Fix: COD Black Ops 3 Stuttering, Lags, or Freezing constantly

Call of Duty: Black Ops III, released in 2015, is still considered one of the best multiplayer zombie action first-person shooter video games. Developed by Treyarch and Activision, it is a sequel to Call of Duty: Black Ops II. However, like many PC titles, running the game smoothly requires a sufficient hardware configuration. Unfortunately, some players encounter issues like stuttering, lags, crashes, and frame drops while playing COD Black Ops 3. In this guide, we will explore various methods to fix these problems and ensure a better gaming experience.

Checking System Requirements

Before attempting any fixes, it is important to ensure that your PC meets the minimum system requirements for COD Black Ops 3. Here are the minimum and recommended requirements for running the game:

Minimum Requirements:

• Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit (Version 1909) | For Ray Tracing or VR: Windows 10 64-bit (Version 2004)
• Processor: Intel Core i3-2130 or AMD FX 4300 | For VR: Intel Core i5-9600k or AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti or AMD RX 470 | For Ray Tracing: GeForce RTX 2060 or Radeon RX 6700 XT | For VR: NVIDIA GTX 1660 Ti or AMD RX 590
• DirectX: Version 12
• Network: Broadband Internet connection
• Storage: 80 GB of available space
• Sound Card: DirectX Compatible

Recommended Requirements:

• Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit (Version 1909) | For Ray Tracing or VR: Windows 10 64-bit (Version 2004)
• Processor: Intel Core i5 9600K or AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
• Memory: 16 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 1660 Ti or AMD RX 590 | For Ray Tracing: GeForce RTX 3070 or Radeon RX 6800 | For VR: NVIDIA RTX 2070 or AMD RX 6700 XT
• DirectX: Version 12
• Network: Broadband Internet connection
• Storage: 80 GB of available space
• Sound Card: DirectX Compatible

Ensure your PC meets these requirements to avoid performance issues while playing COD Black Ops 3.

Fixing COD Black Ops 3 Stuttering and Lags

Fixing in-game lags or frame drop issues can be a complex process as it depends on various factors such as PC hardware, display resolution, FPS limit count, and conflicting third-party apps. In this section, we will explore several methods to reduce or eliminate stuttering and lags in COD Black Ops 3.

1. Use Launch Options

Using launch options can help optimize the game’s performance. Follow these steps to add launch options for COD Black Ops 3:

1. Open your Steam client and go to the Library.
2. Right-click on COD Black Ops 3 and select Properties.
3. On the General tab, you’ll find Launch Options.
4. Enter the launch option “-fullscreen” to force the engine to start in fullscreen mode.

2. Update Graphics Drivers

Outdated graphics drivers can cause performance issues in games. Follow these steps to update your graphics drivers:

1. Right-click on the Start Menu to open the Quick Access Menu.
2. Click on Device Manager from the list.
3. Double-click on the Display adapters category to expand the list.
4. Right-click on the dedicated graphics card name.
5. Select Update driver and choose Search automatically for drivers.
6. If an update is available, it will automatically download and install the latest version.
7. Reboot your computer to apply the changes.

3. Run the Game as an Administrator

Running the game and Steam client as an administrator can help avoid user account control issues. Follow these steps to run the game as an administrator:

1. Right-click on the COD Black Ops 3 exe shortcut file on your PC.
2. Select Properties and click on the Compatibility tab.
3. Check the Run this program as an administrator checkbox.
4. Click Apply and then OK to save the changes.

4. Set High Priority in Task Manager

Setting the game’s priority to high in the Task Manager can allocate more system resources to the game. Follow these steps to set high priority:

1. Right-click on the Start Menu and select Task Manager.
2. Click on the Processes tab.
3. Right-click on the COD Black Ops 3 game task.
4. Select Set Priority and choose High.
5. Close Task Manager and run the game to check for improvements.

5. Verify Integrity of Game Files

Corrupted or missing game files can cause performance issues. Follow these steps to verify the integrity of game files:

Verify Game Files on Steam:

1. Launch Steam and click on Library.
2. Right-click on COD Black Ops 3 from the list of installed games.
3. Click on Properties and go to Local Files.
4. Click on Verify Integrity of Game Files.
5. Wait for the process to complete and then restart your computer.

Verify Game Files on Battle.net:

1. Open the Battle.net client on your computer.
2. Head to the library and click on COD Black Ops 3.
3. Click on Options and select Scan and Repair.
4. Choose Start Scan and wait for the process to complete.
5. Reboot the client to apply changes immediately.

6. Change GPU Settings

Adjusting the graphics card settings can improve game performance. Follow these steps to change GPU settings:

For Nvidia:

1. Open Nvidia’s Control Panel by right-clicking on the desktop screen.
2. Click on Manage 3D Settings.
3. Select Program Settings and find ‘COD Black Ops 3’.
4. Manually add the game to the list if it’s not present.

• Monitor Tech: G-Sync (If available)
• Maximum Pre-rendered frames: 2
• Threaded optimization: On
• Power Management: Prefer Maximum Performance
• Texture Filtering – Quality: Performance

For AMD:

1. Open AMD’s Control Panel by right-clicking on the desktop screen.
2. Click on Graphics and select Global Graphics.
3. Adjust the following settings:

• Monitor Tech: G-Sync (If available)
• Maximum Pre-rendered frames: 2
• Threaded optimization: On
• Power Management: Prefer Maximum Performance
• Texture Filtering – Quality: Performance

7. Disable Fullscreen Optimizations

Disabling fullscreen optimizations and adjusting DPI settings can improve performance. Follow these steps:

1. Locate the COD Black Ops 3 game directory.
2. Right-click on the COD Black Ops 3.exe file.
3. Select Properties and click on the Compatibility tab.
4. Checkmark the ‘Disable Full-Screen Optimizations’ box.
5. Click on the ‘Change high DPI setting’ button.
6. Checkmark the ‘Override high DPI scaling behavior’ box and select ‘Application’ from the drop-down menu.
7. Click Apply and then OK to save the changes.

8. Update COD Black Ops 3

Make sure you have the latest updates and patches installed for COD Black Ops 3. Follow these steps to update the game:

For Steam Users:

1. Open the Steam client and go to Library.
2. Click on COD Black Ops 3 from the left pane.
3. If an update is available, click on Update.
4. Wait for the update to install and then close the Steam client.
5. Reboot your PC and try launching the game again.

For Battle.net Users:

1. Open the Battle.net client and go to All Games.
2. Click on Installed and select Call of Duty Black Ops 3 from the left pane.
3. Click on the Settings icon and choose Check for updates.
4. If an update is available, click on Update.
5. Close the Battle.net client and reboot your PC.
6. Launch the game to check for improvements.

9. Delete Battle.Net Cache Data

Deleting corrupted cache data files can resolve various issues. Follow these steps to delete Battle.net cache data:

1. Close all the games and quit the Battle.net client.
2. Press Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
3. Type %programdata% and hit Enter to open the Program Data folder.
4. Open the Blizzard Entertainment folder and navigate to Battle.net.
5. Click on Cache, select all files, and delete them.
6. Reboot your computer to apply the changes.

By following these methods, you can significantly reduce or eliminate stuttering, lags, and freezing issues in COD Black Ops 3. Remember to experiment with different settings and optimizations to find the best configuration for your PC.

Conclusion

Remember to always keep your game and graphics drivers updated for optimal performance.

That concludes our comprehensive guide on fixing COD Black Ops 3 stuttering, lags, and freezing issues. By implementing the suggested solutions, you should be able to enjoy a smoother gaming experience. If you have any further queries or need additional assistance, feel free to leave a comment below. Happy gaming!