How to show FPS on the Android screen: all methods for gamers and testers

Displaying the number of frames per second (FPS) on the screen Android-devices are an indispensable tool for gamers, streamers and developers. This indicator helps evaluate the smoothness of the game, identify lags, or test performance after overclocking the processor. However, the standard interface Android does not provide a built-in function for display FPS —it must be activated through hidden settings or third-party utilities.

In this guide we will examine all current ways to enable the FPS counter on Android 12–14, including methods for specific brands (Xiaomi, Samsung, Realme), universal solutions through ADB and applications like GameTools or FPS Monitor. We will pay special attention to the nuances: why the counter may not work in some games, how it affects performance, and what alternatives exist for devices with MediaTek and Snapdragon.

1. Enabling FPS through the developer settings (universal method)

The most reliable way to activate the counter FPS is to use the menu For developers. It is hidden by default, but available on all devices with Android 4.2+.

To open the developer menu:

• 📱 Go to Settings → About phone (on some devices - About the tablet).
• 🔍 Find the item Build number (or MIUI version on Xiaomi).
• 👆 Click on it 7 times in a row - a notification “You have become a developer!” will appear.

Now return to the main menu Settings - a new section will appear there For developers (sometimes it is hidden in Additional or System). It requires:

1. Find option USB debugging and enable it (optional, but useful for other functions).
2. Activate Show loading CPU (this will enable the display of the CPU usage graph in the upper right corner).
3. Enable Show screen updates —this is the counter FPS.

Activate developer mode (7 taps by build number)

Enable USB debugging (optional)

Find and enable "Show screen updates"

Reboot the device (recommended)

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⚠️ Attention: On some firmware (for example, ColorOS from Oppo/Realme) option Show screen updates may be missing. In this case, use the methods from the following sections.

2. Specific methods for brands: Xiaomi, Samsung, Realme

Manufacturers often add their own tools for gamers, where counter FPS built in by default. Let's consider the features for popular brands:

Brand	FPS activation method	Restrictions
Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO	Open Settings → Accessibility → Game Turbo, select the game and activate Settings → Accessibility → Game Turbo "⚙️" → Show FPS.	Only works in supported games (eg. PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty).
Samsung (One UI)	Run Game Launcher, click “⚙️” → Show FPS.	Requires enabled Game Launcher (can be disabled in some regions).
Realme/Oppo (ColorOS)	Enable Game Space, then in the game settings activate FPS Counter.	Does not work in the menu and streaming applications (for example, YouTube).

This allows you to enable it selectively without loading the system with unnecessary processes.

⚠️ Attention: On smartphones with processors MediaTek (for example, Helio G95), the built-in counters may show incorrect values due to the characteristics of the drivers. In this case, use third-party applications (see section 4).

3. Activating FPS via ADB (for advanced users)

If there is no option to display in the developer menu FPS, you can force it to be activated via ADB (Android Debug Bridge). This method works on most devices, but requires connection to a computer.

Instructions:

1. Install ADB Tools on your PC.
2. Connect your phone via USB, turn on USB debugging in the developer options.
3. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and enter:

adb shell settings put global show_touches 1
adb shell settings put global show_surface_updates 1

The first command enables touch display (useful for debugging), the second - counter FPS. To disable:

adb shell settings put global show_surface_updates 0

What to do if ADB does not recognize the device?

1. Make sure that the drivers for your phone are installed (download from the manufacturer's website).

2. Try another USB cable (preferably the original one).

3. In the developer settings, enable Cancel USB debugging authorization, then connect again.

4. On Windows, run the command line as administrator.

⚠️ Attention: On some firmwares (for example, MIUI 14) commands ADB to enable FPS may be blocked for security reasons. In this case, use the applications from the next section.

4. FPS

If the built-in methods do not work, specialized utilities will come to the rescue. We tested 5 popular applications and selected the best:

• 🎮 GameTools (from XDA Developers) - shows FPS, CPU/GPU temperature and RAM load. Works without root, but requires overlay permission.
• 📊 FPS Monitor — a minimalistic counter with position and color settings. Supports Vulkan and OpenGL ES.
• 🔍 Performance Overlay - displays FPS, ping and battery usage. Ideal for streamers.

To install any of these applications:

1. Download the APK from the official website (for example, XDA) or from Google Play (if available).
2. In the security settings, allow installation from unknown sources.
3. Run the application and grant permissions to Overlay on top of other windows.
4. In the application settings, activate display FPS and select a position on the screen.

GameTools

FPS Monitor

Performance Overlay

Other

I don’t use

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⚠️ Attention: Display applications FPS may conflict with anti-cheats in multiplayer games (for example, Free Fire or PUBG Mobile) In this case, the counter will be hidden or the game will block access.

5. Problems and solutions: why is FPS not displayed?

Even after correct settings, the counter FPS may not work. Let's consider typical causes and ways to eliminate them:

Problem	Possible cause	Solution
The counter does not appear after activation	Conflict with the shell (for example, One UI or ColorOS)	Reboot the device or use ADB.
FPS shows "0" or frozen	The GPU driver does not support the counter	Update the firmware or use a third-party application.
The counter disappears in games	The game blocks overlays (anti-cheat)	Try the built-in counter in Game Turbo.

Additional tips:

• 🔄 If the counter disappeared after updating the system, reset the developer settings (Settings → Applications → ⚙️ → Reset settings).
• 📱 On devices with Android 10 and lower, you may need root for the correct operation of some applications.

6. The impact of the FPS counter on performance and battery

Many users fear that constant display FPS increases the load on the processor and reduces battery life:

• 🔋 Battery consumption: Built-in. the meter (via developer settings) consumes less than 1% charge per hour. Third-party applications can increase consumption up to 3–5% due to background activity.
• 🎯 Performance: On devices with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2+ the impact is minimal. On budget chips (for example, Helio G80microlags are possible when running a heavy game and an overlay simultaneously.
• 🔥 Heating: Additional load on the GPU when rendering the counter can increase the temperature on 1–2°C (non-critical).

⚠️ Attention: On devices with AMOLED screens constant display of the counter FPS (especially white) can lead to pixel burnout during prolonged use, it is recommended to choose a translucent or dark display style.

7. Alternative ways to monitor performance

If you need to not only track FPSand analyze other parameters (temperature, CPU/GPU load), consider these tools:

• 🌡️ CPU Monitor —shows the load on processor cores in real time.
• 📈 GPU Watch —monitors the frequency and temperature of the graphics accelerator (required root on some devices).
• 🔧 DevCheck —universal utility for hardware diagnostics, including FPS tests.

For streamers and content creators, it is useful to combine the counter FPS with screen recording. For example, in Mobizen or AZ Screen Recorder you can enable display FPS directly in the recorded video:

1. Open the settings of the recording application.
2. Find the option Show FPS or Overlay performance.
3. Select position and display style (color, font size).

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about. FPS counter on Android

Is it possible to enable FPS without developer rights?

Yes, but with restrictions. Most third-party applications (for example, FPS Monitor) do not require activation of developer mode, but they require rights to Overlaying on top of other windows. (for example, Samsung) allow you to enable FPS through Game Launcher without additional settings.

Why does the FPS counter show a value lower than in the game settings?

This is a normal phenomenon, if in. the game has a limit 60 FPS, but the counter shows 45–50, this means that the device cannot cope with rendering at maximum graphics settings. Try lowering the resolution or disabling post-processing (for example, Bloom or Ambient Occlusion).

Will the FPS counter work in emulators? Android (BlueStacks, LDPlayer)?

Yes, but the setting is different. In BlueStacks the counter is activated via Settings → Engine → Show FPS. In LDPlayer you need to activate ADB debugging, then use the commands from section 3 of this article. Please note that in emulators FPS may be artificially high due to optimizations for PC.

How to hide the FPS counter in screenshots?

If you need to take a screenshot without an overlay, temporarily disable FPS display (via the developer settings or the application). An alternative way is to use an image editor (for example Snapseed or Photoshop Express) to remove the counter from the finished snapshot.

Does it matter? FPS counter per input lag?

No, the counter itself does not increase input latency. However, if you are using a resource-intensive monitoring application (for example, with background logging), this can add 1–3 ms to the overall lag For competitive games (for example, Fortnite or Valorant Mobile) it is better to use built-in counters.