How to Enable Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling (HAGS)

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Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling (HAGS) lets your GPU manage its own memory scheduling instead of the CPU doing it, which can lower latency and smooth frame delivery. This guide shows how to enable it and how to tell whether it actually helps your system.

How to Enable Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling (HAGS)

HAGS is a “test it” feature — it helps many setups, especially with NVIDIA Reflex and frame generation, but it’s worth benchmarking on your own rig.

What HAGS actually does

Normally Windows uses the CPU to schedule and submit work to the GPU. Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling offloads part of that to a dedicated processor on the GPU. The practical benefits:

  • Slightly lower CPU overhead, freeing headroom in CPU-bound games.
  • Lower latency in some titles, and it’s a prerequisite for some frame-generation features.
  • Smoother frame pacing on certain configurations.

Requirements

  • Windows 10 (2004+) or Windows 11.
  • A GPU and driver that support HAGS (modern NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel GPUs with current drivers).

How to enable HAGS

  1. Open Settings → System → Display → Graphics.
  2. Click Change default graphics settings (or Default graphics settings).
  3. Toggle Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling to On.
  4. Restart your PC — the change only applies after a reboot.

If the toggle isn’t there, update your GPU driver first; older drivers don’t expose it.

Confirm it’s on

After rebooting, return to the same screen and verify the toggle stays On. You can also check your GPU control software — current NVIDIA and AMD drivers report HAGS status.

Should you keep it on?

HAGS is generally positive on modern hardware, but results vary by game and driver version. To decide for your system:

  1. Benchmark a few of your games with HAGS on, then off, using consistent settings. See Testing PC Components Using Benchmarking Tools.
  2. Compare average FPS, 1% lows, and frame-time consistency — not just the average.
  3. If you use NVIDIA Reflex or frame generation, HAGS on is usually the better choice.
  4. If you see new stutter after enabling it, turn it off and retest.

Pair it with other latency fixes

HAGS is one piece of a low-latency setup. Combine it with How to Minimize Input Delay for Competitive Gaming, The Ultimate Guide to Timer Resolution for Gaming, and Tier1Timer.

Enable HAGS in Display → Graphics, reboot, then benchmark on vs off in your games. It’s a low-risk toggle that helps most modern systems — especially if you rely on Reflex or frame generation.