For current Squad builds, start with the built-in Defaults benchmark, then tune the upscaler resolution, Global Illumination Quality and Shadows instead of blindly lowering every option. Squad now runs on Unreal Engine 5.5, so older Unreal Engine 4 advice is no longer a reliable baseline. DX11 is unsupported according to the official Update 9.0 graphics guide; use the supported rendering path, keep Windows and GPU drivers current, and treat 6GB of VRAM as the published starting point rather than a permanent rule.
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This guide explains how to find a stable graphics balance, improve visibility without making the image unnecessarily soft, recover microphone and VOIP input, and rebind controls in the current settings interface. It also accounts for the 10.6 and 10.6.1 usability changes, including the Enter key requirement for manually typed values and the revised Escape behavior on the rebinding page.
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Squad separates its options into dedicated gameplay, video, sound and controls areas. That separation matters when troubleshooting: a frame-rate problem belongs in Video, a microphone-routing problem usually involves Sound plus Windows, and an uncomfortable layout belongs in Controls rather than in a graphics preset.
Gameplay
Gameplay options affect how the game behaves and presents information rather than how many pixels your graphics card must draw. Change these only when you have a specific playability goal, such as reducing distractions or making an interaction easier to reach. Keep a written note or screenshot of any unusual choice so a later update does not leave you guessing about what changed.
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Video
Video contains the quality preset, upscaler resolution and demanding image-quality controls discussed in the official graphics guidance. It is the place to work when the game feels uneven, the image is too soft, or your GPU is running out of headroom.
Sound
Sound contains output and input selections and the volume mix. The right balance depends on your headphones, speakers, Windows routing and personal preference; there is no universal volume percentage that guarantees clear squad communication.
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Controls
Controls is a dedicated rebinding area. Use it to shorten the distance to actions you perform repeatedly, especially communication, stance, map and interaction commands. Current hotfixes changed how this page behaves, so instructions written for an older build may not match what you see.
Check the current technical baseline first
Squad is now an Unreal Engine 5.5 game
The official Update 9.0 release notes describe Squad’s move to Unreal Engine 5.5 and identify performance as a major focus. Guides written for the former Unreal Engine 4 renderer can therefore point you toward settings that no longer map cleanly to the current presets or performance profile.
DX11 is not a supported fallback
The Update 9.0 graphics guide states plainly: “DX11 is not supported.” Do not build a troubleshooting plan around switching to DX11. If a guide tells you to do that, it is describing a different version or an unsupported configuration.
VRAM guidance is version-sensitive
The same guide asks players to have at least 6GB of video memory and to update GPU drivers and Windows to the latest versions. Those are the published 9.0 recommendations, not a guarantee that every card with 6GB will deliver the same frame rate or image quality.
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Update 10.6 adds an important qualification: Offworld Industries says it hopes to revise the official recommendation from 6GB to 4GB after additional testing. That is an evaluation in progress, not a confirmed new requirement. Until a later official guide changes the recommendation, use 6GB as the conservative planning figure and regard 4GB as a possible future revision rather than a promise of acceptable performance.
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Prepare before measuring
- Install the current GPU driver available for your card.
- Bring Windows up to date before judging whether a graphics change helped.
- Close unnecessary GPU- or CPU-intensive software so your comparison is meaningful.
- Record the current preset and any custom values before you start; that gives you a known recovery point.
A graphics-tuning workflow that gives you useful answers
1. Run the built-in Defaults benchmark
Open the Video settings and select Defaults to run the benchmark before making manual changes. This establishes a version-appropriate starting point using the game’s own test rather than an old internet preset. Let it finish, note the resulting quality level and how the image looks, and use that result as your reference.
2. Decide whether you need more frames or more detail
Choose one primary objective for the next change. If the game is already smooth but looks soft, prioritize image clarity. If frame delivery is uneven or the GPU is saturated, prioritize headroom. Changing several unrelated options at once prevents you from learning which setting produced the improvement.
3. Adjust upscaler resolution before dismantling the whole preset
Upscaler resolution is the direct sharpness-versus-performance control highlighted by the official guide. A lower value gives the renderer fewer pixels to process and can raise performance, but fine detail becomes softer. A higher value preserves more detail and costs more GPU time. Move it in small steps, apply the value, and compare the same scene rather than judging from a different map or lighting condition.
4. Reduce Global Illumination Quality when the GPU is the limit
Global Illumination Quality is one of the demanding settings specifically identified in the graphics guide. If lowering the upscaler resolution is not enough, reduce this option one level and test again. Global illumination contributes to how light spreads through a scene, so the trade-off is performance for lighting quality rather than a simple loss of texture sharpness.
5. Tune Shadows separately
Shadows are the other demanding control called out by the guide. Lowering them can create additional GPU headroom, while keeping them higher preserves more shadow detail. Change Shadows independently from Global Illumination so you know which compromise you prefer.
6. Re-run a comparable test after each meaningful change
Use the benchmark again when possible, then spend enough time in a familiar gameplay situation to check whether the improvement survives real play. A setting that looks faster in a static view may not help during a busy scene. Keep notes such as upscaler one step lower or Shadows reduced, Global Illumination unchanged; this makes it easy to undo a change that harms visibility.
How the current quality levels should influence your choice
| Quality choice | What the official guidance establishes | Who should start there | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| UE5 Medium | Higher quality than UE4 Epic | Players seeking a sensible starting point on hardware that is not in the newest generation | More visual quality than the old UE4 Epic label suggests, with less headroom than a very low preset |
| UE5 High | Intended for modern GPUs | Owners of newer graphics cards who have benchmark headroom | Higher image quality with greater GPU demand |
| UE5 Epic | Intended for modern GPUs and not recommended for previous GPU generations | Modern-GPU users willing to spend performance on fidelity | Maximum demand among the listed UE5 levels |
| Low graphics preset | Update 10.6 notes that low presets may improve performance at the cost of visual fidelity | Players who need the most performance and accept a visibly reduced image | More frames or headroom, but less detail and fidelity |
The labels are not a promise of a particular frame rate. Hardware generation is the important dividing line: UE5 High and Epic target newer GPUs, while previous generations should begin lower and move upward only after the benchmark shows room.
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Improve visibility without making Squad blurry
Preserve resolution before lowering every quality control
If distant objects and terrain are difficult to read, lowering the upscaler resolution further may solve a performance problem while creating a visibility problem. Try keeping the upscaler at the clearest value your GPU can sustain and make a smaller reduction to Global Illumination or Shadows instead. This keeps the image’s sampling sharper while spending less on the settings that the official guide identifies as especially demanding.
Use a deliberate two-axis decision
Think of each change on two axes: performance and image quality. Upscaler resolution primarily changes rendering sharpness and workload. Global Illumination and Shadows primarily change lighting and shadow detail. A balanced configuration often comes from combining a modest upscaler adjustment with one carefully chosen lighting reduction rather than pushing one control to an extreme.
Compare like with like
Visibility judgments are easily distorted by weather, time of day and scene complexity. Compare the same benchmark result or a familiar area, then confirm the choice during ordinary play. If a lower preset improves performance but makes target identification harder, move up one level and recover headroom by trimming a demanding setting instead of accepting the blur.
Choosing a starting profile by hardware generation
Newer GPU
Run Defaults first, then test UE5 High. If the benchmark remains comfortable and you prefer fidelity, evaluate UE5 Epic. Keep an eye on the upscaler and the two demanding lighting controls; they are the first places to make a measured reduction if a demanding scene loses smoothness.
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Begin at UE5 Medium or the level selected by Defaults rather than forcing High or Epic. The official guidance specifically says High and Epic are not recommended for previous GPU generations. Raise one level only after testing, and keep a recovery note so you can return to the stable baseline.
Limited VRAM
Use the published 6GB recommendation as the conservative reference. A card with less memory may still launch, but the available evidence does not establish a universal lower-memory performance target. Update 10.6’s possible move to 4GB remains pending additional testing, so do not interpret it as a confirmed guarantee for every 4GB card.
VOIP and microphone troubleshooting
When voice chat fails, work from the physical input path toward the game. The 10.6 notes document two relevant problems: VOIP could fail when Windows Audio Enhancements were enabled, and players could be prevented from selecting or changing the audio input device in Squad’s Settings menu. The update records fixes for both issues, but your local routing can still be wrong.
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1. Verify the microphone in Windows
Confirm that Windows sees the intended microphone and that it is the active input for the device or application profile you use. If you have a headset, webcam and controller microphone connected, identify the one you actually want before changing anything in Squad.
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If teammates cannot hear you or VOIP fails to activate, inspect the Windows device’s Audio Enhancements setting. Because 10.6 specifically records a failure when enhancements were enabled, disable them temporarily and test again. If the behavior changes, leave enhancements off for that device while playing or re-enable them one at a time to identify the conflicting processing.
3. Select the input inside Squad
Open the Sound settings and choose the intended input device. The 10.6 fix addresses the inability to select or change an input, so make sure your installation is actually on a build containing that fix. After selecting the device, apply the setting and perform a local voice test or ask a teammate to confirm the result.
4. Check routing after every hardware change
Windows can change its preferred device when a headset is connected, disconnected or moved between ports. Recheck both Windows and Squad after such a change. Do not assume that a volume adjustment alone will repair a routing problem; the selected input must be the microphone receiving your voice.
5. Keep the mix personal and understandable
There is no single correct volume mix for every headset, room or hearing preference. Set output loud enough to understand communication without masking other important game audio, then make small adjustments. Treat clarity and reliable input selection as separate checks.
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Rebind controls for faster communication and fewer hand movements
Open the dedicated controls area
From the main menu, enter the Controls section rather than editing an unrelated gameplay or video option. Start with actions you use repeatedly: communication, stance changes, the map and interaction. A useful binding reduces hand movement but must remain reachable under pressure.
Change one group of actions at a time
- Record the existing binding before changing it.
- Rebind one related group, such as communication or movement-adjacent actions.
- Confirm that the new key or button is displayed in the controls page.
- Test the action in a safe situation before changing another group.
- Keep the layout if it feels reliable; revert to the recorded value if it causes accidental presses or slows access to another command.
Use Enter when typing numeric settings
Hotfix 10.6.1 states that manually entered numeric values in Settings now apply when Enter is pressed. If you type a value and move away without pressing Enter, assume it may not have been committed. Press Enter, confirm that the displayed value remains, and only then leave the field.
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Escape no longer backs out of the rebinding page
Hotfix 1 changed the rebinding experience so pressing Escape while trying to rebind a key no longer backs you out of the control settings page. This makes experimentation less disruptive, but it also means you should use the page’s visible navigation when you intentionally want to leave it.
Balance responsiveness with comfort
A theoretically fast binding is not useful if it is difficult to reach or conflicts with a command you need simultaneously. Favor consistent access to communication, stance, map and interaction over novelty. Test the layout during ordinary play, not only while standing still in a menu.
Diagnose common settings failures
The game is slow after choosing a high preset
Return to the Defaults benchmark, then reduce UE5 Epic or High to the next lower level appropriate for your hardware generation. If you need more headroom, lower Global Illumination Quality or Shadows before sacrificing all rendering resolution. Test after each change so you can identify the useful compromise.
The image is fast but too soft
Raise the upscaler resolution one step and test. If performance falls too far, keep the sharper value and reduce one demanding lighting option instead. Avoid judging clarity from a different scene, because lighting and distance can make the same resolution appear different.
Voice chat still uses the wrong microphone
Reconfirm the Windows input, test Audio Enhancements, then return to Squad’s Sound settings and select the device again. If the input selector is missing or refuses to change, verify that your game has the 10.6 fixes and that Windows still recognizes the microphone.
A typed value did not stick
Enter the number again and press Enter before leaving the field. The 10.6.1 change makes that key press the confirmation step for manually entered numeric settings.
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Use the current Controls page as the authority. Hotfix 1 changed Escape behavior, and later updates can alter labels or navigation. Rebind one action, confirm the displayed result, and test it before applying a full layout from an older guide.
A practical baseline for common goals
| Goal | Starting point | Next adjustment | What to watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum available performance | Defaults benchmark, then Low or the lower level it selects | Reduce Global Illumination Quality and Shadows if the GPU remains limited | Lower visual fidelity and softer detail |
| Balanced play | Defaults benchmark or UE5 Medium on previous-generation hardware | Use a modest upscaler change before cutting several quality settings | Whether communication and distant detail remain clear |
| Highest practical fidelity on a modern GPU | Test UE5 High, then UE5 Epic if the benchmark leaves headroom | Trim Shadows or Global Illumination when demanding scenes become uneven | GPU load and frame consistency rather than the preset label alone |
| Sharpest image your hardware can sustain | Keep the upscaler as high as performance permits | Lower one lighting control instead of repeatedly reducing resolution | Clarity in comparable scenes after each change |
Recheck settings after updates
Squad’s settings behavior is version-sensitive. The current material represented here is Update 10.6 plus the 10.6.1 and Hotfix 1 usability changes. Future patches can alter presets, benchmarks, device handling or navigation. After a major update, run Defaults again, confirm that numeric fields apply with Enter, and revisit the official release notes before assuming an older configuration is still optimal.
Use the official 9.0 graphics guidance for the renderer and conservative VRAM baseline, and the 10.6 notes for the pending 4GB evaluation, VOIP fixes and low-preset performance caveat. That combination gives you a safer starting point than copying an undated UE4 configuration.
Quick Recap
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