If you’ve ever played Call of Duty: Mobile and noticed your game suddenly lag or slow down in the middle of an intense match, you know how annoying it feels. These FPS drops can ruin your aim, interrupt your focus, and make the whole experience less enjoyable.
The most frustrating thing is that they often happen without warning — one moment your game is running smoothly, and the next, it starts to stutter or freeze.
The good news is that you don’t have to deal with this problem forever. With a few smart graphics settings, device optimizations, and some simple tips, you can make CODM run much smoother.
In this guide, we’ll explain practical methods that really work — all in clear, easy-to-understand language so anyone can follow along and improve their game performance.
Why FPS Drops Happen in CODM: Simple Explanation
FPS drops in CODM can happen for many reasons. Most players think their phone is not powerful enough, but that’s not always true. Even strong phones can face FPS issues because the game is heavy and needs stable performance from both the CPU and GPU. If any part of your device slows down for even a second, the game may start to stutter. By understanding the main reasons behind FPS drops, you can fix the issue more easily instead of changing settings randomly.
Hardware Limits and Heat Issues
Every phone has a performance limit. Even powerful processors like Snapdragon 8-series or Apple A-series can get hot during long gaming sessions. When a device heats up, it automatically slows down to protect itself. This is called thermal throttling, and it is one of the most common reasons for sudden FPS drops in CODM. You may notice the game runs well at first, but after the phone warms up, the FPS starts falling. Keeping your device cool is just as important as choosing the right graphics settings.
Software and Background Apps
Your smartphone runs many apps and services in the background — notifications, updates, downloads, cloud sync, messaging apps, and more. These background tasks use RAM and processing power, which can result in small freezes or stutters during gameplay. Even a simple background update can affect CODM’s performance.
Internet or Server Problems (Feels Like FPS Drop)
Sometimes the game “looks” like it is lagging, even when your FPS is stable. This happens because of internet issues such as high ping, packet loss, or an unstable connection. Players may appear to jump, freeze, or move oddly on the screen. If the FPS counter is stable but the gameplay feels rough, the issue is likely with your internet connection, not the device.
Game Engine and Graphics Settings
CODM can run using different graphics APIs like Vulkan or OpenGL ES. Some phones work better with Vulkan, while others perform smoothly on OpenGL. The game may behave differently based on which option your device supports. Explosions, heavy action scenes, or fast movements can also affect frame timing, depending on the graphics mode you use.
First Things First: Baseline Checks Before Tweaking
Before changing any advanced settings, it’s important to prepare your device properly. Many FPS problems in CODM disappear when your phone is clean, updated, and not overloaded. A good starting point helps every other setting work better.
Update Your Game and Phone
Always keep CODM and your phone’s operating system updated. Developers fix bugs and improve performance through new updates. If you skip updates, you may face issues that were solved long ago. Updates also help your phone run smoother and safer.
Keep Your Device Cool
If your phone is already hot before you start gaming, performance will drop. Games slow down when the device overheats. Make sure battery saver mode is turned off because it limits power and reduces game performance.
Free Up RAM
Close all background apps before playing. Restarting your phone can also help clear unnecessary processes. CODM needs enough free memory to run smoothly, and low RAM often causes sudden frame drops.
In-Game Graphics Settings: Easy Guide
Call of Duty: Mobile gives you many graphics options, and choosing the right ones can improve both your gameplay and performance. High graphics may look beautiful, but they are not always helpful during competitive matches. With the right balance, you can make the game smoother and more enjoyable.
Frame Rate and Graphics Quality
Many players want to use the highest frame rate, like 90 or 120 FPS. But if your phone cannot handle these settings consistently, the game may feel laggy. A stable 60 FPS is usually better than higher FPS that keeps dropping. For most players, using lower graphics quality with a higher and stable frame rate gives the best results.
Render Resolution vs Screen Resolution
Render resolution affects how sharp the game looks. Reducing it a little can reduce the load on your phone’s GPU. You can usually lower it from 100% to around 80–90% without seeing much difference in visuals. This small change can help improve FPS stability.
Detail Settings: Textures, Shadows, and Effects
Textures use your device’s memory, and shadows and effects use more GPU power. If your game lags during intense fights, lowering these settings can make a big difference. Shadows especially can cause sudden frame drops, so turning them off often helps the game run smoother.
Anti-Aliasing, Motion Blur, and Bloom
- These settings only affect visuals and do not help with gameplay.
- Anti-aliasing smooths edges but uses extra GPU power.
- Motion blur adds a cinematic effect but can reduce clarity during fast movement.
- Bloom increases glow effects.
Turning these options off can improve performance and help you see the game more clearly.
Advanced Graphics Tweaks (Simple and Safe Tips)
After you finish setting up the basic graphics, you can try these advanced options to make your game run smoother. These settings help you get stable performance during long gaming sessions.
Use a Stable Frame Rate
Some phones let you set a custom performance profile for each app. If you lock CODM to a fixed frame rate like 60 or 90 FPS, the game feels smoother. A stable frame rate is always better than a high FPS that keeps jumping up and down.
Lower the Render Resolution Slowly
If your game is lagging, lower the render resolution step by step. Reducing it a little frees up processing power. The graphics may look slightly softer, but the overall performance gets better.
Turn Off Shadows and Ambient Occlusion
Shadows take a lot of processing power. Ambient occlusion also uses extra resources to create depth and lighting effects. Turning both of them off can instantly boost FPS and make the game more stable.
Reduce Particle Effects
Big explosions, smoke, and special effects can slow down the game. Reducing particle effects helps the game stay smooth, especially in Battle Royale and fast-paced multiplayer modes.
Disable V-Sync
V-Sync tries to match the game’s FPS with your screen’s refresh rate. On many mobile devices, this can cause small stutters. Turning it off usually gives a smoother experience.
Device-Level Optimizations
Your phone’s own settings play a much bigger role in gaming performance than most players think. If your device is properly optimized, Call of Duty: Mobile can use your CPU, GPU, and RAM more effectively, resulting in smoother gameplay.
Turn On High Performance / Game Mode
Most modern smartphones come with a High Performance Mode or a Game Mode (also called Game Space or Game Booster).
When you enable it, your device gives more power to the game and reduces interruptions from background apps.
Use Stable Performance Profiles (If Available)
Some gaming phones or advanced devices let you choose CPU or GPU performance profiles.
Selecting a stable or high-performance mode helps prevent sudden frame drops or slowdowns during matches.
Helpful Developer Options
If you know how to use Developer Options, you can make small adjustments like reducing animations or limiting background processes.
These changes reduce unnecessary load on your system. Only adjust these settings if you are comfortable using Developer Options.
Clear Cache or Reinstall the Game
- Over time, CODM’s cache files can become large and slow down the game.
- Clearing the cache regularly helps maintain smooth performance.
- If problems continue, reinstalling the game can remove damaged or corrupted files.
Network and Latency Tips
Sometimes the game feels slow not because of graphics, but due to a weak internet connection. What looks like FPS lag may actually be network delay.
Use 5GHz Wi-Fi
If you play at home, connect to a 5GHz Wi-Fi network. It is usually faster and has fewer interruptions. If you are using mobile data, try to play where the signal is strong.
Close Background Apps
Apps that download files, upload data, or stream videos can slow down your internet. Turn them off while gaming to keep your connection stable.
Conclusion
FPS drops in CODM can be frustrating, but you can fix most of them with a few simple steps. Adjusting your in-game graphics settings, keeping your device clean and optimized, and managing heat properly can make your gameplay much smoother. Whether you play casually or push for higher ranks, stable performance will always give you an advantage. Take care of your device like a gaming tool — keep it updated, cool, and well-maintained — and you’ll enjoy a far better and smoother gaming experience.