate a graphics problem from a game-file or account message
Version 1.16 recommends verifying game-file integrity when the game displays “Inappropriate activity detected.” That instruction addresses the message and possible file problems; it is not a general FPS fix. Use the file-integrity check for that symptom rather than expecting it to improve ordinary frame-rate drops: Patch Notes Version 1.16.
PC requirements: general game support versus ray tracing
Meeting a listed requirement does not guarantee a particular frame rate, resolution, frame-time consistency or quality level. Steam’s figures are the general PC requirements for Elden Ring. The higher figures below were published with Update 1.09 specifically for ray tracing and describe the hardware used for the stated quality and resolution targets.
| Use case | Processor | Memory | Graphics card | Published target | Source and date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General minimum | Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 3 3300X | 12 GB RAM | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB or AMD Radeon RX 580 4 GB | Not stated on the Steam requirement page | Steam Support; publication date not stated: ELDEN RING technical requirements |
| General recommended | Intel Core i7-8700K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600X | 16 GB RAM | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 8 GB or AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 8 GB | Not stated on the Steam requirement page | Steam Support; publication date not stated: ELDEN RING technical requirements |
| Ray tracing minimum | Intel Core i5-10600K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT | 16 GB RAM | NVIDIA RTX 3060 Ti 8 GB or AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT 12 GB | 1080p, low quality, low ray tracing | Update 1.09, March 23, 2023: Elden Ring 1.09 notes |
| Ray tracing recommended | Intel Core i7-10700K or AMD Ryzen 7 3800XT | 16 GB RAM | NVIDIA RTX 3070 Ti 8 GB or AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT 16 GB | 1080p, high quality, high ray tracing | Update 1.09, March 23, 2023: Elden Ring 1.09 notes |
The general minimum lists 60 GB of storage. The ray-tracing specifications are not a buying guide and do not promise a fixed FPS; they are the publisher’s hardware guidance for the named 1080p settings. A PC that meets the general recommended specification may still be unsuitable for high ray tracing.
How to interpret the four rows
The first two rows describe the game generally: 12 GB of memory and a GTX 1060 3 GB or RX 580 4 GB appear in the minimum specification, while the recommended row moves to 16 GB and a GTX 1070 8 GB or RX Vega 56 8 GB. Neither row states a guaranteed resolution, quality preset or frame rate. They tell you the baseline hardware category for running the PC version, not what performance you should expect in every area.
The last two rows are narrower. They both require 16 GB of memory and pair faster processors and graphics cards with explicit 1080p ray-tracing targets. The minimum ray-tracing row names an i5-10600K or Ryzen 5 3600XT and an RTX 3060 Ti or RX 6700 XT for low quality and low ray tracing. The recommended row names an i7-10700K or Ryzen 7 3800XT and an RTX 3070 Ti or RX 6900 XT for high quality and high ray tracing. These are dated publisher specifications from March 23, 2023, not independent benchmark results.
If your machine falls below the ray-tracing rows, disabling ray tracing is the evidence-based choice. That does not mean you must buy a new graphics card: the official material does not identify a required purchase or prove that an upgrade will solve every stutter. Try the supported software and settings checks first, and judge any hardware decision against the general requirements, your resolution and the symptoms you actually see.
Choosing visuals or frame-rate stability on PC
When to leave ray tracing off
- Your frame rate became unstable after an update or after loading an older save.
- Your GPU is near the general requirement but below the separate ray-tracing specifications.
- You prefer steadier combat and camera movement over ray-traced lighting effects.
- Your display resolution is higher than 1080p, since the published ray-tracing targets are specifically 1080p.
When to test ray tracing cautiously
If your system meets or exceeds the 1.09 ray-tracing guidance, you can enable the feature and test it in your normal play areas. Begin with the lower ray-tracing setting, watch for frame-time spikes and check whether resolution changes are acceptable. The official material does not provide comparative benchmarks for different GPUs, presets or areas, so use your own repeatable test rather than assuming the “recommended” hardware will deliver a particular result.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallDo not compare a high-ray-tracing result with a low-quality result and call the difference a pure ray-tracing gain. Keep other settings and the display resolution unchanged while testing. If the feature looks attractive but produces inconsistent movement, the practical trade-off favors leaving it off; you can revisit it after a driver update or game update.
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A practical adjustment order
- Set ray tracing to Off and establish a baseline.
- Restore the visual setting you care about most, leaving the others unchanged.
- Test traversal, combat and camera movement in the same location.
- If performance is still unstable, lower one additional quality option and test again.
- Stop when frame pacing is acceptable; do not keep lowering settings once the problem is solved.
This process preserves as much image quality as your machine can sustain without relying on an unverified universal preset. It also gives you a clear rollback path: if the latest change makes the picture worse without helping performance, restore it and test a different control.
PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X steps
Disable ray tracing from Game Options
Use Game Options > Ray Tracing and switch the feature off when you want to prioritize frame-rate stability. Bandai Namco states that ray tracing can affect frame rate and resolution. The available options and behavior can differ by console model and game update, and the cited documentation does not establish identical menu controls for every console.
PS5: rebuild the database only as a targeted troubleshooting step
Version 1.16 says an unstable frame rate on PS5 may improve after using Rebuild Database from the console’s Safe Mode. This is a possible remedy, not a guaranteed result or a routine first step. First disable ray tracing and retest; use the Safe Mode procedure only if instability continues and you are comfortable following Sony’s console-maintenance instructions. The patch note does not provide a measured improvement or say that every PS5 needs this procedure.
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The documented control for this platform is the Ray Tracing option in Game Options. The reviewed official notes do not provide an equivalent database-rebuild instruction for Xbox Series X, so do not apply the PS5 procedure to Xbox. If the issue continues after testing ray tracing, record the game version and the exact symptom rather than assuming a PC-style graphics menu exists.
Common pitfalls that make troubleshooting less useful
- Assuming the general recommended PC specification includes ray tracing. It does not. Ray tracing has its own, substantially higher 1.09 hardware rows.
- Treating 1080p guidance as a 1440p or 4K promise. Both ray-tracing rows specify 1080p, so higher-resolution use requires its own testing.
- Changing every option at once. You lose the ability to identify which setting affected performance or image quality.
- Using file verification as an FPS booster. Version 1.16 connects it to the “Inappropriate activity detected” message, not ordinary stutter.
- Disabling every background program without a test. The documented PC lead concerns third-party applications that control mouse behavior; test that category specifically.
- Applying PS5 maintenance steps to Xbox. The cited notes mention Rebuild Database for PS5, not an equivalent Xbox procedure.
- Expecting a fixed number from a settings change. No independent benchmark in the cited material establishes a universal gain for a GPU, preset or game area.
Diagnose the symptom before changing more settings
| What you notice | First action | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Performance changed after loading an older save or updating the game | Check Ray Tracing Quality and turn it off | Bandai Namco documented unintended PC ray-tracing activation after older save data was loaded. |
| Only the PC version stutters while a mouse utility is running | Deactivate the mouse-control application and retest | Version 1.16 identifies that type of third-party software as a possible cause. |
| PC performance is poor with outdated drivers | Install the current GPU driver and restart | The publisher’s 2022 support message says driver updates may significantly improve performance. |
| PS5 frame rate remains unstable after graphics changes | Consider Rebuild Database from Safe Mode | Version 1.16 lists it as a possible PS5 improvement, not a guarantee. |
| The message “Inappropriate activity detected” appears | Verify the integrity of game files on PC | The instruction is tied to that message, not ordinary frame-rate tuning. |
What the official information does—and does not—establish
The documented evidence supports disabling unexpected ray tracing, checking a specific class of mouse-control software, keeping GPU drivers current and using the PS5 database rebuild as a possible remedy. It does not establish a ranked list of every graphics preset, a guaranteed FPS gain from any setting, or a hardware purchase that will solve stutter. No independent benchmark is provided for current GPUs, console modes or individual Elden Ring areas.
Use the published requirements to understand the boundary between general game support and ray-tracing support, then measure changes on your own system. Keep ray tracing off when consistent performance is more important than its lighting effects; enable it only after a controlled test shows that your hardware and preferred resolution can sustain it.
Official references
- Bandai Namco Entertainment America — ELDEN RING Patch Notes Version 1.16
- Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe — ELDEN RING Calibration Update 1.12.2, June 24, 2024
- Elden Ring / Steam — Update 1.09 and ray-tracing notes, March 23, 2023
- Steam Support — ELDEN RING gameplay or technical issue
- Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe — performance-issues message, February 25, 2022
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I improve Elden Ring FPS on PC first?
Open System, then Graphics or Graphics Settings, and set Ray Tracing Quality to Off. Restart and test before changing other options.
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Should ray tracing be off in Elden Ring?
Turn it off when frame-rate stability is your priority or when your performance changed unexpectedly. Enable it only after testing your hardware at your chosen resolution.
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Why is Elden Ring running poorly after I loaded an old save?
Bandai Namco documented a PC issue in which ray tracing could become enabled after loading save data from an older game version. Check the Ray Tracing Quality setting.
Does verifying game files increase Elden Ring FPS?
Not generally. Version 1.16 recommends file-integrity verification for the “Inappropriate activity detected” message; it is not presented as a general frame-rate fix.
What should I try if Elden Ring still stutters on PS5?
Disable ray tracing first. If instability remains, Version 1.16 lists Rebuild Database from Safe Mode as a possible improvement, not a guaranteed solution.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsWhat are Elden Ring’s general minimum PC requirements?
Steam lists an Intel Core i5-8400 or Ryzen 3 3300X, 12 GB RAM, a GTX 1060 3 GB or Radeon RX 580 4 GB, and 60 GB of storage. The page does not promise a particular resolution, quality level or frame rate.
What PC hardware does Elden Ring ray tracing require?
The March 23, 2023 Update 1.09 notes list an i5-10600K or Ryzen 5 3600XT with 16 GB RAM and an RTX 3060 Ti or RX 6700 XT for 1080p low quality and low ray tracing. The recommended row lists an i7-10700K or Ryzen 7 3800XT, 16 GB RAM and an RTX 3070 Ti or RX 6900 XT for 1080p high quality and high ray tracing.
Is there one best Elden Ring graphics preset for every PC?
No. The official material does not provide comparative testing for every GPU, preset or area. Disable ray tracing first, then change one available quality option at a time and test your own repeatable location.
Can I use the PS5 Rebuild Database procedure on Xbox Series X?
No equivalent Xbox instruction is established in the cited notes. Rebuild Database is listed as a possible PS5 step only.
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For the clearest first test, turn ray tracing off, restart and repeat the same activity. On PC, update the GPU driver and temporarily deactivate mouse-control software if instability continues; on PS5, consider Rebuild Database only as a later targeted step. Treat the general and ray-tracing specifications as guidance rather than FPS promises, and change other graphics options one at a time.
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