How To Check Your FPS In Games On Mac

Monitoring your frames per second (FPS) is crucial for optimizing your gaming experience on a Mac. Here are several methods to check your FPS, each tailored to different scenarios and game types.

Using Built-In FPS Counters in Games

Many modern games include their own built-in FPS counters that can be easily enabled. To check if your game has this feature, look in the game's graphics, display, or advanced settings. This is often the most straightforward way to check your FPS, as the counter is specifically tailored to that game, potentially providing more accurate readings.

1. Navigate to Game Settings: Open your game and go to the settings menu.
2. Find the FPS Counter Option: Look for an option to turn on the FPS counter. This might be under graphics, display, or advanced settings.
3. Enable the FPS Counter: Toggle the option to enable the FPS counter.

If the game does not have a built-in FPS counter, you may need to use a console command to activate it. A quick web search for "[Game Name] FPS counter" can reveal whether this is necessary.

Enabling the macOS Performance HUD

For games that use the Metal API, you can enable the macOS performance HUD (Heads-Up Display) to view the FPS and other performance metrics.

1. Open Terminal: Launch the Terminal app on your Mac.
2. Enter the Command: Type the following command and press Enter:

   /bin/launchctl setenv MTL_HUD_ENABLED 1
   

3. Start Your Game: Launch your game, and you should see the performance overlay in the top-left corner of the screen. This overlay includes the FPS counter.

To disable the HUD, use the same command but replace the 1 with 0:

/bin/launchctl setenv MTL_HUD_ENABLED 0

Using Steam's In-Game FPS Counter

If you are playing games through Steam, you can use Steam's built-in FPS counter.

1. Open Steam: Launch the Steam client on your Mac.
2. Go to Preferences: Navigate to Steam -> Preferences from the menu bar.
3. Enable the FPS Counter: In the Preferences window, click on the In-Game tab and turn on the In-Game FPS Counter option.
4. Choose the Display Location: Select where you want the FPS counter to appear on your screen.
5. Launch Your Game: Start your game, and press the overlay shortcut key combination (default is Shift + Tab) to activate the overlay.

Using the Quartz Debug Tool

For older Macs or games that do not support the Metal API, you can use the Quartz Debug tool, which is part of the Additional Tools for Xcode package.

1. Download Additional Tools for Xcode: Visit the Apple Developer website, sign in with your Apple ID, and download the Additional Tools for Xcode package.
2. Install the Tools: Open the downloaded .dmg file and install the tools.
3. Run the Quartz Debug Tool: Find the Graphics folder and run the Quartz Debug tool.
4. Enable the Frame Meter: Go to the Window menu and select Frame Meter. This will display the FPS counter at the bottom of your screen.

Using Third-Party Tools

For games that do not have built-in FPS counters and are not supported by the above methods, you can use third-party tools like Count It.

1. Download Count It: Download the Count It app from the Mac Gamer HQ website.
2. Install Count It: Drag the downloaded folder into your Applications folder and right-click the app to open it, telling your Mac that it is a safe app.
3. Launch Your Game: Start your game as you normally would.
4. Open Count It: Exit to the desktop, find Count It, and open it.
5. Add Your Game: Click the plus button, select your running game from the list, and click Add. If your game does not appear, click Show hidden apps.
6. Start Monitoring: A frame rate counter should appear in the corner of your monitor.

By using these methods, you can effectively monitor your FPS in various gaming scenarios on your Mac, helping you optimize your gaming experience for the best performance.