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How to Fix Freezing in Iracing

Stutters or lockups in iRacing? Learn how to fix freezing in iRacing with simple, proven steps for drivers so you can stabilize frames and get back on track fast.

If your screen locks up or stutters in iRacing, you’re in the right place. The short answer: stabilize your PC load, kill overlay apps, set a sensible frame-rate cap, and match your in-game network setting to your connection. Below is exactly how to fix freezing in iracing step by step.

Quick Answer: how to fix freezing in iracing

Most freezes come from two sources: your PC is overloaded (graphics or CPU) or an overlay/background app is interrupting the game; less often it’s your network. Update graphics drivers, disable overlays (Discord/GeForce/Steam), cap your frames per second (FPS), lower heavy graphics (mirrors/shadows), and set iRacing’s connection type correctly.

What’s Really Going On

Freezing is a brief pause where the whole picture locks up. It usually happens when:

  • The GPU or CPU hits 100% and can’t keep up.
  • An overlay (chat, capture, monitoring) hooks the game and causes a stall.
  • Storage or RAM is maxed, forcing Windows to “swap.”
  • Network hiccups create big delays; cars may “rubber-band” or everything pauses.

iRacing is sensitive to sudden spikes. Keeping load steady matters more than chasing max graphics.

Step-by-Step Fix

  1. Update and clean your graphics driver
    Install the latest NVIDIA/AMD driver. Use the “clean install” option. Reboot after.

  2. Kill overlays and background apps
    Close Discord/Steam/GeForce Experience overlays, MSI Afterburner/Rivatuner, RGB suites, browsers with many tabs, and screen recorders. Disable Xbox Game Bar.

  3. Set a stable FPS cap
    In iRacing options, set Max Frame Rate to a number your PC can hold (e.g., 84, 120). A steady FPS is better than spikes. Turn off V-Sync unless you see tearing and cap FPS instead.

  4. Lower the heavy hitters in iRacing settings
    Reduce: Mirrors (number/quality), Shadows, Reflections, Crowd, and number of visible cars. Keep AA moderate. If VR, lower supersampling a notch.

  5. Match your network setting
    In Options > Network, set “Connection Type” to what you actually have (e.g., 1 Mbps or 2 Mbps for most broadband). Use wired Ethernet if possible. Avoid Wi‑Fi during races.

  6. Check temps and usage
    Alt-Tab after a session: ensure CPU/GPU aren’t overheating and RAM isn’t pegged. If RAM is near full, close apps or add more memory. Put iRacing on an SSD.

  7. Repair and verify files
    Run the iRacing updater/repair tool from the UI or website to fix any corrupted files.

Extra Tips / Checklist

  • Use Fullscreen (not Windowed) for the lowest input and stutter risk.
  • Turn off “Replay spooling while driving” or reduce replay size to lower disk writes.
  • Set Windows Power Plan to High Performance; disable USB power saving for wheel/pedals.
  • Try Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling off (some PCs are smoother off).
  • Avoid alt-tabbing during gridding; it can trigger a brief hitch on some setups.

FAQs

  • Why does iRacing freeze mid-race but practice is fine?
    Race sessions add cars and incidents, which spike CPU/GPU load. Lower mirrors/visible cars and cap FPS for races.

  • How do I know if it’s network or graphics?
    If only other cars jump around, it’s likely network. If the whole screen locks, it’s usually graphics/CPU/overlay.

  • Does limiting FPS really help?
    Yes. A stable, capped FPS prevents sudden load spikes that cause micro-freezes.

  • Which single setting should I lower first?
    Mirrors and shadows have the biggest impact per click. Start there.

Short Wrap-Up

Freezing in iRacing is almost always load spikes or overlays. Update drivers, disable overlays, cap FPS, lower mirrors/shadows, and match your network setting. Do a quick test race; if it’s still shaky, drop visible cars one step and try again.