What to do if the MSI Afterburner OSD is not working

MSI Afterburner's OSD lets you check FPS, temperatures, GPU usage, and other metrics while you play. However, the overlay may disappear, the keyboard shortcut may become unresponsive, or only some data may be displayed.

Although the main configuration is done from MSI Afterburner, the overlay depends on RivaTuner Statistics Server, also known as RTSSTherefore, the problem could be in either of the two applications, in the profile assigned to the game, or in an incompatibility with another overlay.

However, before reinstalling anything, it's a good idea to check the settings in order. Most problems are resolved by starting RTSS, correctly selecting the metrics, and checking the application's detection level.

Why isn't the MSI Afterburner OSD showing up?

The most common causes are an incomplete configuration or a lack of communication between Afterburner, RTSS, and the game. These are the problems you should check first:

• RivaTuner Statistics Server is not installed or it's not running.
• The metrics do not have the option enabled. Display information on screen.
• El OSD is globally disabled in RTSS.
• The application's detection level is set to None.
• RTSS has created a profile for the wrong executable.
• The game and the monitoring tools use different permissions.
• Another overlap is interfering with RTSS.
• El anti-cheating system The game blocks external overlays.
• Afterburner and RTSS belong to different or incompatible installations.

The fact that the NVIDIA, AMD, or Xbox overlay works doesn't prove that the GPU has a problem. Each tool uses its own system to display information and may behave differently within the same game.

Verify that RivaTuner Statistics Server is running

Look for the RivaTuner Statistics Server icon in the Windows notification area. It may be hidden within the menu that appears when you click the arrow next to the clock.

If it does not appear:

1. Open the Start menu and search RivaTuner Statistics Server.
2. Run the application.
3. Check that the switch Show On-Screen Display be activated.
4. Verify that Application detection level not configured as None.

Start by using the detection level LowIf the OSD still doesn't appear, try Medium. The High level may improve detection in some programs, but it also increases the risk of incompatibilities.

Do not activate Stealth mode indiscriminately. It is a compatibility option for specific cases and should not be used to try to circumvent the restrictions of an anti-cheat system.

Select the correct metrics in MSI Afterburner

Afterburner does not automatically display all available sensors. You must choose which data you want to send to the OSD:

1. Open MSI Afterburner and press the button Configuration.
2. Go to the tab Monitoring.
3. Select a metric, such as GPU temperature, GPU usage, or framerate.
4. Active Display information on screen.
5. Repeat the process for each value you want to visualize.
6. Press Apply and then Accept.

Simply checking the box next to the sensor name is not enough. This allows you to monitor it in the Afterburner graph, but you must also enable the specific option to send it to the overlay.

If you need instructions from the beginning, you can consult how Enable the FPS counter with MSI Afterburner.

Configure a shortcut to show and hide the OSD

The shortcut may have been removed, changed, or be in use by the game itself. To check:

1. Open MSI Afterburner settings.
2. Enter On-screen information u On-Screen Display.
3. Assign a key to Toggle information on screen.
4. Use a combination that does not match the game controls.
5. Save the changes and try again with RTSS open.

If the OSD works until you press the shortcut, the key combination is probably toggling between visible and hidden correctly. Temporarily change the key to rule out a conflict.

Create an RTSS profile for the correct executable

Some games launch using a launcher, but use a different executable during gameplay. If you only add the launcher to RTSS, the configuration might not apply to the process responsible for rendering the game.

To correct it:

1. Open the game and leave it running.
2. Open Windows Task Manager.
3. Locate the game process and select Open file location.
4. In RTSS, press Add.
5. Add the executable file you just identified.
6. Configure the detection level for that profile to Low or Medium.

Also check that the game does not appear in RTSS with an individual profile configured as NoneSpecific profiles take precedence over the global configuration.

It matches the permissions of Afterburner, RTSS, and the game.

Running Afterburner as administrator shouldn't be the first solution. However, it might be necessary when the game is running with elevated privileges and RTSS can't interact with its process.

Close all three applications and check their properties. It is recommended that you The game, MSI Afterburner, and RTSS use the same level of permissions..

If the game runs normally without elevated privileges, open Afterburner and RTSS as usual. If the game requires administrator privileges, try launching both tools with administrator privileges.

Do not permanently keep these programs with elevated permissions if the problem can be resolved through their normal configuration.

Temporarily disables other overlays

Having multiple active overlays can cause visual conflicts or prevent some from loading correctly. Temporarily disable:

• The NVIDIA App overlay.
• AMD Software Overlay: Adrenalin Edition.
• Xbox Game Bar.
• The Discord overlay.
• Steam's FPS counter.
• Overwolf and other monitoring tools.

Restart the game after each change. If the OSD reappears, re-enable the other overlays one by one until you identify the one causing the conflict.

What to do if only FPS are missing or the 1% is low

If the temperature and GPU usage appear, but not the FPS, return to the Monitoring tab and look for the sensor. FramerateSelect it and activate the option to display it on screen.

You should also distinguish between instantaneous framerate and performance statistics:

• Framerate: It displays the current FPS.
• Frametime: indicates how long it takes to generate each frame.
• minimum, maximum, and average FPS: They are calculated over a measurement period.
• 1% low: It summarizes the performance of the slowest frames and does not function like a conventional instant sensor.

Depending on the installed version, the statistics may require configuring the benchmark start and stop keys or using additional RTSS features. Therefore, the absence of the 1% low indicator does not necessarily mean the OSD is faulty.

To diagnose jerking, it is also helpful to show the frametime, since its peaks allow the detection of irregularities that the average FPS can hide.

Check the game's graphics mode and restrictions

Some games behave differently in fullscreen, borderless windowed, or windowed modes. Temporarily change the display mode to see if RTSS can detect the process.

If the game allows you to choose between DirectX 11, DirectX 12, or Vulkan, you can also try a different API. This change should be considered a secondary check, as it may affect performance, stability, or shader compilation.

Competitive games may block certain overlays using their anti-cheat systems. If the OSD only fails in one title, check the game's documentation and don't try to force injection using aggressive compatibility options.

Reset configuration profiles without reinstalling

Before removing the programs, try closing Afterburner and RTSS completely and then restarting them. You can also delete only the game profile in RTSS and then add its executable again.

If you use a custom configuration, write it down or save it beforehand:

• The fan curve.
• Frequency and voltage profiles.
• Temperature and power limits.
• The layout and appearance of the OSD.
• Keyboard shortcuts.

Resetting all settings without preserving this data can cause you to lose settings that are unrelated to the problem.

Safely reinstall MSI Afterburner and RTSS

If none of the checks work, perform a clean reinstall:

1. Save important Afterburner profiles.
2. Uninstall MSI Afterburner and RivaTuner Statistics Server.
3. Restart Windows.
4. Download Afterburner from the official MSI website or Guru3D.
5. During installation, make sure that RTSS is also installed.
6. First, configure a single, simple metric, such as GPU temperature.
7. Open a game and check the OSD before customizing the rest.

Avoid unofficial download sitesMSI warns of the existence of fake websites distributing fraudulent copies of Afterburner. Disabling your antivirus software before installing it is also not recommended. If Windows blocks the file, confirm that it comes from an authorized source and scan it before creating any exceptions.

When the OSD in MSI Afterburner isn't working, the solution is usually to Start RTSS, properly activate metrics, or correct the profile assigned to the game.If it only fails with one title, it's more likely due to a specific incompatibility, a poorly selected executable, or an anti-cheat system restriction.

Once the overlay is restored, you can Configure MSI Afterburner to monitor temperatures, GPU load, memory usage, FPS and frametime without leaving the game.