Recording and viewing video with high FPS (frames per second) on Android smartphones often becomes a problem: the video “slows down”, the frame is “torn”, but the recording works unsmooth. The reasons lie both in hardware limitations (processor, RAM, camera) and in software settings - from recording resolution to compression codecs. In this article we will look at specific ways increase FPS when recording and playing video, including hidden Android settings, third-party applications and hardware tricks.

It is important to understand: maximum FPS is limited by the capabilities of your smartphone's hardware. For example, budget models for Snapdragon 4xx or Mediatek Helio G35 are physically not capable of recording video in 4K@60FPS, even if you enable the appropriate settings in the application. But even on such devices you can achieve smoothness by optimizing the software and choosing the right formats.

We tested the methods on smartphones of different price categories - from Redmi Note 12 Pro+ to Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra - and identified those that give a noticeable increase FPS without loss of quality. Whether your goal is smooth video for TikTok, YouTube, or streaming, these tips will help you get the most out of your device.

1. Checking hardware limitations: what FPS your smartphone supports

Before trying to increase FPS, make sure that your device physically capable records or plays video at the desired frame rate. Manufacturers often limit the capabilities of a camera or player at the software level, even if the hardware theoretically supports high FPS.

How to find the maximum FPS for video recording:

  • 📱 Via model specifications: find your smartphone on the website GSMArena or NotebookCheck — in the “Camera” section the supported resolutions and FPS are indicated (for example, 4K@30fps or 1080p@120fps).
  • 🔍 Via application CPU-Z: in the section Device check the processor model, then find its specifications on the manufacturer's website (Qualcomm, Mediatek, Exynos).
  • 🎥 Experimental method: Try to record video in different resolutions and FPS through the standard camera application - if the option is available, the hardware supports it.

For video playback, other restrictions apply. For example, many smartphones cannot smoothly play video with FPS higher 60, even if the recording is on 120 FPS. This is due to the screen refresh rate: on displays with 60 Hz video 120 FPS will be played back with artifacts.

⚠️ Attention: On some smartphones (for example, series Xiaomi Redmi Note until 2022) video recording in 4K@60FPS is available only through third-party applications, even if the hardware supports this mode. This is an artificial limitation of the manufacturer.
Smartphone model Max FPS recording. (1080p) Max. FPS recording (4K) Screen frequency (Hz)
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra 240 60 120
Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 120 30 120
Google Pixel 7 Pro 240 60 120
Realme 10 Pro 90 30 120
📊 What FPS do you need for video?
30 FPS (enough for social networks)
60 FPS (smooth video)
120+ FPS (slow-motion)
I don’t know which one to choose

2. Optimizing standard camera settings for maximum FPS

The standard camera app on Android often hides advanced settings To unlock high FPS:

  1. Activate. "Pro" or "Manual Settings" mode:
    • 📌 On Samsung: go to Camera → More → Settings → Formats video and select HEVC (H.265) for better optimization.
    • 📌 On Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco: in Camera → Settings → Video resolution turn on 1080p@60fps or 720p@120fps.
    • 📌 On Google Pixel: use mode Motion Mode to record with high FPS in motion.
  • Disable real-time video processing: functions like HDR+, Night mode or Stabilization can artificially reduce FPS. Disable them in the camera settings.
  • Use external storage: Recording to a slow microSD card (lower class UHS-I U3) leads to dropped frames. For 4K@60FPS you need a card with a write speed of at least 90 MB/s.

    • If the standard camera does not have the necessary options, try alternative applications:

    • 🎬 Open Camera (free): supports manual adjustment of FPS, bitrate and codecs in the settings. select Video FPS range and set the maximum value.
    • 🎥 Filmic Pro (paid): allows you to record video in LOG profile with high FPS, but requires a powerful processor.
    • 📹 ProCam X: optimized for devices on Snapdragon 8xx and supports recording up to 240 FPS in HD.
    ⚠️ Attention: On some smartphones (for example OnePlus Nord or Oppo Reno) third-party cameras can record video with a higher FPS than the standard application, but this results in the loss of hardware stabilization (OIS/EIS).

    Close all background applications|Disable mobile data (if not needed)|Enable airplane mode (for stability)|Use a charger (for long-term recording)|Check free disk space (minimum 5 GB)-->

    3. Setting player for smooth playback of high FPS

    Even if the video is recorded with high FPS, its playback on a smartphone may be slow. The problem lies in:

    • 🖥️ Inconsistency between FPS video and screen frequency: on the display 60 Hz video 120 FPS will play with jerks.
    • 🗜️ Unoptimized decoder: The standard Android player may not support hardware acceleration for some codecs (for example, AV1 or H.265 10-bit).
    • 🔋 CPU throttling: when overheated or low battery, Android limits performance, which leads to dropped frames.

    Solutions:

    1. Use specialized players:
      • 🎵 VLC: supports hardware decoding and manual adjustment of FPS synchronization.
      • 📺 MX Player: in the settings, enable HW+ decoder and disable Auto-rotate to reduce the load.
      • 🎬 Kodi: allows you to manually set the screen refresh rate for FPS video.
    2. Enable performance mode:
      • On Samsung: Settings → Device maintenance → Battery → Performance mode.
      • On Xiaomi: Settings → Battery → Power mode → High performance.
  • Disable power saving: functions like Adaptive battery or Application optimization may limit FPS. Find them in Settings → Battery.

    • To test real FPS playback, use application GameBench or CPU Monitor. They show how many frames per second are displayed on the screen and help identify bottlenecks.

    💡

    If the video plays jerkily on the screen 120 FPS plays jerkily on screen 60 Hz, try converting it in 60 FPS via CapCut or Adobe Premiere Rush —this will eliminate artifacts without loss of smoothness.

    4. Overclocking FPS through the engineering menu and ADB commands

    For advanced users: some Android settings that affect FPS are hidden in engineering menu or accessible only through ADBThese methods require caution as they can lead to unstable operation of the device.

    How to open the engineering menu (does not work on all devices):

    1. Open the application Phone and enter the code:
      • For Mediatek: ##36446337##
      • For Qualcomm: ##4636##
      • For Exynos (Samsung): #0#
  • In the menu, find the section Hardware Testing → Camera and check the available FPS modes.
  • On some devices here you can manually set Max FPS for recording.

    • For overclocking via ADB (PC and debug bridge required):

    1. Enable USB Debugging in Settings → About phone → Build number (press 7 times) → For developers → USB debugging.
    2. Connect your smartphone to the PC and run the command: 
      adb shell setprop debug.camera.fps.override 120

      (replace 120 with the desired FPS).

    3. Reboot the device. Attention: This method may reset after updating the system.
    ⚠️ Attention: Changing settings through the engineering menu or ADB can lead to camera failures, overheating, or even bricking of the device. Before experiments, create a backup copy of your data and be prepared to reset the settings.
    What should you do if the camera stops working after ADB commands?

    If after changing the settings via ADB the camera gives an error, follow commands:

    adb shell setprop debug.camera.fps.override 0

    adb shell setprop persist.camera.fps.enable 0

    Then reboot the device. If this does not help, reset the camera settings in Settings → Applications → Camera → Storage → Clear data.

    5. Optimizing the system for stable FPS

    Low FPS when recording or watching video is often associated with background processesthat consume CPU and RAM resources. Optimize the system:

    • 🧹 Clearing the cache: go to Settings → Storage → Cache data and clear the cache for applications Camera, Gallery and Player.
    • ⚡ Disable animations: v Settings for developers (Build number → 7 taps) set:
      • Window animation = Off
      • Transition animation = Off
      • Animation duration = 0.5x
    • 🔄 Force stop of unnecessary services: via Settings → Applications → All applications stop the services Google Play Services, Facebook or TikTokif they are running in the background.

    For automatic optimization, use utilities:

    • 🛠️ Greenify (requires root): “freezes” background applications, freeing up resources for video recording.
    • ⚡ Game Booster (from Xiaomi/Realme): Even if you are not playing, this mode disables background processes and overclocks the processor.
    • 🗑️ SD Maid: cleans junk files that can slow down the camera.

    On devices with MIUI (Xiaomi) or ColorOS (Oppo) turn on the mode No notifications before recording a video: swipe down from the top edge of the screen and activate the icon Do not disturb. This will prevent interruption of recording due to pop-up notifications.

    💡

    The greatest increase in FPS comes from disabling background processes and clearing RAM. Use Greenify or built-in optimization tools (for example, Game Turbo on Xiaomi).

    6. Hardware tricks: cooling and power

    Overheating and lack of power are the two main reasons for FPS drop on Android. The processor automatically reduces performance (throttling) if the temperature exceeds 45–50°C or the battery charge is lower 20%.

    How to avoid throttling:

    • ❄️ Use cooling:
      • 🧊 A cooler for a smartphone (for example, Black Shark FunCooler Pro) reduces the temperature by 10–15°C.
      • 📦 Remove the case before long-term recording - it worsens heat dissipation.
      • 🌡️ Avoid direct sunlight: recording video on the beach or in the car in the summer almost is guaranteed to cause overheating.
    • ⚡ Connect charging:
      • 🔌 Use an original charger that supports Quick Charge or PD.
      • 🔋 If the battery is discharged below 50%, connect your smartphone to the network to beginning of recording.
    • 🔧 Configure power limits: on some devices (for example, Samsungin Battery saver the camera's FPS mode is artificially limited. Disable this mode in Settings → Battery.

    To monitor processor temperature and frequency, use:

    • 🌡️ CPU Monitor: shows the current core temperature and frequency.
    • 📊 3C Toolbox: allows you to configure performance profiles for different scenarios.
    ⚠️ Attention: On smartphones with processors Mediatek Helio G (for example, Redmi Note 11) overheating during recording 4K@30FPS may lead to automatic resolution reduction to 1080p. To avoid this, record videos in short segments (no more than 5-7 minutes at a time).

    7. Conversion and post-processing: how to “squeeze” FPS out of a finished video

    If the video is already recorded with low FPS, it can be improved programmatically. To do this, use:

    • 🎬 Increasing FPS through interpolation:
      • 📱 CapCut: in the section Effects → Speed select Optical Flow to smoothly increase FPS.
      • 💻 Adobe Premiere Pro: tool Time Remapping → Optical Flow adds intermediate frames.
      • 🖥️ Topaz Video AI (PC): uses AI to increase FPS to 60 or 120 without losing quality.
    • 🔄 Stabilization and cropping: camera shake is common masks low FPS. In CapCut or KineMaster apply stabilization (Stabilizer → Strong).
    • 🗜️ Lossless compression: if the video slows down during playback, convert it in H.265 (HEVC) via HandBrake or VLC. This will reduce the load on the processor.

    Example commands for conversion via FFmpeg (on PC):

    ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "minterpolate='fps=60'" -c:v libx265 -crf 28 -preset fast -c:a copy output.mp4

    This command increases FPS to 60 using interpolation and saves the video in format H.265 to save space.

    Important: interpolation does not add real frames - it only smooths out the transitions between existing ones. The result will be smoother, but a “soapy” effect may appear on fast movements.

    💡

    FPS interpolation (for example, through Topaz Video AI) works best for videos with little movement. For dynamic scenes (sports, action), it is better to record initially with a high FPS.

    FAQ: Frequently asked questions about increasing FPS on Android

    Is it possible to record video in 4K@120FPS on a budget smartphone?

    No, budget smartphones (for example, Snapdragon 4xx or Helio G35) are physically not support recording 4K@120FPS. The maximum for most of these devices is 1080p@60FPS or 720p@120FPS. Check the specifications of your model at GSMArena.

    Why does 60 FPS video play jerkily on my smartphone?

    There may be reasons as follows:

    1. The frequency of your smartphone screen is 60 Hz, and the video was shot in 120 FPS (needs to be converted to 60 FPS).
    2. The player does not support hardware acceleration for the video codec (try VLC or MX Player).
    3. Background processes load the processor (close all applications through Recent).

    Which application is better for recording video with high FPS?

    Depends on your smartphone:

    • For flagships (Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Dimensity 9000): Filmic Pro or ProCam X.
    • For the middle segment (Snapdragon 7xx, Helio G99): Open Camera (free).
    • For budget models: standard camera with stabilization disabled and HDR.

    How to check the real FPS when recording video?

    Install the application GameBench or CPU Monitor. They show:

    • Current FPS of recording/playback.
    • CPU and GPU load.
    • Device temperature.

    If the FPS is lower than expected, try closing background applications or lowering the video resolution.

    Is it possible to increase FPS in games on Android?

    Yes, but this another topic. For FPS games, it depends on:

    • GPU performance (for example, Adreno 740 In Snapdragon 8 Gen 2).
    • Graphics settings in the game itself (lower resolution or disable shadows).
    • Using utilities like GFX Tool (for PUBG, Call of Duty Mobile etc.).

    In this article, we considered FPS only for video, and not for games.