If you’re experiencing lag in Warzone 2 or DMZ, don’t panic. You’re not the only one, and fortunately, there are a slew of easy fixes you can try.
Why Is Warzone 2 & DMZ Lagging?
There are many reasons why Warzone 2 and DMZ might be lagging, the main ones including:
- Graphics settings being too high
- Your internet being too slow or unresponsive
- Warzone server issues
Fortunately, there are fixes you can try to improve performance and remove lag. However, as it is a new game, there may be some issues on Activision’s end that can only be resolved by them.
If it is an issue on their end, then you’ll need to know how to check the Warzone 2 Trello Board to track upcoming updates and see when a potential fix is incoming.
How to Stop Warzone 2 & DMZ From Lagging
You can fix Warzone 2 and DMZ lag by reducing your graphics. More specifically, you should turn off On-Demand Texture Streaming as this can slow the game down significantly.
Once you’ve turned off On-Demand Texture Streaming, there will be a small delay of about 10 seconds but you should experience much less lag.
On-Demand Texture Streaming downloads high-quality textures as you play, which allows for a constant crisp image. However, as it uses the internet to download the textures, it can increase lag.
Switching it off will decrease the visual quality of your game, but it will reduce your lag significantly. So, if you want to switch off On-Demand Texture Streaming, just follow these steps:
- Go to the Settings menu by pressing Options button on PlayStation, Menu button on Xbox, or ESC on PC, and then switching to the Settings tab (R1 on consoles, click on it on PC)
- Choose the Graphics option (three down from the top)
- The very first setting is On-Demand Texture Streaming. Simply select it (X on PlayStation, A on Xbox, click it on PC) to switch it off.
Additionally, if altering your graphics doesn’t work, you can try an internet speed test to test your ping. You want a ping of around 50 ms or under.
If you’re looking to decrease your ping rate, you can try the following methods:
- Use a VPN such as Nord VPN or Express VPN, as this will avoid bandwidth throttling (which is when your ISP reduces your bandwidth speed).
- Use an Ethernet Cable (wired connection), as it is far more reliable and less prone to stuttering than a wireless connection.
- Reset your router, as this reboots your DNS cache (which stores temporary data based on your searches) and thus discards unnecessary data clogging up your system.
- Conduct several internet speed tests across a day or two to see what external factors (such as the time of day) may be affecting your ping
- Contact your ISP (Internet Service Provider) to see if they can do anything on their end. They may recommend you upgrade your internet package, in which case you’ll have to make that decision.
How to Change Your Graphical Settings to Reduce Lag in Warzone 2 & DMZ
Changing your graphics settings is as simple as heading to the settings menu (Option button on PlayStation, Menu button on Xbox, and ESC on PC) and switching off anything demanding.
On PC, you have a much wider array of settings to choose from, so lowering everything to Normal or even Low will definitely prevent lag.
Demanding settings worth reducing or turning off completely include:
- V-Sync
- Texture Resolution
- Distant Level of Detail
- Clutter Draw Distance
- Particle Quality & Particle Quality Level
- Shadow Map Resolution & Screen Space Shadows
- Ambient Occlusion
- Screen Space Reflections & Static Reflection Quality
- Depth of Field
- World Motion Blur & Weapon Motion Blur
Of course, there are many more settings you can alter to improve your FPS and reduce lag. To see which ones you should alter, check out our detailed guide on the best settings for Warzone 2 on PC.
On consoles, it’s a little trickier, as the settings are a lot more limited. However, you can check out our guide on the best settings for Warzone 2 on consoles.
Other Fixes to Reduce Lag in Warzone 2
If altering your graphics and making sure your internet speed is fast enough doesn’t help, then close as many open applications as you possibly can on PC.
Additionally, if you’re on PC then make sure you have your latest graphics card driver installed. To do this, make sure to check your graphics card developer’s website, such as AMD or Nvidia.
You can also try to reduce the resolution on your console to improve performance. It’s relatively easy to do on both Xbox and PlayStation.
To reduce your resolution on PlayStation, follow these steps:
- Head to Settings.
- Scroll down until you find Screen and Video.
- Under Resolution and frequency, change your Resolution to 720p or 1080p.
To reduce your resolution on Xbox, follow these steps:
- Head to Settings.
- Under General, go to TV & Display Options.
- Then, under Display, change your Resolution to 720p or 1080p.
Finally, if none of that works, you should try restarting your game and platform. While it isn’t guaranteed to help, turning it off and on again is a tried and tested method for a reason.
