How to improve FPS in Phasmophobia (PC)
Phasmophobia is a cooperative ghost-hunting game developed by Kinetic Games on Unity with the built-in render pipeline (not URP or HDRP), placing it among the least graphically demanding multiplayer titles on the market today. The real bottleneck isn't polygon load or advanced lighting effects, but the 3D positional audio engine (essential for identifying the ghost by sound), ghost AI, and, if you play in VR, the extra cost of rendering two stereoscopic views. With the Ascension update (2024), large maps like Sunny Meadows Mental Institution and Camp Woodwind added a lot more geometry and interactive objects, which has made frame drops noticeable that didn't exist before on the classic map roster. This guide focuses on real settings: what reduces CPU load in audio and physics, which maps are heavier, and how to optimize the VR experience without sacrificing gameplay based on sound and visual detail (dust, footprints, temperature).
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Calculations based on our FPS model combined with the % gain of each setting (measured in public benchmarks).
1. Quick wins (no visual loss)
Start here. Each one adds a little, but together they give +33% free FPS.
Shadows
Phasmophobia's dynamic shadows are among the most expensive tasks for the GPU in this engine, but since it's a game mostly played with a flashlight in dark environments, the visual difference between High and Low is almost imperceptible during actual play.
Anti-Aliasing
The Built-in Render Pipeline's default TAA introduces noticeable blur in motion and consumes more resources than lighter alternatives like FXAA, which smooths edges at minimal cost.
Motion Blur
Motion blur adds a layer of post-processing without contributing anything to the gameplay of a horror game that depends on clearly reading the environment; disabling it also reduces motion sickness in long sessions.
V-Sync
V-Sync adds input lag and caps the framerate to the monitor's refresh rate; in a game that's no longer especially demanding, disabling it and using a software FPS limiter (NVIDIA/AMD panel) gives better responsiveness without noticeable tearing.
Bloom / Post-Processing
Bloom and other soft post-processing effects add GPU load without changing the readability of the ghost's visual cues, which depend more on particles and object physics than on full-screen lighting effects.
2. Medium impact settings
Here's where most of the FPS is. Minor visual impact, major performance impact.
Texture Quality
Lowering texture quality frees up some VRAM and bandwidth, notable especially on GPUs with less than 4 GB of dedicated memory, with a detail loss that's barely visible at the usual play distance.
View Distance
On the large outdoor maps (Camp Woodwind, farms) reducing the draw distance of distant objects and vegetation saves GPU load without affecting gameplay, which happens almost always indoors.
Reflections Quality
Reflections in mirrors and polished surfaces (floors, windows) are one of the game's most expensive rendering loads, especially relevant because mirrors are a gameplay mechanic (the ghost can appear in them), so Low is the sweet spot between performance and functionality.
Particle Effects (Dust/Cobwebs)
Dust particles are a real gameplay cue (the ghost moves them as it passes), so lowering them all the way to Low can hurt gameplay; Medium is the recommended balance to keep that cue while saving some performance.
Grass/Foliage Density
On outdoor maps like Camp Woodwind or the farms, foliage density generates GPU load and some CPU load from wind physics; lowering it is one of the settings with the biggest impact specifically on those maps.
3. Upscaling (DLSS / FSR / XeSS)
The biggest gain in the game. Compatible with almost any modern GPU.
No native support (DLSS/FSR/XeSS)
+0% FPSPhasmophobia does NOT implement DLSS, FSR, or XeSS natively: using Unity's Built-in Render Pipeline (an older rendering technology), the studio hasn't integrated any modern upscaling technology. Any mention of "enabling DLSS in Phasmophobia" on forums is incorrect or refers to unofficial, unsupported injectors.
4. Tips by GPU
NVIDIA
- •Force V-Sync Off and enable Low Latency Mode "On" from the NVIDIA Control Panel to reduce input lag during ghost hunts.
- •Use NVIDIA's driver-level Image Scaling (NIS) as a real upscaling alternative since the game doesn't offer native DLSS, especially useful on entry-level GPUs like the RTX 3050.
- •Cap the framerate 5-10 FPS below your monitor's maximum from the NVIDIA panel to avoid micro-stutters caused by the ghost AI's variable load.
AMD
- •Enable Radeon Anti-Lag to compensate for the residual input lag of the Unity engine, noticeable in flashlight and camera movement.
- •Use Radeon Image Sharpening (RIS) or driver-level FSR (RSR) as a substitute for the nonexistent native upscaling, especially on APUs and integrated GPUs.
- •Check that the driver's power mode is set to "Performance" and not "Power Saving", since Phasmophobia's desktop version doesn't saturate the GPU and some drivers lower clocks unnecessarily.
Intel
- •On Arc GPUs, enable driver-level XeSS (not native to the game) combined with Intel Graphics Command Center to force a performance profile in Phasmophobia, since by default it may apply aggressive power saving.
- •Update to the latest Arc drivers: the earliest versions had specific compatibility issues with the Unity Built-in Render Pipeline that Phasmophobia uses.
- •On processors with Iris Xe integrated graphics, lower render resolution in addition to graphics settings to hold a stable 60 FPS, since the game's 3D audio load also competes for shared memory bandwidth.
Sistema
- •Restart the game every 3-4 matches in a row: the community reports a known memory leak that progressively degrades framerate in long sessions without restarting.
- •Close Discord with an active overlay or disable it specifically for Phasmophobia if you use VR, since the overlay adds extra rendering load in the stereoscopic view.
- •Install the game on an SSD: the large maps (Sunny Meadows, Camp Woodwind) load a lot of assets on demand, and an HDD causes micro-stutters when entering new rooms, something that doesn't happen with an SSD.
5. Known game issues
Severe FPS drops in VR when looking at mirrors
Mirrors are a gameplay mechanic (the ghost can appear reflected) and rendering them in VR stereo doubles the cost of that reflective surface, causing sharp framerate drops specifically on the Asylum map and in rooms with large mirrors.
Performance degradation in long sessions without restarting
Players consistently report that after several matches in a row without closing the game, framerate progressively drops and micro-stutters appear, attributed to imperfect memory management by the engine; restarting the executable temporarily fixes the issue.
Micro-stutters on large maps after the Ascension update
Sunny Meadows Mental Institution and Camp Woodwind added a lot more interactive geometry and physical objects than the classic maps, causing noticeable asset streaming hitches even on hardware that previously ran the game without issues.
Estado: Partially mitigated in patches following Ascension (2024), but persists on hardware with mechanical storage (HDD).
6. Frequently asked questions
Why does Phasmophobia stutter if my system specs comfortably exceed the minimum requirements?▾
Does Phasmophobia support DLSS, FSR, or XeSS?▾
What are the best settings to play in VR without getting motion sick or suffering FPS drops?▾
Why do I lose so much FPS specifically on Sunny Meadows or Camp Woodwind and not on small maps like Tanglewood?▾
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Calculate FPS for Phasmophobia →Calculations based on consensus of technical sources and our own FPS model. More about our methodology →