To enable DLSS, open a supported PC game’s graphics or display settings, switch on its DLSS option, and select a mode. Start with Quality if image detail matters most; try Balanced or Performance if you want more performance headroom. The best choice depends on the game, output resolution, GPU, and your preferences.
How to enable DLSS
- Check support for the feature you want. A game may support DLSS Super Resolution but not every other DLSS feature, and GPU requirements differ by feature.
- Open the game’s graphics or display settings. Look for DLSS under upscaling, anti-aliasing, or image-quality controls. Menu names and locations vary by game and its update.
- Enable the DLSS option offered by the game. NVIDIA says DLSS is normally enabled in the game’s settings; available controls depend on the game engine and update level. See NVIDIA’s DLSS game setup guide.
- Choose a mode, apply the setting, and compare. Test it in the game rather than assuming one mode will look or perform best everywhere.
Which DLSS quality mode should you use?
DLSS Super Resolution reconstructs a higher-resolution image from lower-resolution input, using motion data and feedback from prior frames. In practical terms, a mode sets a trade-off between the game’s input resolution and the reconstructed output: a lower input resolution can provide more performance headroom, while preserving image detail may favor a less aggressive mode. NVIDIA describes this process on its DLSS technology page.
| Mode | NVIDIA’s documented input-resolution example | When to consider it |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | 67% of output resolution | Start here when image detail is the priority. |
| Balanced | Not stated in NVIDIA’s cited override guidance | Consider it when you want a compromise; the exact behavior depends on the game. |
| Performance | 50% of output resolution | Try it when you want more performance headroom. |
| Ultra Performance | 33% of output resolution | Use it as a more aggressive performance option. |
| Custom scaling | Selectable from 33% to 100% | Available through the documented override controls where supported. |
The percentages are NVIDIA’s examples for its documented override behavior, not a guarantee that every game renders each mode identically. Do not assume a universal Balanced percentage. For a useful visual comparison, keep the output resolution and scene consistent as you switch modes.
Choose based on your setup
- Image quality: Begin with Quality if fine detail and stability matter more than maximum performance.
- Performance headroom: If the game needs more breathing room, compare Balanced and Performance; Ultra Performance is the more aggressive option.
- Resolution and GPU: The result varies with output resolution, GPU generation, and the game’s implementation.
- Your own comparison: Look at the same scene at the same output resolution, and choose the mode whose image and performance trade-off suits you.
Can you enable DLSS through the NVIDIA App?
For compatible games, NVIDIA App offers per-game DLSS overrides under Graphics > Program Settings > Driver Settings. NVIDIA describes controls for DLSS models and modes, but availability depends on the title, and some overrides require the related feature to be enabled in the game’s own settings. The app can expose options; it does not make every override work in every game or on every GPU. See NVIDIA’s guidance on NVIDIA App DLSS overrides and its overview of DLSS updates through NVIDIA App.
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Which GPUs support DLSS?
Support depends on the specific DLSS feature. NVIDIA lists Super Resolution for GeForce RTX 20, 30, 40, and 50 Series GPUs, while Frame Generation and newer Multi Frame Generation options are restricted to particular generations. Check the relevant feature row in NVIDIA’s DLSS feature and hardware table rather than treating “DLSS support” as a single all-or-nothing capability. A new graphics card is not needed just to change a setting if your current game and GPU already support the feature you want.
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Why might the DLSS option be missing?
- The game may not support the feature. Support for Super Resolution does not establish support for Frame Generation or another DLSS option.
- The GPU may not support that particular feature. Check NVIDIA’s feature-by-generation table.
- The option may be in a different menu. Search the game’s graphics, display, upscaling, anti-aliasing, or image-quality settings; exact labels vary by title.
- An app override may need the in-game feature enabled first. Turn on the corresponding game setting, then check the compatible per-game controls in NVIDIA App.
- The game’s update level can affect available controls. Consult the game’s own support information for its current, exact menu path.
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