Consistent 1 Hz stutter in Windows 11 with HAGS enabled (Ryzen 5600 + NVIDIA) — Temporarily resolved by Alt+Tab/Game Bar, flawless on Windows 10

Max Power 0 Reputation points
2026-10-12T08:42:23.52+00:00

Problem Description

In all 3D games with Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling (HAGS) enabled, periodic micro-stutters occur in Windows 11 at a fixed cadence: exactly once per second (~1 Hz).

How it manifests: The stutters don't necessarily start right after launching the game. They usually appear after some playtime—most notably after changing in-game areas, switching through menus, or during scene loading/asset streaming.

  • Key Symptom (Temporary Fix): Simply performing any window focus action—such as pressing Alt+Tab (minimizing and restoring the game) or opening and closing the Xbox Game Bar (Win + G)—instantly and completely resolves the stuttering. The game runs perfectly smooth again. However, after some time (or after another area/scene loads), the 1-second stutters inevitably return.
  • Contrast with Windows 10: On Windows 10, running on the exact same machine, in the exact same games, and with HAGS enabled, everything works flawlessly with zero micro-stutters. This issue is strictly tied to Windows 11 and has persisted since the OS was released.
  • CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600 (6 Cores / 12 Threads)
  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070
  • RAM: 32 GB (Dual Channel)
  • Motherboard: ASUS B550 (BIOS updated)
  • Operating System: Windows 11 (the issue has occurred across all versions, from the very launch of Windows 11 up to the latest builds).
  • Reference Baseline: Windows 10 (runs completely smooth on the exact same hardware).

Troubleshooting Already Attempted (Did NOT solve the issue)

  1. Clean OS Installations:
    • The issue occurs immediately on a clean install of Windows 11, without any third-party background software (RGB controllers, overlays, third-party antiviruses). A fresh OS install, the graphics driver, and a single game (e.g.,) reproduce the problem right away. Tested repeatedly over the years across various Windows 11 builds (from early launch builds to the latest updates). MPO (Multi-Plane Overlay): 
      Disabling MPO via the registry (OverlayTestMode = 5, DisableOverlays = 1) does not fix it.

**Display and Presentation Settings:**

   Toggling "Optimizations for windowed games" on/off.

      Checking "Disable fullscreen optimizations" in the game executable's compatibility settings.

         Modifying GameDVR and FSE registry parameters.

            Switching between Exclusive Fullscreen and Borderless Windowed modes.

            **Drivers and Peripherals:**

               Clean driver installations using DDU in Safe Mode.

                  Testing numerous NVIDIA driver branches over time.

                     Completely disabling the NVIDIA High Definition Audio device/controller.

                        Disconnecting all unnecessary USB devices (testing with only a mouse connected).
  2. BIOS & Power Management:

Disabling AMD fTPM in BIOS.

  • Toggling Resizable BAR on and off.
  • Disabling HPET (High Precision Event Timer) in both BIOS and Device Manager.

Disabling Core Isolation / Memory Integrity (VBS) and hardware virtualization.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Performance and system failures
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  1. Max Power 0 Reputation points
    2026-10-15T12:51:23.1633333+00:00

    It seems I’ve found a solution to my problem. It appears the issue stemmed from the video adapter settings, where the monitor refresh rate was set to 59.95 Hz instead of the expected 60 Hz. The 59.95 Hz frequency is the NTSC television standard, and it seems that the HAGS (Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling) feature in Windows 11 doesn't handle this standard well, leading to a 1 Hz synchronization mismatch. An AI explained to me that since HAGS is less strict regarding synchronization in Windows 10, this 1 Hz discrepancy doesn't cause any issues there. By creating a custom profile set to exactly 60 Hz, the problem has been resolved.

    1. The issue does not occur when HAGS is disabled.
    2. The problem arises in games using DX11, DX12, and Vulkan.
    3. The issue persists regardless of whether "Optimizations for windowed games" is enabled or disabled. Also, my monitor does not support HDR.

    Additionally, I tested both HDMI 1.4 and DisplayPort 1.2 connections, but it made no difference; the default setting remained 59.95 Hz, resulting in that 1 Hz mismatch, whereas everything works perfectly at 60 Hz.

    I also tried creating a profile at 57.95 Hz, and the 1 Hz issue did not appear. This leads me to believe that the problem lies within the default profile settings—though I’m not certain whether this profile originates from Nvidia or Windows—as it contains other parameters, beyond just the refresh rate and resolution, that might be conflicting with HAGS. I’m still testing my theories; hopefully, this will be helpful to someone and the developers will fix it.

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  2. Emma1-N 13,700 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-10-12T23:45:28.8266667+00:00

    Welcome Max Power,

    Thank you for providing such detailed testing.

    Since you have already tested clean installations, multiple NVIDIA drivers, display modes, MPO, VBS, BIOS options, and peripheral isolation, I would not suggest repeating those steps.

    Could you first confirm two details?

    • Does the 1 Hz stutter occur when “Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling” is turned off, or does disabling that setting consistently stop it?
    • Does it happen in both DX11 and DX12 games, or only one of them?

    For one additional comparison, please check Settings > System > Display > Graphics, select one affected game, and test it with both Optimizations for windowed games and Auto HDR disabled for that game. Restart the game after changing the setting.

    If possible, please also share whether disabling HAGS completely eliminates the stutter and whether the affected games are DX11 or DX12. That will help determine which troubleshooting path makes sense next.

    Looking forward to your update.

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