Cod Mw3 45 Fps Fix [best] May 2026
To fix the common 45 FPS lock Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (2023), most players find that the issue is tied to either power-saving features external frame limiters
Here is a ready-to-use post format that covers the most effective fixes: FIX: MW3 Locked at 45 FPS? Try These Steps Modern Warfare III
is stuck at exactly 45 (or 40-60) FPS despite having a high-end rig, you aren’t alone. This is usually a software-level lock, not a hardware limitation. 1. Check "Eco Mode" Settings
This is the #1 culprit. MW3 has an "Eco Mode" that aggressively caps your frame rate to save power. Eco Mode Preset and set it to Menu Game Custom Frame Rate is set higher than 60. 2. Disable VSync & Check "Sync Every Frame" cod mw3 45 fps fix
VSync can sometimes lock your game to a fraction of your monitor’s refresh rate if it can't hit the target. VSync (Gameplay) VSync (Menus)
If you’re on a laptop or using a TV, ensure your Windows refresh rate matches your monitor’s actual Hz in Display Settings 3. NVIDIA/AMD Control Panel Cleanup Check if a global limit is overwriting your game settings. NVIDIA Control Panel > Manage 3D Settings > Program Settings > Select Call of Duty Max Frame Rate Radeon Chill Frame Rate Target Control (FRTC) is enabled in the Adrenalin software and toggle it off. 4. Toggle "Resizable Bar" (NVIDIA) or "SAM" (AMD) Some users reported that disabling Resizable Bar in the BIOS (for NVIDIA) or Smart Access Memory (for AMD) immediately unlocked their frames. 5. Reset Your Shader Cache Corrupt shaders can cause "ghost" caps. In-game, go to Restart Shader Optimization
Wait for the bar at the top to reach 100% before jumping into a match. If none of these work, try switching the game from Full Screen Borderless Full Screen Exclusive to bypass Windows-level frame capping. Are you still seeing the cap in menus only To fix the common 45 FPS lock Call
as well? Let me know and I can help you troubleshoot further. Hidden Settings for EVEN MORE FPS in Modern Warfare 3
Report: Resolving 45 FPS Cap and Low Performance in CoD: MW3
White Paper: Resolution of Frame Rate Capping in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III
Subject: Diagnosing and Repairing the "45 FPS Lock" Caused by V-Sync and Windowed Mode Conflicts Target Application: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (2023) Platform: PC (Windows 10/11)
1. The “NVIDIA Reflex + Boost” Trap
In MW3, NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency mode sometimes misbehaves, hard-capping FPS to half your refresh rate (e.g., 90Hz monitor → 45 FPS lock). Change from On + Boost → On or
Fix:
Go to Options → Graphics → NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency
- Change from On + Boost → On or Off
- Restart the game.
3.3 Windows & Hardware Settings
- Power Plan: Control Panel → Power Options → High Performance (or Ultimate Performance).
- Game Mode: Windows Settings → Gaming → Game Mode On.
- Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling: On (Windows 10/11).
- Background processes: Close browser, Discord hardware acceleration, RGB software.
Phase 2: The Config File Override (Secret Sauce)
If the in-game menus didn't work, the game's config file (options.4.cod23.cst) has likely corrupted the renderer worker count—a known bug in Season 3+ updates.
Warning: Modifying game files can be flagged by anti-cheat if done incorrectly. Do not modify memory. We are only editing a text file.
Steps:
- Press
Windows Key + R, type%USERPROFILE%\Documents\Call of Duty\playersand hit Enter. - Find the file named
options.4.cod23.cst. Open it with Notepad. - Press
Ctrl + Fand search for:// Thread count for handling the job queue - You will see a line that says:
RendererWorkerCount:0.000000 - Change the
0to the number of cores your CPU has (not threads, physical cores).- 6-core CPU (Ryzen 5/i5) →
RendererWorkerCount:4.000000or5.000000 - 8-core CPU (Ryzen 7/i7) →
RendererWorkerCount:6.000000 - 16-core (Ryzen 9) →
RendererWorkerCount:7.000000
- 6-core CPU (Ryzen 5/i5) →
- Save the file (
Ctrl+S). - Right-click the file, go to Properties, and check Read-only. (This prevents the game from overwriting your fix).
Why this works: The game engine often misidentifies hybrid CPUs (Intel 12th-14th gen with P-cores and E-cores) and tries to use efficiency cores for rendering, resulting in a 45 FPS lock. Manual worker count forces the game to use performance cores.