MSI Afterburner Guide: GPU Monitoring and Overclocking (2026) | GamerHardware

Setting Up the In-Game Overlay

The overlay is the most-used Afterburner feature. It puts real-time performance data on your game screen so you can see FPS, temperatures, and usage without alt-tabbing.

Step-by-Step Overlay Configuration

1. Open MSI Afterburner and click the gear icon (Settings)
2. Go to the Monitoring tab – this is where you control what appears in the overlay
3. You will see a list of available metrics. For each one you want in the overlay:
   • Click the metric name to select it
   • Check the box “Show in On-Screen Display” at the bottom
4. Recommended metrics to enable:
   • GPU temperature – Is your GPU overheating?
   • GPU usage – Is your GPU the bottleneck? (100% = yes)
   • CPU temperature – Is your CPU overheating?
   • CPU usage – Is your CPU the bottleneck?
   • Framerate – Your FPS
   • Frametime – Shows smoothness (lower and more consistent = smoother)
5. Click OK
6. Make sure RTSS is running (check the system tray – it starts with Afterburner by default)
7. Launch any game – the overlay should appear in the top-left corner

Overlay Not Showing? Common Fixes

• RTSS is not running – Check the system tray. If it is not there, launch RivaTuner Statistics Server manually from the Start menu.
• Anti-cheat blocking it – Vanguard (Valorant), EAC (Fortnite, Apex), and some other anti-cheat systems block RTSS injections. Use the game’s built-in FPS counter instead, or NVIDIA/AMD’s overlay.
• Wrong rendering API – In RTSS settings, make sure “Application Detection Level” is set to “High” instead of “None.” This helps RTSS detect Vulkan and DX12 games.
• Overlay hidden off-screen – In RTSS, check the On-Screen Display position coordinates. Reset them to defaults (top-left corner) if the overlay was accidentally dragged off the visible area.

Custom Fan Curves

Factory fan curves on most GPUs prioritize quiet operation over cooling. This means your GPU runs hotter than it needs to because the fans do not ramp up aggressively enough. A custom fan curve lets you tell the GPU exactly how fast to spin the fans at each temperature.

Setting Up a Fan Curve

1. In Afterburner’s main window, click the gear icon (Settings)
2. Go to the Fan tab
3. Check “Enable user defined software automatic fan control”
4. You will see a graph with temperature on the X-axis and fan speed (%) on the Y-axis
5. Click to add or drag points on the curve. A good starting curve for gaming:
   • 30C = 30% fan speed (quiet at idle)
   • 50C = 40% fan speed (light load)
   • 65C = 60% fan speed (gaming starts here)
   • 75C = 80% fan speed (heavy gaming)
   • 85C = 100% fan speed (maximum cooling)
6. Click Apply

The default curve often keeps fans at 0% (stopped) below 50C, then ramps slowly. A custom curve that starts fans earlier at lower speeds keeps the GPU 3-8C cooler during gaming with minimal noise increase.

Undervolting Your GPU (Free Performance)

Undervolting reduces the voltage your GPU uses while maintaining the same clock speed. Less voltage means less heat, which means less thermal throttling, which means more consistent performance. It is the single best free improvement you can make to GPU thermals.

How to Undervolt in Afterburner

1. Open MSI Afterburner and press Ctrl+F to open the Voltage/Frequency curve editor
2. You will see a graph – the X-axis is voltage (mV), the Y-axis is clock speed (MHz)
3. Find your GPU’s current peak clock speed (the highest point on the curve). Note what voltage it runs at – for example, 1950MHz at 1050mV.
4. Now find a lower voltage that still reaches that clock speed. Click the point at a lower voltage (e.g., 950mV) and drag it up to your target clock speed (1950MHz).
5. Flatten all points to the right by selecting them and pressing the same clock speed – this prevents the curve from going higher at higher voltages.
6. Click the checkmark to apply, then test stability with a game or benchmark for 15-30 minutes.
7. If the game crashes or shows artifacts, increase voltage by 10-25mV and test again.

Typical results: 5-15C lower GPU temperature, same clock speed and FPS. Some GPUs may even boost slightly higher because they hit thermal limits less often.

Basic GPU Overclocking

Overclocking increases your GPU’s clock speed and/or memory speed beyond factory defaults. The typical result is a 3-10% FPS increase, depending on the game and your specific GPU’s silicon quality.

How to Overclock (Safe Method)

1. In Afterburner’s main interface, start with the Core Clock (MHz) slider
2. Increase it by +25MHz
3. Click Apply (checkmark button)
4. Run a benchmark (3DMark TimeSpy, Unigine Heaven) or play a demanding game for 10 minutes
5. If stable (no crashes, no artifacts, no black screen), increase by another +25MHz
6. Repeat until you get a crash or visual artifacts – then back off by 25-50MHz from the unstable point
7. For Memory Clock, follow the same process with +50MHz increments (memory is less sensitive than core clock)
8. Once stable, save the profile (numbered slots in Afterburner’s interface)

Important: Do NOT increase the Power Limit or Voltage sliders unless you understand the thermal implications. Modern GPUs boost themselves aggressively by default – pushing power limits higher generates significantly more heat for diminishing FPS returns.

Overclocking Risks (Honest Assessment)

• Crashes and artifacts are normal during testing – This is how you find the stable limit. A crash during overclocking does not damage the GPU.
• Higher temperatures – More clock speed means more heat. If your GPU already runs hot (above 80C at stock), overclock conservatively or undervolt instead.
• Slightly higher power consumption – Your electricity bill goes up by a few cents per month at most.
• No warranty risk in practice – While technically overclocking can void warranties, GPU manufacturers have no way to detect moderate overclocks. Afterburner settings reset when uninstalled.
• Diminishing returns – The difference between stock and a moderate overclock is 3-10%. You will not transform a budget GPU into a high-end one through overclocking.

Saving Profiles and Auto-Start

Saving Settings Profiles

Afterburner has 5 profile slots (numbered 1-5 at the bottom of the interface). After dialing in your settings:

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1. Click the Save button (floppy disk icon)
2. Click one of the numbered profile slots (1-5) to save
3. Click the slot number anytime to load that profile

Common profile setup: Profile 1 = stock settings, Profile 2 = undervolt (daily use), Profile 3 = overclock (benchmarking).

Auto-Start with Windows

To make Afterburner load your preferred profile at boot:

1. Settings > General tab
2. Check “Start with Windows”
3. Check “Start minimized”
4. Under “Startup” select your preferred profile number

What Should You Use Afterburner For?

Pick Your Use Case

• Just want FPS and temps on screen: Set up the RTSS overlay (Monitoring tab > enable metrics > check “Show in OSD”). 5 minutes and done.
• GPU runs too hot: Undervolt first (Ctrl+F curve editor). Then set a custom fan curve. These two changes together can drop temps 10-20C.
• Want more FPS for free: Overclock the core clock (+25MHz increments, test stability). Typical gain is 3-10%.
• GPU fans are too loud at idle: Custom fan curve with 0% or 30% at temperatures below 50C. Fans will stay silent or whisper-quiet until you start gaming.
• Need detailed system diagnostics: Use HWiNFO64 instead of or alongside Afterburner. HWiNFO reads more sensors and logs data to CSV for analysis.

Related guides: FPS monitor, refresh rates, best GPU 2026, check GPU.

2026 update: The RTX 5070 and RX 9070 XT redefined mid-range GPU value. Our GPU guide covers current recommendations.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does MSI Afterburner work with non-MSI GPUs?

Yes. MSI Afterburner works with every modern GPU regardless of brand – NVIDIA, AMD, Intel, and from any manufacturer (ASUS, EVGA, Gigabyte, Sapphire, etc). The name is misleading but the software is universally compatible. The only limitation is that certain voltage control features may be locked on some non-MSI cards, though this varies by model.

Is MSI Afterburner safe to use?

MSI Afterburner is safe when downloaded from the official MSI website. The software itself cannot damage your GPU through normal use – modern GPUs have hardware protections that prevent dangerous voltage or temperature levels. Overclocking and undervolting changes reset to stock if the system crashes. The only risk is downloading fake versions from third-party sites, which is why you should always use the official MSI source.

Why is my Afterburner overlay not showing in Valorant?

Riot Games’ Vanguard anti-cheat blocks RTSS overlay injection. This is intentional – Vanguard restricts software that modifies or injects into game processes. Use Valorant’s built-in FPS counter instead (Settings > Video > Stats > Client FPS: Show). The same applies to some other anti-cheat protected games. Most games work fine with the RTSS overlay.

Can MSI Afterburner cause game crashes?

If you have not changed any overclocking settings, Afterburner monitoring alone does not cause crashes. If games crash after applying an overclock, your overclock is unstable – reduce the core or memory clock by 25MHz. If the RTSS overlay causes issues, you can disable it per-game in RTSS settings by adding the game executable to the application list and setting the overlay to “Off.”

What is the difference between MSI Afterburner and EVGA Precision?

Both do the same thing – GPU monitoring, overclocking, and fan control. EVGA Precision was discontinued when EVGA exited the GPU market in 2022. MSI Afterburner is the remaining standard and receives regular updates. If you were using EVGA Precision, MSI Afterburner is the direct replacement with identical or better functionality.

Should I undervolt or overclock my GPU?

Undervolt first. It gives you lower temperatures, less noise, and the same performance for zero risk. Overclocking adds FPS but also adds heat. The ideal approach is to undervolt first (lock your target clock speed at a lower voltage), confirm stability, and then consider pushing the clock speed higher only if you want more performance and your thermals can handle it.

Monitoring Hardware

• Budget second monitor – run Afterburner OSD on a second screen instead of overlaying on your game.

Research Sources

• MSI Afterburner Official Page – Download source, feature documentation, and compatibility information
• Guru3D RivaTuner Statistics Server – RTSS overlay documentation and application detection configuration
• TechPowerUp GPU Undervolting Guide – Voltage/frequency curve methodology and stability testing procedures referenced in the undervolting section

All Related Monitor Guides

• Guide
• FPS
• OLED
• Budget
• Panels
• Refresh Rates
• G-Sync/FreeSync
• Calibrate
• Fix Tearing

Written by

Tom Terhune

Gaming Hardware Editor

Tom plays CS2, Valorant, League, and plenty more - and has been way too deep into the gear rabbit hole for years. He is the type to swap mice three times in a week chasing the perfect aim feel. That obsession turned into GamerHardware, where he digs through specs, Reddit threads, and pro setups so you can skip the guesswork.