Starfield: Stuttering PC [Fix]

Starfield is quite sensitive to performance issues. A minor negligence of hardware or software might cause significant concerns. Resulting in FPS drop or stuttering. Therefore, some practical ways can help you counter this situation if you face difficulties experiencing smooth gameplay.

---

Key Takeaways

• PC players may face stuttering issues in Starfield due to hardware or software issues.
• Ensure your system meets all the requirements for Starfield to run on it. Please be mindful that SSD is a crucial requirement. A lot of gamers face performance difficulties due to installation in HDD.
• Make sure your GPU drivers are updated. Also, you can enable GPU acceleration for Starfield in Windows Graphics Settings under the Display tab.
• You may also want to check whether your Windows are up-to-date as well. 
• Verify the file integrity by entering the game’s Steam Library properties.

---

But before you test any of the following methods, please ensure your system meets the minimum requirements to run Starfield.

Install Starfield In SSD

Here is one of the main testaments that I experienced in my gameplay. Installing the game in HDD is a major concern to Starfield’s performance. The game requires fast rendering and data transferring. Therefore, SSD is a requirement for the game.

If your game is currently in HDD, you can still move it to SSD. Steam allows you to transfer your game files from one Drive to another. Moreover, you do not have to move an entire Steam folder. Select the game you wish to move and carry on.

There are some simple steps to move Starfield from HDD to SSD:

• Log in to your Steam account and go to Settings.
• Enter in the Storage tab.
• You will see your current Drive and all the games installed in it. 
• Select Starfield and click on Move.

An important note! If you do not see the Move option, click the “+” icon next to your Drive. Then select the SSD and click on Add. Now, the Move option will be available. Please be patient as the file transfer will perform the Write operation from HDD. So, the transfer rate might be slow.

Force GPU Acceleration

By default, the PC will not use GPU acceleration on any application. At the same time, Starfield requires powerful hardware to function correctly. Therefore, you might need to adjust the settings manually and improve the game’s performance. 

You can enable your GPU acceleration in Windows settings.

• Click on the Start button and open Settings.
• Go to the System option.
• Under the Display tab, scroll down to the Graphics Settings.
• Enable “Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling.”
• Under “Graphics Performance Preference,” keep the apps to Desktop app and click on Browse.
• Now, navigate to your Starfield installation folder and select Starfield.exe.

Up-To-Date GPU Drivers

To have a stable gaming experience, you must ensure your GPU drivers are always up-to-date. It is best to check every time you install a new game. Updating your drivers will reduce your chance of encountering stuttering issues in Starfield on your PC.

If you use Nvidia hardware as your gaming platform, I advise you to keep GeForce Experience on your PC. The application will not auto-update your drivers till you allow it to. Also, GeForce Experience will automatically scan your PC for games. This feature lets you click the “Details” option and optimize the game according to GPU preferences. 

Up-To-Date Windows

Although there is no possibility that Windows will keep you from playing Starfield smoothly, there were complaints from gamers that Starfield ran into errors upon launch. Suggestions of Windows updates by other gamers initially countered this problem. 

Eventually, you must confirm that your Windows must be on the 22H2 version when you are about to play Starfield. You can manually check your Windows update in settings by going to Update & Security. However, if you still have no Windows update, you can get it through Microsoft Update Assistant.

Verify File Integrity

Most of the time, I have run file integrity on games in which I face bugs, file missing errors, or some performance issues. It can take a little time but mostly gets the job done. Therefore, a personal suggestion would be to verify the file integrity of Starfield through the game’s properties. 

This simple procedure will analyze your game files and gather information about corrupt or missing files. 

• Open the Library tab in Steam and right-click on Starfield.
• Click on Properties and go to the Installed Files tab.
• Now, click on “Verify Integerity of game files.”

If the issue persists, you are free to try the abovementioned methods.

Other than the stuttering of Starfield on PC, players might face other relatively frustrating performance issues. However, the above methods may counter most of the performance difficulties. Still, it is advised that you must first ensure your PC meets the requirements to run the game. 

My Suggestion

Overall, the stuttering in Starfield is bound to happen from the user’s end. I am not in favor of Bethesda, but this is a major fact. When I encountered the stuttering, I double-checked the game’s minimum and required specs. As a result, it turned out that my game was on HDD, which I transferred to SSD. Resulting in the problem termination. 

If you achieve succession by fixing your Starfield, feel free to explore our guides, to begin with right-decision makings:

• Starfield Best Armors.
• Starfield Character Builder
• Starfield Best Skills.