Vertical Sync, or VSync, is a technology present in most video games, including World of Warcraft. And while it helps some players achieve better game performance, for many it does the complete opposite.
If your PC is struggling to run WoW and you’re constantly experiencing FPS drops, turning VSync on might actually stabilize the issue.
But if you have a decent or high-end PC and your FPS is constantly low, VSync is what might be causing the problem for you.
Fortunately, VSync can be easily turned on and off in World of Warcraft. And in this post, I’ll tell you how to do it step by step both in the retail version of the game and in Classic.
So, let’s get into it!
Here’s How to Turn Off VSync in World of Warcraft Dragonflight:

- Launch World of Warcraft.
- Open the System settings (If you’re in-game, press ESC and select Options).
- Select the Graphics tab on your left.
- Find Vertical Sync and select Disable.
Once you’ve turned off your VSync, simply close the settings and return to your game. Note that you don’t need to restart the game in order for the effect to take place. So you can continue playing.
However, you should take notice of how much turning VSync off impacts your FPS in WoW. So, measure your frame rates before and after you disable this setting.
And if you want to turn VSync back on, all you need to do is to open the same settings and switch to “Enable”.
Here’s How to Turn Off VSync in World of Warcraft Classic:

- Launch World of Warcraft Classic.
- Go to Options (If you’re in-game, just hit ESC).
- Select Video.
- Choose Resolution.
- Uncheck Vertical Sync to turn it off.
Unlike in the modern version, disabling VSync in WoW Classic is done through checking and unchecking the Vertical Sync box in your game settings. However, doing so results in the same thing.
And again, make sure to measure how much disabling the VSync impacts your game performance.
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What Does VSync Do in World of Warcraft?
As in other games, VSync synchronizes your frame rate, with your monitor’s fresh rate. And it does this to stabilize your FPS and prevent big drops in FPS from occurring.
But since VSync locks your FPS on one number, it stops your PC from running WoW on higher FPS.
Let me give you an example to clarify a few things.
Let’s say that the PC you use for playing World of Warcraft is high-end and can run the game on 150+ FPS. But let’s also say that your monitor is pretty old and its refresh rate is only 60 Hz.
Well, if you have VSync enabled, you’ll only experience WoW at 60 FPS. The number at which VSync locks your FPS is identical to your monitor’s potential. And so, 60 Hz always equals 60 FPS with Vertical Sync.
Some monitors have 144Hz and the locked FPS for them would be 144.
Should You Turn Off VSync in WoW?
VSync can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on where you stand.
Generally, enabled VSync is good on older PCs and players who want a more stable FPS experience. And on powerful PCs, players should disable VSync to experience the game at high FPS.
However, World of Warcraft isn’t an easy game to run for almost any system. And in scenarios such as raids, it’s tough for many PCs to maintain high frame rate numbers.
So, VSync may help there too.
Conclusion
Personally, I always have my VSync off for World of Warcraft. But that’s also because my PC is great and the game performs very well even on ultra settings.
However, back in the day I used to play WoW on a laptop and I remember having VSync on because it helped me have a smooth gameplay.
And if you’re in the same position, try switching it on and see what happens.