Launched in 2013, DOTA 2 is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) video game by Valve. It is a sequel to Defense of the Ancients (DotA). You can play DOTA 2 in matches between two teams, each consisting of five players. Each team has a separate base on the map that it tries to occupy and defend.
Now, if you are a professional gamer, you know how frustrating it can get if you experience lags or high ping rates while playing online games. So, in this article, we will be discussing some tips that can easily help you fix lags and ping rates while playing DOTA 2.
Possible Fixes to Improve your DOTA 2 Performance
Broadly speaking, there are two types of lags in gaming – FPS lag and network lag. While the first one is due to your device’s graphics settings, the second one is the result of your slow internet connection or excessive bandwidth-hungry apps running in the background.
The fixes given below can help you overcome lags and perform better at DOTA 2. You don’t always need to try them all. Just go down the list until you find the best solution to your issues.
Possible Fixes to Improve your DOTA 2 Performance
Broadly speaking, there are two types of lags in gaming – FPS lag and network lag. While the first one is due to your device’s graphics settings, the second one is the result of your slow internet connection or excessive bandwidth-hungry apps running in the background.
The fixes given below can help you overcome lags and perform better at DOTA 2. You don’t always need to try them all. Just go down the list until you find the best solution to your issues.
End Multiple Unused Background Programs
If there are multiple programs running on your computer, your resources might get exhausted, leaving almost negligible of them for your gameplay. If that’s the issue in your case, ending some unwanted background applications should work.
For this, all you need to do is Start Task Manager and check your current CPU and memory usage under the Processes tab. Find out what applications are consuming a lot of your resources, right-click on them, and click on End Task. Then, restart your game and see if your lag improves. If not, go down further.
Check for Driver Issues
Experiencing lag during gameplay is often attributed to a problematic or incompatible graphics driver. If you encounter lag in DOTA 2 following a graphics driver update, it’s advisable to revert back to the previous version. Alternatively, if you haven’t updated any drivers recently, consider updating it to the latest version for potential improvements.
Follow the process given below to roll back the recently updated graphics driver to the previous version.
- Press the Windows key and R simultaneously to open the Run dialog box.
- Enter devmgmt.msc and click on OK.
- Expand Display Adapters.
- Right-click on the driver you recently updated and check its Properties.
- On the Driver tab, click on Roll Back Driver and then OK.
- Relaunch DOTA 2 and check if its performance improves.
If you haven’t updated your driver recently, then try updating them to improve lags. To manually update your graphics driver, visit the manufacturer’s website for the graphics product and search for the most recent driver that is compatible with your Windows version. You can also try automatic driver installation clients if you don’t have the time, patience, or expertise to update your drivers manually.
If the issue still persists, go on to the next solution.
Configure In-Game Settings
If your video settings in the game are improper, they can also cause lags. In that case, you will have to optimize the video settings in Steam. Instead of the advanced settings, use your monitor’s regular resolution and relaunch your game to see if that was the reason why you were facing lags. If this doesn’t seem to work, go on to the next step.
Adjust the Power Plan of your PC
If your computer is set to Power Saver Mode, it may slow down to save energy. If this is the issue, then changing your power plan to High Performance is the key. You can do this by visiting the Control Panel of your PC and then going on to Power Options and selecting High Performance. You will then have to restart your PC and relaunch the game to see if this works. If not, don’t worry, we still have a few fixes left.
Change the Proxy Settings
If nothing else works, try changing your proxy settings to reduce lag in DOTA 2. For this, press the Windows key → Internet Options → Connections tab → LAN settings → uncheck Automatically detect settings and then click OK. Relaunch your DOTA 2 game to see if changing proxy settings work for you, else, try the next possible fix.
Clear Cache
If you have accumulated too many cache files and cookies on Steam, it might end up giving you some major lags in your gameplay. Try getting rid of cache and cookies to reduce lag. You can follow the process given below for this.
- ight-click the Steam icon and click on Run as administrator.
- Click on Steam → Settings.
- Select Web Browser and then click on DELETE WEB BROWSER CACHE.
- Click OK on the pop-up that emerges.
- Next, click on DELETE ALL BROWSER COOKIES and then OK on the pop-up.
- After that, click on Downloads in Settings. Then click CLEAR DOWNLOAD CACHE → OK.
- Relaunch your game to see if this works.
If the issue still troubles you, then here is the best way to reduce network lag.
Get a VPN
If you play DOTA 2 with a VPN and connect to a server located near a DOTA 2 regional server, you can definitely improve lags in your game. Moreover, a VPN also saves you from ISP throttling issues, which might also be a reason for your lags. Your internet service provider throttles your speeds if you use a lot of bandwidth. However, with a VPN, your online activities are concealed, leaving your ISP with no clue what you are doing online and thus preventing it from throttling you.
So consider getting a premium VPN for your gameplay to improve ping rates and avoid throttling issues. Connect to a server that is located close to the regional server of DOTA 2 and enjoy playing the game without any disturbances.
Conclusion
Playing an online game with increased lags or ping rates can be extremely annoying. To improve your pings while playing DOTA 2, try the fixes given in this article.
Using a VPN, especially, is highly recommended not only for reducing lags but also for accessing the game from a country where it is geo-restricted, avoiding DDoS attacks, ensuring security and privacy while gaming, and avoiding throttling issues by your ISP.
