Use Game Mode

On your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you can use Game Mode to automatically prioritize the performance of your game for smoother, more consistent frame rates and improved in-game responsiveness.

What does Game Mode do?

• Game Mode optimizes your gaming experience by giving your game the highest priority access to your CPU and GPU, lowering usage for background tasks. This can result in smoother, more consistent frame rates and improved in-game responsiveness.

• Game Mode doubles the Bluetooth sampling rate, which reduces input latency and audio latency for wireless accessories like game controllers and AirPods.

Requirements for using Game Mode

• iPhone with iOS 18 or later and a supported game

• iPad with iPadOS 18 or later and a supported game

• Mac with Apple silicon and macOS Sonoma 14 or later and a game that supports macOS full-screen mode. If your game supports this kind of full-screen mode, it shows the macOS full-screen button in the corner of the game window, and clicking the button enters full-screen mode.

Turn Game Mode off or on

When your game enters full screen, Game Mode automatically turns on for that game. Quitting the game automatically turns Game Mode off. You can also turn Game Mode off or on manually while your game is still in full screen.

On iPhone or iPad

1. While your game is open and in full screen, open Game Overlay:

   1. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen to open Control Center.

   2. At the top of the screen in Control Center, you should see the name of your game followed by “Game Overlay.” Tap Game Overlay.

2. Tap the Controls button in Game Overlay.

3. Tap Game Mode. If you turn off Game Mode in this way, it remains off for that game until you turn it on again — even if you quit and reopen the game.

   

On Mac

Follow the appropriate steps, depending on which version of macOS you’re using.

macOS Tahoe 26 or later

1. While your game is in full screen, open Game Overlay:

   • Click the Game icon in the menu bar. (To show the menu bar while in full screen, move your pointer to the top of the screen.) If you’re also using a Gaming focus, the menu bar might show one Game icon for the focus, and another for Game Overlay.

   • Or press Command-Esc ⎋.

2. Game Overlay appears in the corner of your screen. Click the Settings button in Game Overlay.

3. Click Game Mode. If you turn off Game Mode in this way, it remains off for that game until you turn it on again — even if you quit and reopen the game.

macOS Sequoia 15 or macOS Sonoma 14

1. While your game is in full screen, click the Game menu in the menu bar. (To show the menu bar while in full screen, move your pointer to the top of the screen.)

2. Choose Turn Game Mode Off or Turn Game Mode On. If you turn Game Mode off in this way, it remains off for that game until you turn it on again — even if you quit and reopen the game.

Learn more

• Pressing the home button on a supported wireless game controller might open Game Overlay, Games, or Spotlight, depending on the game and your controller's settings. Learn more about customizing controller buttons and features.

• To filter notifications and distractions while you're gaming, you can set up a Gaming Focus on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. By default, the Gaming Focus turns on whenever you connect a wireless gaming controller to your device.