Microsoft’s latest consoles can elevate older games with the FPS boost. It’s not an easy-to-see feature, though, so we’re explaining how to enable FPS boost on Xbox Series.
Bear in mind the feature is only available for backward compatible games. Yet, almost every Xbox, Xbox 360, and Xbox One game is available for the Xbox Series S and the Xbox Series X. Moreover, the list keeps growing.
Either way, the FPS Boost tech is part of Microsoft’s effort to improve the performance of older games. This is their latest feature, and it represents a huge performance upgrade. Just a toggle can double the frames-per-second.
Likewise, some games also have HDR10 or auto-HDR options; you’d need to enable the feature on select titles. Together with the FPS boost, it represents a new experience that doesn’t require any download, patches, or purchases.
On top of upgrading the frames and HDR, backward compatible games can also have 4K resolutions. However, this is a different option, as we’re talking about games with the Xbox Series X|S Optimized badge. You may already know the optimization process does require a download.
How to Enable FPS Boost on Xbox Series?
FPS. Boost is an innovative feature the Xbox Series family automatically applies to a list of backward-compatible games. Across the options are fan-favorite titles like Alan Wake, Assassin’s Creed entries, older Forza series games, and the Fallout saga.
The console supports the feature for about a hundred games. We expect the number will continue to grow over time.
That said, the FPS boost options and HDR10 / auto-HDR option are nearby. You can enable these features on the Compatibility options or see if it’s available for your game:
- Press the Xbox button on your controller to open the Guide
The Guide is the Xbox’s main menu. You can open it by pressing the Xbox button or going to the Dashboard. - Go to My games & apps
The Compatibility options are inside My games & pass. Press “X” on this option. - Check your game library
Inside the Games menu on the left panel, go through your library on the right panel. Then, find the backward compatible title you want to boost. - Open the menu on a game
Head over to the game you want to boost with the controller, and press the menu button. If you press “A” instead, you will launch the game as is. - Manage the game
Select the Manage game option on the menu. - Select the Compatibility option
On the left side of the Manage menu, press “X” on Compatibility options. - Check the FPS Boost
To enable FPS boost, simply check the box. If you prefer to disable FPS boost and play the game in its original form, untick the box.
To enable the FPS boost, check the box. You can also disable it if you want to play them in their original form.
The HDR10 or Auto HDR features are below the FPS boost. You can tick its box to improve contrast and colors.
If these options are grayed out, it means the features are not available for the game you’re checking.
Lastly, you can’t tick these options while you play. You’d need to quit the game, engage the possibilities, and restart.
How to Verify if FPS Boost Is on?
You can always tab the Xbox menu button () or the Xbox button while in-game. Then, check the top right corner of the screen to verify.
How to Enable 120 FPS Boost on Xbox?
Some games can boost to 120FPS on the Xbox Series X or the X and S versions. However, the option requires two things:
- You need monitor, TV or display with a 120Hz refresh rate
- You need to enable 120 Hz support on the console
The FPS boost may be grayed out if you don’t fulfill these two options. But let’s say you have a 120Hz TV. If this is the case, here’re the steps to enable 120Hz on the console:
- Press the Xbox button to open the guideGo to Profile & system
- Go to Settings > System > Updates
- Apply the updates if you need
- Go back to Profile & system
- Go to Settings > General
- Select TV & display options
- Select Refresh rate > 120 Hz.
You can press “X” on TV details on the same menu to see if your display supports a 120Hz refresh rate.
Now, you can enable the FPS boost on the Compatibility options, as I explained above.
What Is the Xbox Series FPS Boost?
The Xbox Series X and Series S are powerful consoles. In particular, they introduced a system feature that boosts the performance of retro-compatible titles. Microsoft added the feature in February 2021.
This technology alters the locked frame rates without developer input, patches, or downloads. It’s an automatic option you sometimes have to enable on the UI.
See, most older titles play at 30fps, but the FPS boost can take it to 60fps. In some cases, the FPS. Boost can deliver 120 fps performance. However, you’d need a 120Hz TV to make it work. Otherwise, the feature won’t be available for you.
The thing is, the feature doesn’t support every game. Moreover, some games don’t have it by default, so you’d need to enable it.
In particular, the feature is not automatic on select graphic-intensive games. These were titles where the older consoles had to reduce to a resolution to ensure the 30fps minimum.
Moreover, a select few have an extra boost on the Xbox Series X compared to the budget option. Lastly, some of these titles only support the feature on the bigger console.
How to Enable an Xbox Series Optimized Title?
The Xbox Series X and Series S offer three ways to optimize retro-compatible titles:
- FPS boost / HDR
- Installing older games on an internal hard drive for faster load times
- Optimized versions
To optimize a game for the Xbox Series, you need first to download the title to your library. In other words, the process doesn’t work with physical games. You’d need to purchase the game digitally, again, to upgrade it.
Then, you will need to sign in to your Xbox account, open My games & apps, and scroll down to your library. If there’s a title with an available upgrade, it will display a badge title saying X|S.
You can simply press “A” on the game and select Upgrade. The screen will showcase the upgrade size.
The X|S Upgrade option will download and install a performance patch. After the upgrade, the game will run with up to 4K resolutions, better graphics, and higher FPS.
This only works for games on your internal storage or an external SSD. It doesn’t work on external HDDs. It means you’d have to move your older games from an external hard drive to an SSD storage.
Luckily, this process is very easy. Once you open a game from an external hard drive, the console will ask you to install it on your SSD.
Can the Xbox Series S Support 120 FPS Boost?
The Xbox Series X is the flagship console. The Xbox Series S is smaller, cheaper, and has less storage and a slightly less powerful GPU and CPU. Moreover, the Xbox Series S doesn’t have a tray disk reader.
Either way, both consoles share the same high-tech features, options, UI, games, and more. Despite that, the Series S has a lower resolution (1440p vs. 4K) and lower fps (60fps vs. 120fps) than the Series X).
Likewise, the Xbox Series S can rarely boost older titles to 120 fps. On some titles, both consoles can deliver 60fps. On a select list, the Xbox Series X offers 120fps, whereas the smaller version provides 60fps. On a handful of games, like platforming adventure Unravel 2, the Xbox Series S can have 120fps as well.
We have extended information on the chart below.
Related Question
Is a Higher Frame-rate Good?
Higher frame rates equal smoother gameplay and less display lag. There won’t be more pixels on the screen, but it can still be nicer to look at and play because there’s less motion blur, ghosting, and flicker.
What Does HDR10 / Auto-HDR Do?
If your TV supports HDR or HDR10, the option delivers richer visuals. Older-gen gems will run with brighter colors, better lighting, and wider contrasts.
Can I Fps Boost Xbox Series Optimized Games?
If you optimize a game for the Xbox Series family, it means the title will run as a native new-gen title. In other words, it won’t have the FPS boost or HDR options available. Yet, it comes with several improvements made by the developers.
Are All Older Games Compatible With Fps Boost?
You can’t enable FPS boost on Xbox on every game. Also, some games have the feature active by default. Here’s the full list of available older-gen games with FPS boost:
| Game | FPS Boost | Is it automatically enabled? |
|---|---|---|
| Alan Wake | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Alien Isolation | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Anthem | 60 FPS (Xbox Series X Only) | No |
| Assassin’s Creed | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Assassin’s Creed III Remastered | 60 FPS. | No |
| Assassin’s Creed III Rogue Remastered | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Assassin’s Creed The Ezio Collection | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Assassin’s Creed Unity | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Battle Chasers: Nightwar | 120 FPS | Yes |
| Battlefield 1 | 120 FPS (Xbox Series X Only) | No |
| Battlefield 4 | 120 FPS | Yes |
| Battlefield Hardline | 120 FPS | Yes |
| Battlefield V | 120 FPS (Xbox Series X Only) | No |
| Beholder Complete Edition | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Binary Domain | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Black College Football Xperience: Doug Williams Ed | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Darksiders | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Dark Souls III | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Dead Island Definitive Edition | 60 FPS (Xbox Series X Only) | Yes |
| Dead Island: Riptide Definitive Edition | 60 FPS (Xbox Series X Only) | Yes |
| Dead Space 2 | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Dead Space 3 | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Deus Ex Mankind Divided | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Disney’s Chicken Little | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| DiRT 4 | 120 FPS (Xbox Series X Only) | Yes |
| Dishonored: Death of the Outsider | 60 FPS. | No |
| Dishonored: Definitive Edition | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Don’t Starve: Giant Edition | 120 FPS | Yes |
| Dragon Age: Origins | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Dragon Age 2 | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Dragon Age: Inquisition | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Dungeon Defenders II | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Dying Light | 60 FPS (Xbox Series X Only) | Yes |
| Fable Anniversary | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Fable III | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Fallout 3 | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Fallout: New Vegas | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Fallout 4 | 60 FPS. | No |
| Fallout 76 | 60 FPS. | No |
| Far Cry 3 | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Far Cry 4 | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Far Cry 5 | 60 FPS. | No |
| Far Cry New Dawn | 60 FPS. | No |
| Far Cry Primal | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| FEAR. | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| FEAR 3 | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Final Fantasy XIII-2 | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Gears of War | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Gears of War: Ultimate Edition | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Gears of War 2 | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Gears of War 3 | 60 FPS. | No |
| Gears of War 4 | 60 FPS. | No |
| Golf with your Friends | 120 FPS | Yes |
| Halo Wars 2 | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Halo: Spartan Assault | 120 FPS | Yes |
| Hollow Knight: Voidheart Edition | 120 FPS | Yes |
| Homefront: The Revolution | 60 FPS. | No |
| Hyperscape | 120 FPS | No |
| Island Saver | 120 FPS | Yes |
| Kameo: Elements of Power | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| LEGO Jurassic World | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| LEGO Marvel Superheroes | 120 FPS (Xbox Series X), 60 FPS (Xbox Series S) | Yes |
| LEGO Marvel’s Avengers | 120 FPS (Xbox Series X), 60 FPS (Xbox Series S) | Yes |
| LEGO STAR WARS: The Force Awakens | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| LEGO The Hobbit | 120 FPS (Xbox Series X), 60 FPS (Xbox Series S) | Yes |
| LEGO: The Lord of the Rings | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| LEGO The Incredibles | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| LEGO Worlds | 60 FPS (Xbox Series X Only) | Yes |
| Life is Strange | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Life is Strange 2 | 60 FPS (Xbox Series X Only) | Yes |
| Lords of the Fallen | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Mad Max | 120 FPS (Xbox Series X), 60 FPS (Xbox Series S) | Yes |
| Medal of Honor: Airborne | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Metro 2033 Redux | 120 FPS | Yes |
| Metro Last Light Redux | 120 FPS | Yes |
| Mirror’s Edge | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Mirror’s Edge Catalyst | 120 FPS (Xbox Series X Only) | Yes |
| Monster Energy Supercross 3 | 60 FPS. | No |
| MotoGP 20 | 60 FPS (Xbox Series S Only) | Yes |
| Moving Out | 120 FPS | Yes |
| My Friend Pedro | 120 FPS | Yes |
| My Time at Portia | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| New Super Lucky’s Tale | 120 FPS | Yes |
| NIER. | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Overcooked! 2 | 120 FPS | Yes |
| Paladins | 120 FPS | Yes |
| Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2 | 120 FPS | Yes |
| Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare | 120 FPS | Yes |
| Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville | 120 FPS | No |
| Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid | 120 FPS | Yes |
| Prey | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Realm Royale | 120 FPS | Yes |
| Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| ReCore | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Rock of Ages | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Sea of Solitude | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider Definitive Edition | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Shadow Warrior 2 | 60 FPS (Xbox Series X Only) | Yes |
| Sleeping Dogs Definitive Edition | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| SMITE | 120 FPS | No |
| Sniper Elite 4 | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Sonic Generations | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Sonic Unleashed | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| STAR WARS Battlefront | 120 FPS | Yes |
| STAR WARS Battlefront II | 120 FPS (Xbox Series X Only) | No |
| STAR WARS: The Clone Wars | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| STEEP | 60 FPS (Xbox Series S Only) | Yes |
| Super Lucky’s Tale | 120 FPS | Yes |
| SUPERHOT | 120 FPS | Yes |
| The Elder Scrolls VI: Oblivion | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| The Evil Within 2 | 60 FPS. | No |
| The Gardens Between | 120 FPS (Xbox Series X), 60 FPS (Xbox Series S) | Yes |
| The LEGO Movie 2 Videogame | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| The LEGO Movie Videogame | 120 FPS | Yes |
| Titanfall | 120 FPS (Xbox Series X Only) | Yes |
| Titanfall 2 | 120 FPS | No |
| Tom Clancy’s The Division | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Totally Reliable Delivery Service | 120 FPS | Yes |
| Two Point Hospital | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| UFC 4 | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Unravel 2 | 120 FPS | No |
| Unruly Heroes | 120 FPS | Yes |
| Untitled Goose Game | 120 FPS | Yes |
| Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Wasteland 3 | 60 FPS. | No |
| Watch Dogs | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Watch Dogs 2 | 60 FPS. | Yes |
| Yakuza 6: The Song of Life | 60 FPS. | Yes |
Will Xbox Add More Games to the FPS Boost List?
The backward-compatible catalog is growing steadily. At the same time, Microsoft will keep adding more older games to the list of visually improved titles.
