How to Lower Ping and Reduce Lag for Gaming (2025)

If a gamer dreams of high ping, they’re having a nightmare. Lagging can ruin everything, whether you’re trying to land a perfect shot or make a last-minute play. Nobody wants to watch their character rubberband across the screen, but every player deals with high ping sometimes. Good thing there are workarounds to lower ping and reduce lag for smoother gaming.

You don’t even have to be tech-savvy to make it happen. In fact, you should notice a big difference in how your games run with a few easy tweaks. In this article, we’ll walk you through several battle-tested approaches to fix the issue whenever it pops up so your gaming sessions can be lag-free.

What Causes High Ping?

Data travels between your device and the game server and back when you play an online game. That time is the latency — measured by ping in milliseconds (ms). The lower the ping, the better. Conversely, high ping means there’s a delay in communication between your device and the server.

With such delay comes lag, which can manifest in a few ways. You may face issues like intermittent freezing, your character moving slower than everyone else, and commands not registering right when you want them to. Even worse, it may lead to rubberbanding, where moving objects “teleport” from one spot to another like a rubberband is snapping them.

So, why does this happen anyway? Before diving into the solutions, let’s briefly consider some of the factors behind high latency or ping:

A slow or unstable connection is the most obvious reason behind high ping. Sometimes, your ISP doesn’t meet expectations, or the network is congested. Whatever the cause, it generally means data takes longer to reach the game server and return.

Believe it or not, sometimes, your ISP deliberately slows down your connection. That’s called ISP throttling, and it happens when your ISP detects heavy data usage and cuts into your bandwidth to slow you down.

But even if you have stable internet, the farther you are from the game server, the longer it will take data to travel. Let’s say you’re in the United States but playing Fortnite or League of Legends on an Australian server. Expect your ping to take a hit. That’s also the case when the game server is overloaded.

What’s more, while Wi-Fi is pretty convenient, it can be finicky. Walls, other devices, or simply being too far from the router can mess with your signal and result in high latency.

Finally, that old gear you’ve been meaning to change may be behind the issue. Older routers or network adapters may not handle the speeds needed for gaming today, which can lead to higher ping. Plus, if your computer or console has outdated drivers, they can slow things down, too.

Lower your ping with NordVPN

How Low Should Your Ping Go?

As we mentioned, when it comes to latency, the lower your ping, the better. It automatically gives you a competitive edge in multiplayer games over those with higher pings.

Now, there’s no fixed rule, but if you’re looking for ballpark figures, a ping between 30ms and 50ms puts you in a pretty good spot. You’ll comfortably game here but may notice minimally lagging during intense moments. That’s why professional gamers aim for a ping of 15ms to 30ms, and streamers playing resource-heavy games target even lower.

The 50-150ms range is acceptable for many games, but you’re entering a zone where gameplay can start to feel less responsive. Anything above 150ms, and things can get dicey. You should seriously consider making changes to your setup and follow the tips outlined below.

Of course, these figures are only loose guidelines, and your experience can vary depending on the game you’re playing. Simply put, some games will tolerate higher ping than others, so keep an eye on your performance and adjust accordingly.

12 Ways to Lower Ping and Reduce Lag For Smooth Gaming

Now that we know what’s behind high latency, time to explore the tried and tested methods for lowering ping and reducing lag. Don’t expect each method to work every time. That’s why we’re considering so many approaches — you can switch to one that fits your current situation.

Let’s dive in.

1. Restart Everything

Even though restarting your devices is so simple, it’s usually the first step because it works.

If your router has been running for a while, it may become bogged down and accumulate glitches and errors. A fresh start will clear that up and improve performance. You can restart your console or PC, as well as network switches.

2. Use a Wired Connection

Wi-Fi may be convenient, but you should consider ditching it for a hard-wired connection if you want stable speeds. An Ethernet cable is usually faster and more reliableand lets you enjoy the full speed of your internet plan. Plus, it reduces the chances of interference from other devices.

Ethernet cables come in various categories, ranging from Cat3 to Cat8. The higher the category, the better the speed and performance. Cat8 cables may be overkill for gaming, and anything from Cat5e should do.

3. Place Your Router Better

Your router’s position matters more than you think, especially if you’re sticking with a wireless connection over an Ethernet cable. You’ll likely experience weaker signals if a wall or large piece of furniture is between your router and your gaming setup.

Moving the router even a few feet can help lower ping and reduce gaming lag. For best results, you should place it in a central position away from obstructions that can interfere with the signal. An elevated position off the ground can also improve the latency.

Lastly, avoid electronic devices that can interfere with the signal, like microwaves (they emit radiation in a wavelength close to many routers).

4. Switch Your Game Server

Some online games allow you to choose a game server location. You want one as close as possible to where you are to lower ping and reduce lag.

But all servers are not the same. Nearby overloaded server? You’ll still experience high ping. You can use sites like Game Server Ping (they list most popular games) to check the pings of various game servers and choose the ideal one to connect to.

5. Use a VPN

It’s commonly known that VPNs can reduce your internet speed because of the processing load they add to your connection. If you’re curious, consider checking out our article that explains how a VPN works.

However, did you know that a VPN can actually lower ping and dramatically minimize lag? We especially like this solution because it handles multiple high-ping risk factors.

Let’s say your ISP throttles your connection, which means you’re facing slower speeds and lag spikes during peak hours. Using a VPN for gaming will bypass throttling by masking your traffic so your ISP doesn’t detect and slow it down.

You could also get closer to a gaming server with a VPN. For example, say I’m trying to play Apex Legends on the Xbox, but the closest server is pretty far away. I could connect to a VPN server in the same city as the server, effectively reducing the distance the data travels and your ping.

We recommend NordVPN, thanks to its blazing-fast speeds and extensive network with servers scattered across 111 countries.

Fix high ping issues with NordVPN

Here’s how to lower your ping with a VPN:

• Subscribe to a quality gaming-friendly VPN like NordVPN.
• Download and install the VPN app on your device.
• Connect to a VPN server near your location.
• If your gaming device doesn’t have native VPN support, share the VPN connection.
• Enjoy gaming with lower ping and reduced lag.

6. Temporarily Disable Updates

On the one hand, staying updated means fixed bugs and improved networking abilities. However, auto-updates that arrive in the middle of a gaming session will eat up your bandwidth and interfere with your connection.

So, it’s probably a good idea to temporarily disable updates while gaming by pausing them on your PC or gaming console. Just remember to resume them when you take a break from your missions for the day.

7. Close Background Applications

In an ideal world, you can play Fortnite while streaming music on Spotify and keep your 40 tabs running on your browser. In reality, too many background apps will hog your device’s CPU and GPU resources, as well as your bandwidth, translating to high ping and slower gameplay.

Before you settle in for a gaming session, close any unnecessary apps on your PC or console. That will free up your internet connection and CPU/GPU.

You can do this on a Windows computer by navigating to the Processes menu on Task Manager. Right-click and end each running task that you don’t need. Be careful not to terminate essential background processes.

8. Disconnect Other Devices

This is similar to the previous point where various apps compete for your device’s attention. But now, it’s the devices connected to your network. Each one fights for available bandwidth, leaving less for your gaming.

A large household could have smart TVs, computers, smartphones, and even refrigerators connected to the same network. Ergo, higher ping.

To lower latency and reduce lag for gaming, clear out any non-essentials. Alternatively, you can prioritize your gaming traffic if you’re using a router with Quality of Service (QoS) settings.

9. Update Software and Drivers

Outdated software and drivers struggle to manage data efficiently and can slow your hardware down. Want optimal performance? Keep your system’s network drivers and game software up to date. And don’t forget your router’s firmware. Also, take advantage of game patches when they’re rolled out.

It goes without saying that you should carry out all updates before your gaming session. We’ve already discussed why doing so while you’re playing can be counter-productive.

10. Upgrade Your Internet Plan

You could restart your router all you want and use the latest Ethernet cable. But if you have a slow plan, to begin with, none of the fixes we’ve highlighted will matter.

Fact is, a slow connection cannot handle the demands of modern gaming. It will limit the data your connection can handle, which will cause high ping and lag spikes, especially if you have multiple devices hooked to the router.

Besides, if you use a low-tier plan, your ISP can deliberately throttle your connection during peak usage times.

When upgrading your internet plan, make sure you’re moving to one with higher download and upload speeds.

Ideally, it should be an unlimited plan without data caps and other restrictions. Look carefully before you leap because providers like to muddy the water around what constitutes an unlimited plan.

If you still experience throttling after upgrading, remember you can bypass that issue with a VPN.

11. Get a New Router

If your router is the weak link behind your high ping, maybe it’s time for an upgrade. Like all tech, they deteriorate over time. Overburdened and old-fashioned routers will struggle to keep up with modern internet speeds and multiple devices.

If you’re replacing your router, consider getting a gaming-optimized router. Those usually come with features (like beamforming and MU-MIMO) that can help you achieve lower latency and smoother gameplay.

12. Contact Your Internet Service Provider

If everything you’ve tried has failed, maybe it’s time to contact your internet service provider for help. The professionals can check for any issues at their end and assist you with advanced troubleshooting tips.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve ever had to deal with high latency while gaming, you know it’s no fun. Luckily, you don’t have to suck it up and endure rubberbanding and freezing characters.

In this article, we explored twelve potential solutions to help you handle the issue so you can enjoy lower ping and reduced lag while gaming. One of the easiest ways to fix high ping issues is to get a reliable and fast VPN like NordVPN. If you would like to consider alternatives to this VPN, see below.

Our VPN recommendations for 2025:

FAQs on How to Lower Ping Effectively

Now, let’s round things up with some commonly asked questions.

Is a lower ping better for gaming?

Yes, a better ping is always better for online gaming. The lower, the smoother your gameplay. You should aim for a ping of 50ms or lower to enjoy gaming without lagging.

Can you use a VPN to get 0 ping?

Getting zero ping with a VPN may be unrealistic, but a VPN can certainly help to lower your latency. Subscribe to a fast and reliable VPN like NordVPN and connect to a server near the game server, and you’re bound to enjoy lower ping ranges.

Do VPNs slow down gaming?

Your internet connection takes on an extra processing load when you use a VPN, which may slow your gaming speed. That’s why you must use a provider with a proven track record of delivering fast speeds for gaming.