Screen tearing occurs when your GPU's frame rate is not synced with your monitor's refresh rate.
It's extremely frustrating, especially when the screen tearing makes games unbearable.
Trust me, I've been there.
The good news is, there are ways to fix League of Legends screen tearing, and that is what I'm going to show you in this guide below.
Let's dive in!
There is no sure-fire way to fix screen tearing since there may be multiple reasons why screen tearing occurs.
Here are methods that should fix screen tearing, and a quick note on their effectiveness:
Most modern gaming monitors include G-Sync/FreeSync compatibilities.
Turning on G-Sync (for NVIDIA GPU's) or FreeSync (for AMD GPU's) will significantly cut down or eliminate screen tearing altogether.
These technologies allow your monitor to change its refresh rate dynamically, allowing your monitor to sync with your GPU seamlessly.
In other words, as long as your PC can run within your monitor's supported variable refresh rate (VRR), then your GPU and Monitor will be able to sync perfectly, resulting in zero screens tearing and smooth gameplay.
The downside to G-Sync/FreeSync is that it caps your FPS to your monitor's refresh rate; for example, 60Hz monitors = 60 FPS (Capped).
Although, 144Hz monitors are the recommended refresh rates for monitors for League of Legends, and 144 FPS an excellent and consistent refresh rate to game on.
In most cases fixes screen tearing but introduces input lag.
VSync syncs your monitor's refresh rate to your graphics card's frame rate.
VSync works by syncing your GPU's frame rate with your monitor when your monitor displays a full frame.
The issue that comes with turning on VSync is that it introduces a ton of input lag.
Input lag refers to the 'delay' between an action you take on your peripherals and that action being performed in-game.
So for competitive games like League of Legends, even a ~1ms - ~2ms input lag can give you a severe disadvantage which is noticeable.
So it's up to you whether you can suffer through the input lag or if you want more responsive gameplay.
Some people don't experience any input lag when VSync is on, so test it out and see for yourself.
The root problem lies in syncing your monitor to your graphics card, but other methods can help improve your GPU performance, which may help with screen tearing.
So if you don't have access to a G-Sync/FreeSync monitor or find that VSync gives you input lag, try these methods below:
Note that some of these tips may affect your FPS, so it's best to test them out and see if it eliminates screen tearing and keeps your FPS stable.
If you have exhausted all options and still suffer from screen tearing, it's time to upgrade your PC, Monitor, or both.
You can check out our guide on finding the best monitor for League of Legends.
All of the monitors listed have G-Sync/FreeSync compatibility, which will eliminate screen tearing.
Screen tearing occurs when your graphics card refresh rate isn't synced to your monitor refresh rate, which causes horizontal splits and tears.
Here is an in-game example:
This is what gamers usually mean when the game looks and feels 'choppy' or 'stuttery,' as the game is not smooth.
Most gamers have the assumption that the higher FPS, the better.
While it's always best to have high FPS, in this case, higher FPS may cause screen tearing, as your monitor's refresh rate is not synced up to your GPU's frame rate.
This can also occur if your FPS is lower than your GPU's frame rate as well.
The fastest way to stop screen tearing without VSync the best alternative is to buy a gaming monitor with G-Sync/FreeSync compatibility.
VSync introduces input lag, but G-Sync/FreeSync does not, meaning they are the better alternative to reducing/eliminating screen tear.
Unfortunately, there are no other reliable ways to stop screen tearing without the use of VSync, G-Sync, or FreeSync, as the root problem is your monitor's refresh rate not syncing with your GPU's frame rate.
The only other option is to upgrade your monitor or your PC and sync them together.
Below are some frequently asked questions...
In some cases, screen tearing will occur even with G-Sync/FreeSync turned on, and the root cause is your FPS cap.
Having your FPS go higher or lower than your monitor's refresh rate may cause screen tearing, so it's best to cap your FPS at your monitor's refresh rate.
That means if you have a 240Hz monitor, cap your FPS at 240.
If you find that capping your FPS reduces the game's quality or introduces input lag, it may be best to turn off G-Sync/FreeSync and play with higher FPS.
The refresh rate of your monitor doesn't directly eliminate screen tearing, but upgrading your monitor will help with reducing it.
You will feel an immediate difference in responsiveness when you buy a 144Hz monitor.
If you want to reduce screen tearing, you need to find a monitor that has Sync technology, like G-Sync, FreeSync, Adaptive Sync, Fast Sync, or Enhanced Sync.
Fast Sync and Enhanced Sync is much better than VSync as it doesn't apply as much input lag as VSync.
The input lag is still noticeable, so the quality isn't as good as G-Sync/FreeSync.
Fast Sync/Enhanced Sync does not limit your frame rate to your monitor's maximum refresh rate but instead shows the newest completed frame, thus preventing screen tearing.
Additionally, you can circumvent the input lag by having a higher FPS as well. Try and aim to get your FPS to be double your monitor's refresh rate.
So if your monitor's refresh rate is 60Hz, aim to get 120 FPS in-game.
This should lower your input lag significantly.
While screen tearing can be frustrating to deal with, it's not impossible to fix.
The key is understanding the root cause of screen tearing which is the 'syncing' between your monitor and your GPU.
Using in-game settings like VSync or Monitor settings like G-Sync/FreeSync will significantly reduce or eliminate screen tearing.
Our guide should have given you some insights into how screen tearing occurs, so you know what to do next time it happens while playing League of Legends.
If all this sounds too technical for you, let us know!
We're always happy to help gamers understand their screens better to play more efficiently and enjoyably.
Happy gaming!