This Starfield FPS Cap Fix guide covers the in-game setting and the ini file change that fully removes the frame rate lock — and explains what to expect above 60 FPS in terms of physics behavior. Starfield launched with a 60 FPS cap that is unlike any other modern PC game. The Creation Engine 2 ties certain physics simulations and game-world interactions to the frame rate, meaning the engine was not designed to operate above 60 FPS without those systems breaking down. Bethesda added an uncapped option in a post-launch patch, but the behavior above 60 FPS still requires understanding to avoid physics-related glitches.
📋 Table of Contents
TL;DR: Starfield’s frame rate can be uncapped by setting Framerate Limit to Off in Display settings. Above 60 FPS, some object placement physics and ship engine visual effects may show minor anomalies. For most play, uncapped runs fine. Cap at 60 if you encounter physics glitches or want the most stable frame pacing.
Quick wins if you are in a hurry
- To remove the 60 FPS cap: Settings → Display → Framerate Limit → Off.
- If you see floating objects, odd physics interactions, or ship engine effects behaving strangely above 60 FPS: cap at 60 FPS.
- For high refresh rate monitors: set Framerate Limit to Off and let the game run uncapped. In non-city environments with strong hardware, Starfield can sustain 90 to 120+ FPS above the old cap.
- If FPS is already capped below 60 by your hardware: the cap is not your issue — it is a GPU or CPU performance limitation addressed in our main Starfield performance guide.
Why the 60 FPS cap existed
Bethesda’s Creation Engine, the same engine that powers Skyrim and Fallout, has a long history of tying physics simulations to frame rate. Objects at higher frame rates move faster, float, or clip through surfaces because the engine’s physics solver calculates movement per-frame rather than in fixed time steps. Creation Engine 2 for Starfield improved this significantly but did not fully decouple physics from frame rate.
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At Starfield’s launch, Bethesda enforced a 60 FPS cap as the safe operating envelope for the physics engine. Objects stacked in bases, ship components in the ship builder, and certain NPC interaction zones showed anomalous behavior above this cap in pre-launch testing. The cap was the practical solution for a stable launch.
The post-launch patch added an uncapped option with an implicit acceptance that minor physics oddities may occur above 60 FPS. For the vast majority of gameplay — exploration, combat, dialogue, ship travel — uncapped works correctly. The issues that remain are in edge cases: stacking items in settlements, certain ship builder interactions, and some environmental physics objects in specific locations.
How to properly uncap FPS in Starfield
Method 1: In-game setting (easiest)
Open Settings → Display → Framerate Limit → select “Off” from the dropdown. This removes the 60 FPS ceiling immediately. No file editing required. Restart the game after changing for clean effect.
Method 2: StarfieldCustom.ini file (for additional control)
For additional control over the FPS ceiling, create a file named StarfieldCustom.ini in the Documents\My Games\Starfield\ folder with the following content:
[Display]
iPresentInterval=0
Setting iPresentInterval=0 disables the game’s internal V-sync lock that enforced the 60 FPS cap on some configurations even when the in-game option was changed. If you still see 60 FPS after using the in-game setting, this ini file change resolves it.
What to expect above 60 FPS
In most gameplay at 60 to 120+ FPS: everything functions normally. Exploration, combat, dialogue, and space travel all work correctly. Ship travel and combat above 60 FPS operate without issues in standard configurations.
Potential anomalies above 60 FPS that have been reported by the community:
- Small physics objects (clutter items in settlements) may slide or float when placed
- Ship engine trail effects may display at doubled or inconsistent intensity
- Certain physics-enabled doors and containers in specific locations may behave oddly
- The ship builder may show placement grid anomalies with certain modules
These are edge cases, not constant issues. If you do not engage in settlement building or ship builder customization above 60 FPS, uncapped play is effectively problem-free.
Frame pacing with V-Sync versus uncapped
At exactly 60 FPS on a 60Hz monitor, enabling V-Sync in Display settings produces the cleanest frame delivery — each frame arrives exactly at the monitor’s refresh cycle, eliminating tearing and frame time variance. This is the recommended configuration for 60Hz monitors targeting 60 FPS.
On monitors above 60Hz (144Hz, 240Hz), running Starfield uncapped allows the game to take advantage of the higher refresh rate. At 90 to 120 FPS, Starfield on a 144Hz monitor feels significantly smoother than 60 FPS on the same panel, particularly during fast camera movement in space. Enable NVIDIA Reflex or AMD Anti-Lag to keep input latency low at these higher frame rates.
G-Sync or FreeSync if available on your monitor pairs naturally with uncapped Starfield — variable refresh rate eliminates tearing artifacts at the cost of some additional latency compared to a capped configuration. For single-player exploration, this tradeoff is generally acceptable.
High refresh rate monitor considerations
Starfield is well-suited to high refresh rates in certain environments. Space exploration and combat at 90 to 120+ FPS is notably smoother than at 60 FPS. Landing on varied planets shows natural variation — barren planets with minimal AI simulation can sustain 90 to 120 FPS on mid-range hardware, while landing on New Atlantis will immediately bring FPS back toward the CPU single-thread ceiling.
Set expectations by environment rather than by a single target: aim for maximum possible FPS uncapped, accept that city areas will land where the CPU ceiling allows, and enjoy the higher frame rates in space and exploration contexts. On an RTX 4070 + Ryzen 7 5800X, uncapped Starfield varies from 55 to 70 FPS in New Atlantis to 130 to 160 FPS in space, all within the same play session.
Common issues and fixes
Issue: Changed Framerate Limit to Off but FPS is still stuck at 60.
Fix: Create or edit StarfieldCustom.ini in Documents\My Games\Starfield\ and add [Display] on one line and iPresentInterval=0 on the next. Some configurations require both the in-game setting and the ini file change to fully remove the cap.
Issue: Object clutter in my outpost floats or behaves oddly above 60 FPS.
Fix: Cap FPS to 60 during outpost building sessions. The physics anomalies are frame-rate-dependent. Once the objects are placed at 60 FPS, you can uncap again for normal gameplay without the placed items being affected.
Issue: FPS is uncapped but performance in New Atlantis is worse than expected even at 80 FPS average.
Fix: This is the CPU single-thread ceiling at work. New Atlantis hits this ceiling before the GPU. Enable Crowd Density Low, HAGS, ReBAR, and XMP — these are the only levers that raise the ceiling in city environments.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to uncap Starfield FPS?
For most gameplay, yes. Combat, exploration, dialogue, and space travel are unaffected above 60 FPS. Minor physics anomalies can occur with item placement in settlements and in the ship builder. If you use these systems actively, cap at 60 FPS during those activities.
Does Starfield support G-Sync and FreeSync?
Yes. With Framerate Limit set to Off and V-Sync disabled in Display settings, G-Sync and FreeSync operate normally. Enable your VRR mode in the GPU control panel and set Starfield to Fullscreen mode for proper VRR operation.
Why does Starfield feel smoother at 60 FPS locked than at uncapped 70-80 FPS?
Frame time consistency. An uncapped frame rate that varies between 65 and 85 FPS has inconsistent frame delivery — some frames arrive 15ms apart, others 12ms apart. A locked 60 FPS delivers frames at exactly 16.7ms each. The variance in uncapped mode creates a perceived roughness despite the higher average. Cap at refresh rate minus three with V-Sync on for smooth 60 FPS, or cap only above your monitor’s refresh rate for VRR environments.
Quick Starfield FPS Cap Fix Checklist
- Framerate Limit set to Off in Display settings for uncapped play
- StarfieldCustom.ini created if in-game setting alone does not uncap
- V-Sync disabled for VRR or high refresh rate monitors
- V-Sync enabled for 60Hz monitors targeting 60 FPS with cap set to 60
- Physics anomaly behavior accepted or addressed by capping during settlement and ship builder use
- NVIDIA Reflex or AMD Anti-Lag enabled alongside uncapped play
The FPS cap is a solvable constraint now that Bethesda patched the uncapped option. For the full picture of what settings maximize performance once the cap is removed, our Starfield performance fix guide covers all CPU and GPU optimizations. And for deciding what hardware actually pushes performance in this engine, our Starfield PC specs guide explains the CPU-first priority.
Bethesda’s official Starfield support page covers known technical issues including the frame rate settings. GamersNexus benchmarked Starfield at various frame rate targets and settings configurations.
Tested by Anir | FPSFlow.com
Hardware: RTX 4070 + Ryzen 7 5800X, 32 GB DDR4 3600MHz, NVMe SSD
Last updated: July 2026
Method: FPS cap removal tested via both in-game setting and ini file. Physics anomalies documented across multiple outpost building and ship builder sessions above 60 FPS. Frame time consistency compared between capped and uncapped configurations using CapFrameX.
