Hearthstone is a digital collectible card game (DCCG) that is deceptively simple but incredibly fun to play. It is easy to understand the mechanics of this trading card game, which is why almost anyone can pick it up easily.
Consequently, more and more people are trying the game on their PC, laptop, or tablet. However, recently, many players have complained about Hearthstone lagging on Windows 10.
Of course, we want you to continue playing the game without any hassle. As such, we’ve put together this article to teach you how to fix the Hearthstone lag issue. Make sure you work your way down the list until you get rid of the problem completely.
Method 1: Ensuring that Your Computer Specs Meets the Minimum System Requirements For the Game
It is possible that Hearthstone is performing poorly because your PC does not meet the minimum system requirements for the game. It is best to check if you have the right operating system, processor, graphics card, and RAM. So, the first step on learning how to troubleshoot Hearthstone lagging is to check the details below:
Operating System
- Minimum Requirements: Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8 (latest service pack)
- Recommended Specs: Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10 64-bit (latest service pack)
- Processor
- Minimum Requirements: Intel Pentium D or AMD Athlon 64 X2
- Recommended Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 (2.4 GHz), AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ (2.6 GHz), or anything better
Graphics Card
- Minimum Requirements: NVIDIA GeForce 6800 (256 MB), ATI Radeon X1600 Pro (256 MB), or anything better
- Recommended Specs: NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT (512 MB), ATI Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB), or anything better
Memory
- At least 4 GB RAM
If you want to know your computer’s specs, you can follow the instructions below:
- Press Windows Key+R on your keyboard to launch the Run dialog box.
- Inside the box, type “dxdiag” (no quotes), then click OK.
- Now, go to the System tab and check the details regarding your PC’s operating system version, processor type, and memory.
- You can go to the Display tab to check what graphics card you have on your computer.
If you find that any of your PC’s specs do not meet the minimum system requirements, you need to upgrade your hardware to be able to play Hearthstone without any issues.
Method 2: Updating Your Graphics Driver
One of the common causes of Hearthstone lagging on Windows 10 is an outdated or corrupted graphics driver. So, if you want to resolve the issue, you should try updating your graphics driver. Now, you should know that there are three ways you can do this:
- Using the Device Manager
- Downloading and Installing the Drivers Manually
- Using Auslogics Driver Updater
Using the Device Manager
- You need to launch the Run dialog box. To do this, you must press Windows Key+R on your keyboard.
- Inside the Run dialog box, type “devmgmt.msc” (no quotes), then click OK.
- Now, expand the contents of the Display Adapters category.
- Right-click your graphics driver, then select Update Driver from the list.
Downloading and Installing the Drivers Manually
When you use the Device Manager to update your graphics driver, there’s a possibility that you’ll miss the latest version of the driver. So, you might still end up downloading the driver manually from the manufacturer’s website. When you choose this method, you need to ensure that you are downloading the right version for your operating system and processor. Remember that installing an incompatible graphics driver can cause bigger issues.
Using Auslogics Driver Updater
It will take a lot of time and effort to update your graphics driver manually. The process also involves real risks.
Thankfully, there is an easier and more reliable way to update your drivers. You can use Auslogics Driver Updater to automate the entire process. All you need to do is install the program, and it will automatically recognize what operating system version and processor type you have on your PC.
You simply need to click a button, and Auslogics Driver Updater will detect all the problematic drivers on your computer. It will also look for the latest, manufacturer-recommended versions of the drivers. So, once the process is complete, Hearthstone will no longer lag and your PC’s performance will improve.
Method 3: Configuring the In-Game Settings
If the settings in Hearthstone are incompatible with your monitor or graphics card, the game may start to lag. So, it is important that you configure the settings in the Blizzard desktop app. Here are the steps:
- Exit Hearthstone completely.
- Now, launch Blizzard, then click Options and Game Settings.
- Go to the Hearthstone section, then click Reset In-Game Options.
- Click Reset.
- Once the process is complete, click Done.
- Try launching Hearthstone again and check if it is still lagging.
Method 4: Adjusting Blizzard’s Settings
If Blizzard is running in the background while you’re playing Hearthstone, the game may start to lag. So, you need to configure Blizzard to close completely once Hearthstone starts to run. Follow the instructions below:
- Open Blizzard.
- Follow this path:
- Options ->Game Settings ->General
- Go to the ‘When I launch a Game’ section.
- Click the drop-down menu, then select the ‘Exit Battle.net completely’ option.
- Launch Hearthstone again and check if the lagging issue is gone.
Method 5: Deleting the Log.config File
According to some users, they were able to get rid of the lags by deleting the log.config file. So, it would not hurt you to try the same solution. To proceed, follow these steps:
- Launch Blizzard, then follow this path:
- Hearthstone ->Options ->Show in Explorer
- Once the Hearthstone folder opens, exit Blizzard completely.
- Double-click the Hearthstone folder, then look for the log.config file and delete it.
- Restart your PC, then try opening Hearthstone again. Check if the lagging issue is gone.
Method 6: Modifying Your Graphics Card Settings
You can reduce lag and enjoy smoother gameplay by modifying the settings in your graphics card. We’ve prepared instructions for NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel graphics cards:
Modifying NVIDIA Graphics Card Settings
- Go to your desktop, then right-click any empty space.
- Select NVIDIA Control Panel from the context menu.
- Once the NVIDIA Control Panel is up, go to the left-pane menu and click Manage 3D Settings.
- Now, move to the right pane and click Global Settings. Modify the features below as indicated:
Power management mode: Prefer maximum performance
Texture filtering -Quality: High performance
Threaded optimization: Off
Vertical sync: Off
- Once you’ve configured the settings, click Apply.
- Exit the NVIDIA Control Panel, then open Hearthstone to check if it is no longer lagging.
Modifying AMD Graphics Card Settings
- On your keyboard, press Windows Key+S.
- Type “amd” (no quotes), then select AMD Settings from the results.
- Click Gaming, then select Global Settings.
- Configure the settings as indicated below:
Anti-aliasing Mode: Use application settings
Anti-aliasing Method: Multisampling
Morphological Filtering: Off
Anisotropic Filtering Mode: Use application settings
Texture Filtering Quality: Performance
Surface Format Optimization: On
Wait for Vertical Refresh: Off, unless application specifies
OpenGL Triple Buffering: Off
Shader Cache: AMD optimized
Tessellation Mode: AMD optimized
Frame Rate Target Control: 150 FPS
- Launch Hearthstone and check if the lagging problem is gone.
Modifying Intel Graphics Card Settings
- Right-click any empty space on your desktop.
- Select Intel Graphics Settings from the options.
- Once the Intel HD Graphics Control Panel is up, click 3D.
- Configure the following features as indicated:
Application Optimal Mode: Enable
Multi-Sample Anti-Aliasing: Use Application Settings
Anisotropic Filtering: Use Application Default Settings
Vertical Sync: Use Application Settings
- Open Hearthstone to check if it is still lagging.
What other software issues would you like us to fix?
Feel free to ask your questions in the comments below!
