How to Show FPS in Every Game on Windows (For Real!)
If you’re into gaming, you’ve probably wanted to see your FPS — that’s Frames Per Second — just to get a gauge on how well your system is handling things. It’s a bit strange because sometimes your game feels laggy even when your hardware should handle it, and other times you just want to show off hitting 144 FPS or similar. Anyway, showing FPS in every game isn’t exactly a secret anymore, but it’s not always obvious how to do it without messing around with overlays or hacking the system. I’ve been stuck on this myself, so here’s what finally worked for me — using a program called Fraps. Yep, it’s a bit old school, but honestly, it just does the job reliably, especially if you want a universal overlay that works across games and platforms.
Getting Fraps for Windows
First up, head over to the Fraps website. Don’t expect a shiny, modern design — it’s pretty dated, but the download process is simple. Make sure to run the installer as an administrator — right-click the installer and choose Run as administrator. If you don’t, it might not install properly or fail to get the permissions needed to hook into your games’ rendering. Once installed, open the app. This part tripped me up a bit because the interface looks like it hasn’t changed since Windows XP, but once it’s up, you’re good to go.
The main executable might be located at C:\Program Files (x86)\FRAPS\FRAPS.exe, or somewhere in your Program Files folder depending on your installation choices. It can be tricky to find, especially if it doesn’t show up in your Start Menu — try searching for it or browsing through the folders. Also, sometimes Fraps won’t start properly unless you run it with admin privileges, so keep that in mind.
Configuring Fraps to Show FPS
This was the fiddliest part for me. In the main Fraps window, there’s a tab called FPS. This is where you set up your overlay. Look for the On-Screen Display checkbox — make sure it’s ticked. Then, choose where on the screen the FPS counter will appear. I found it easiest to put it in a corner, like top-left or top-right, so it doesn’t get in the way but is still easy to glance at. There’s a dropdown menu or a preview box to help you position it.
If the overlay doesn’t show up after you’ve set it, the usual culprits are that it isn’t enabled correctly or the game is grabbing exclusive full-screen control, which can block overlays. A handy workaround I found is to run the game in Windowed Mode. That way, the overlay can often stay visible more reliably.
Another tip I used was assigning a hotkey — for example, Alt + F10 — to toggle the FPS overlay on and off quickly. That’s useful if you want it hidden during screenshots or when navigating menus, and then turn it back on when testing. You can set these hotkeys inside the Fraps settings — nothing complicated, just pick something easy to remember.
Adjusting the Look of the FPS Display
Once the FPS counter is visible, you might want to tweak how it looks. You can change font size, colour, transparency, and background to make sure it’s unobtrusive but still easy to read. After making adjustments, hit Apply. Be aware that some changes might require restarting Fraps or even your PC to take effect. Also, if you switch display modes or connect/disconnect monitors, the overlay might shift or disappear temporarily.
It’s a bit of trial and error. Sometimes the overlay gets hidden behind game menus or other overlays like Steam or Discord. If that happens, check those settings. Moreover, some newer or heavily customised games with anti-cheat measures or custom overlay systems may block Fraps from working correctly, so don’t be surprised if it doesn’t show up there.
Testing & Troubleshooting
When you’re done setting it up, launch your favourite game. If all goes well, the FPS counter should appear in the corner you chose. If not, double-check that the overlay is enabled in Fraps, that your hotkey isn’t conflicting with anything else, and that your game isn’t using exclusive full-screen mode, which can prevent overlays from showing. Sometimes, restarting the game or Fraps itself solves the issue. Also, verify your display and graphics settings — especially in platforms like Steam, where you can enable or disable their in-game overlay (Steam > Settings > In-Game).
After that, you’ll be able to monitor your FPS in real-time — perfect for testing performance or just satisfying curiosity about how demanding your latest game is. Keep an eye on dips and spikes if you’re troubleshooting lag or frame drops. It’s also worth toggling hardware overlays in your GPU control panel (like NVIDIA or AMD) since those can sometimes interfere with Fraps.
Honestly, setting this up was a bit of a hassle at first, and I spent ages trying different things. Just making sure the overlay is enabled, placed where you want it, and not hidden by other screens makes all the difference. Check that your game isn’t blocking overlays and keep an eye on your GPU drivers. Hopefully, this guide helps you avoid spending hours troubleshooting — it took me forever to figure out all the quirks! Good luck, and I hope this saves you some wasted time!