Use Timer Resolution to Increase Frames + Reduce Input Delay
Tier1Timer is a free tool that reduces input lag and improves frame pacing on your PC by optimizing the Windows timer resolution. This page is the quick, practical version: two steps to apply the tweak and start playing. New to timer resolution? Start with our complete guide — it covers what the setting is, whether it’s safe, and how Windows 10 and 11 handle it differently.
Windows runs on an interrupt-driven scheduler — every “tick,” the kernel wakes threads, processes input, and advances multimedia timers. By default, Windows ticks at ~64 Hz (15.6 ms intervals). Tier1Timer lets you push that to ~2000 Hz (0.5 ms intervals), so your inputs register faster and frames arrive more consistently.
Step 1. Download and Open Tier1Timer
Download and launch Tier1Timer — no installation required. The dashboard immediately shows your system’s current, minimum, and maximum achievable resolution. Click 0.5 ms (or use Auto Mode to apply it automatically when games launch and revert when they close).
If you haven’t downloaded Tier1Timer yet, get it here.
Step 2. Enjoy More FPS Stability and Lower Input Delay
With Tier1Timer running in the background, your timer operates at the finest resolution your hardware supports. Where you’ll feel it:
- Input delay — snappier, more responsive controls in any game, most noticeable at high refresh rates
- Frame pacing — smoother frame delivery, better 1% lows, and reduced micro-stutters
- FPS — a potential frame rate increase on lower-end systems, where the scheduler is the bottleneck
Tier1Timer also includes a Latency Benchmark tab that measures real Sleep(1ms) accuracy — use it to confirm the improvement on your hardware before and after applying the change.
To use Tier1Timer: download the app, run it in the background while you play, and select your preferred resolution (or enable Auto Mode). No installation required. Minimizes to the system tray.
Looking to cut input delay and stutter further? Timer resolution is just one link in the chain — combine it with our guides on minimizing input delay for competitive gaming, optimizing your monitor to reduce input delay, and fixing lag spikes in games. You can also verify every part of your system is performing as expected by benchmarking your PC components.