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What MSI Afterburner Is and Why Gamers Use It

MSI Afterburner is a free software tool created by MSI (Micro-Star International) that lets PC users adjust graphics card settings in real time. While it was originally designed for overclocking—the practice of running hardware at higher speeds than factory defaults—the software has become widely used for performance monitoring and customization across all types of graphics cards, not just MSI brands.

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The program runs on Windows systems and works with graphics cards from NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel. According to data from various gaming communities, millions of PC enthusiasts use Afterburner regularly. The software itself doesn't cost anything, and it doesn't require registration or account creation to function, though the company offers optional cloud features for those who want them.

One of the most popular features in Afterburner is the on-screen display (OSD) overlay. This overlay appears directly on top of your games and shows real-time information about your system's performance—things like frame rates, GPU temperature, memory usage, and clock speeds. For gamers, this information matters because it helps them understand what's happening under the hood while playing.

The FPS (frames per second) counter is perhaps the most watched metric in that overlay. FPS tells you how many individual images your graphics card is rendering each second. A game running at 60 FPS means 60 distinct images flash across your screen every second. Higher FPS generally means smoother gameplay, though the human eye typically stops noticing improvements beyond 144 FPS in most situations.

Practical takeaway: Afterburner is a no-cost monitoring tool that works on most gaming PCs. The FPS overlay feature specifically lets you watch your game's frame rate in real time, which helps you decide if your graphics settings are too demanding or if your system can handle more visual quality.

Getting Afterburner Set Up on Your Computer

Installing Afterburner involves a few straightforward steps. First, you need to visit the official MSI website and locate the Afterburner product page. The current version (as of 2024) is version 4.6 or later. The software is available as a direct file that you can retrieve at no charge from MSI's official site—there are no hidden fees or premium tiers to unlock basic functionality.

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Once you have the installer file, you run it like any other Windows program. The installation process asks you standard questions about where to place the program on your hard drive and whether you want desktop shortcuts. The typical installation takes just a few minutes and doesn't require restarting your computer, though a restart may be recommended after installation in some cases.

After installation completes, you can launch Afterburner from your Start menu or desktop. When you open it for the first time, you'll see a control panel with various sliders and buttons. This might look overwhelming, but you don't need to touch most of these controls right away. Many users simply open Afterburner and leave it running in the background while they play games.

The software includes a companion tool called "Afterburner On-Screen Display Server" which must be running separately for the overlay to appear in your games. Afterburner can start this server automatically when you launch it, so you may not need to do anything extra. If you're not seeing an overlay in your games after installation, you might need to enable it through Afterburner's settings menu.

Afterburner is compatible with Windows 10 and Windows 11. Some users report success on older Windows versions, but performance and features may vary. Your graphics card needs to support the software—virtually all modern NVIDIA and AMD cards do, though very old cards might have limited or no support.

Practical takeaway: Installing Afterburner is a routine process that takes a few minutes. Once it's on your computer, the program can run passively in the background while you play. You don't need to change any settings if you only want to use the FPS counter.

Configuring Your FPS Overlay Display

After Afterburner is running, you'll want to set up the FPS overlay to appear on your screen during gaming. The overlay is controlled through the program's settings, which you reach by clicking the gear icon in the Afterburner control panel window.

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Inside the settings menu, look for a tab labeled "On-Screen Display." This section contains all the options for what information appears on your screen and how it looks. You'll see a long list of possible metrics—temperature, power consumption, memory usage, clock speed, and many others. The FPS counter is usually listed near the top or labeled as "Framerate" or "FPS."

To enable the FPS display, you typically check a box next to "Framerate" or "FPS." Some versions of Afterburner let you choose a specific hotkey that toggles the overlay on and off—for example, holding Ctrl+Shift+O might turn the overlay on and off. You can also choose which corner of the screen the overlay appears in (top-left, top-right, bottom-left, or bottom-right are common options).

The overlay's appearance can be customized too. You can adjust the text size, change the color, and alter the transparency so it doesn't obstruct your view of the game. If you want to display multiple pieces of information—FPS, GPU temperature, memory usage—you can enable all of them simultaneously. They'll stack vertically in whatever corner you've chosen.

One important note: not all games support overlays equally. Some games run in exclusive fullscreen mode, which can prevent overlays from displaying properly. If you're not seeing your FPS counter in a particular game, try switching that game to borderless windowed mode through its graphics settings. Afterburner overlays typically work better in windowed or borderless windowed modes than in exclusive fullscreen.

You should also be aware that Afterburner's overlay is not invasive—it won't damage your game or system. It's simply a visual layer that sits on top of your game's display. Disabling it is as simple as unchecking the box in settings or using your hotkey.

Practical takeaway: Enabling the FPS overlay involves checking a box in Afterburner's settings and choosing where on your screen you want it to appear. Most users can have this configured in under a minute. The overlay works in most games, though exclusive fullscreen mode sometimes causes issues.

Understanding What the FPS Counter Tells You

Once your FPS overlay is visible in your games, you'll see a number that updates constantly—typically ranging anywhere from 20 to 200 or higher depending on your hardware and game settings. This number represents frames per second, the fundamental measure of how smoothly a game runs visually.

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To understand FPS practically, consider that your monitor has a refresh rate—most common monitors refresh at 60 Hz, which means they display 60 new images per second. A high-end monitor might refresh at 144 Hz or even 240 Hz. When your game is producing 60 FPS on a 60 Hz monitor, every frame your graphics card creates gets displayed exactly once. This creates a smooth visual experience.

When your FPS drops below your monitor's refresh rate, you start to notice stuttering or choppiness. If your monitor displays 60 new images per second but your graphics card is only producing 45 frames per second, your monitor will display some frames multiple times while waiting for new ones. This inconsistency creates a sensation that the game feels less responsive.

Conversely, when your graphics card produces more frames than your monitor can display—for instance, 120 FPS on a 60 Hz monitor—the extra frames get discarded. You won't see a performance benefit beyond 60 FPS in this scenario. This is why many gamers consider 60 FPS the baseline for comfortable gaming, 144 FPS a high target for competitive gaming, and anything above 240 FPS largely imperceptible.

The FPS counter in Afterburner shows you this real-time number as you play. You might notice it fluctuates—perhaps it sits at 90 FPS in an open area but drops to 65 FPS in a dense city with lots of visual effects. These fluctuations tell you where your PC is being pushed hardest. If you're seeing frequent dips, you might decide to lower your graphics settings or accept the trade-off between visual