How To Fix Screen Tearing In Geometry Dash

A simple guide explaining how to hopefully fix the common screen tearing problem in Geometry Dash. Results may vary...

The Problem

You need to check a few things first...

Are you running in windowed mode, or fullscreen?

Screen tearing is caused by the use, or mis-use of the Vertical-Sync (V-Sync) setting in the game, or by your graphics card (or both). The ingame setting should NOT be enabled if your game is in windowed mode, but should be enabled if you are running in fullscreen.

Nvidia or AMD or Neither?

If you're running an Nvidia graphics card, you'll need to make an alteration in the Nvidia Control Panel (See 'Nvidia Cards' Page). *Note: Running multiple cards in SLI seems to have a worsened effect, I experience that myself*

If you're running an AMD graphics card, you'll need to make the same alteration in the AMD Control Panel 'Catalyst Control Center/Vision Engine Control Center' (See 'AMD Cards' Page)

If you don't have a graphics card and simply use an intergrated chipset on the motherboard (Common in laptops, usually Intel) then you probably won't have to change anything. If, for example, its an Intel chipset, look in the Graphics Properties Panel and look for options about 'V-Sync' or 'Vertical Sync'. If so, try and turn it off, or atleast turn it to 'Adaptive' if possible. You can also try looking through your monitors OSD (On Screen Display) to see if there is an option in there, although not very likely.

Nvidia Cards

So you, like myself, are an Nvidia user (Yay). I myself have 2 x Geforce GTX660ti's running in SLI posing a huge problem in Geometry dash as I have it windowed on 1 of my 4 monitors...

If you are experiencing screen tearing problems, you'll probably have it windowed (As it usually runs fine in fullscreen). So if your game is windowed, follow the instructions below.

Turning off V-Sync in the Nvidia Control Panel

1. Navigate to the Nvidia Control Panel (There a few ways, varies by operating system)

• Click Start>Search for 'Nvidia Control Panel>Run it.
  
• It's probably already open, so right click the icon in the system tray (by the clock on the taskbar) and open it from there.
  
• On Windows 8/8.1? Right click the start button on the taskbar, click 'Control Panel', then click on 'Hardware & Sound, then on 'Nvidia Control Panel'.
  
• Right-Click the desktop and click 'Nvidia Control Panel'

2. Click on 'Manage 3D Settings' on the pane on the left.
3. Click on the 'Global Settings'.
4. Scroll the the bottom of the displayed options and click on 'Vertical sync'.
5. From the drop down menu, choose 'Off'.

• Alternatively, choose 'Adaptive' if you wish to let the control panel select when it should be turned on and off. This option personally didn't work for me. However, turning it completely off may affect other games that you play in fullscreen mode.

6. Click 'Apply' at the bottom of the window and close the Control Panel.
7. You may wish to restart your computer for the changes to take effect (Not completely necessary though, just to rule out another factor).
8. Once you've restarted your computer (or not), re-run Geometry Dash.
9. Navigate to the options (By clicking the little cog), click on 'Graphics' and then on 'Advanced'.
10. From here you need to either enable or disable V-Sync.

• Windowed - Uncheck the V-Sync option.
  
• Fullscreen - You Shouldn't have disabled V-Sync above, so check the V-Sync option.

11. Try it! Play a level. Play lots of them. Can sometimes take a while for it to tear (Always when I'm mid level at like 90%...)

If it has worked, congrats! Enjoy your 'tear free' gaming experience and smash those demons!

If it hasn't worked, visit the 'I've followed the instructions, but it hasn't worked?' page for a few other options.

Please comment below if I've missed anything out, spelt anything wrong, or just messed something up so I can correct it :)

AMD Cards

AMD Users! I personally am using Nvidia Cards (Please don't hate!) so forgive me if I'm not 100% accurate with the instructions for Catalyst (PC Enthusiasts will be used to using the Control Panel for their card anyway)

Turning off V-Sync in the Catalyst Control Center/Vision Engine Control Center

1. Navigate to the Catalyst Control Center (There a few ways, varies by operating system)

• Click Start>Search for 'Catalyst'>Click on 'Catalyst Control Center'.
  
• It's probably already open, so right click the icon in the system tray (by the clock on the taskbar) and open it from there.
  
• On Windows 8/8.1? Drag your cursor to the top right hand corner of your screen/monitor and wait for the menu to pop out. Search for 'Catalyst' and select 'Catalyst Control Center'.
  
• Right-Click the desktop and click 'Catalyst Control Center'.

2. Click on 'Gaming' on the pane on the left to drop down the gaming menu.
3. Click on the '3D Application Settings'.
4. Scroll the the bottom of the displayed options and click on 'Wait for vertical refresh'.
5. As an Nvidia user, I'm not sure whether this is a check box or a drop down menu. Either way, turn it off.
6. Click 'Apply' at the bottom of the window and close the Control Panel.
7. You may wish to restart your computer for the changes to take effect (Not completely necessary though, just to rule out another factor).
8. Once you've restarted your computer (or not), re-run Geometry Dash.
9. Navigate to the options (By clicking the little cog), click on 'Graphics' and then on 'Advanced'.
10. From here you need to either enable or disable V-Sync.

• Windowed - Uncheck the V-Sync option.
  
• Fullscreen - You Shouldn't have disabled V-Sync above, so check the V-Sync option.

11. Try it! Play a level. Play lots of them. Can sometimes take a while for it to tear (Always when I'm mid level at like 90%...)

If it has worked, congrats! Enjoy your 'tear free' gaming experience and smash those demons!

If it hasn't worked, visit the 'I've followed the instructions, but it hasn't worked?' page for a few other options.

Please comment below if I've missed anything out, spelt anything wrong, got the AMD instructions wrong, or just messed something up so I can correct it :)

I've followed the instructions, but it hasn't worked?

Unfortunatley, there's a plethora of factors that come into play...

Here's some things you could try;

• Try turning V-Sync on and off again. Or off and on again. Both in-game and in your graphics card control panel.
  
• Did you restart your computer? If not, try it.
  
• Do you meet the games minimum requirements? As you might just be lagging.
  The minimum requirements for Geometry Dash are:
  OS: Windows XP
  Processor: 2.0+ GHz
  Memory: 512 MB RAM
  Graphics: OpenGL 2.0 support
  Hard Drive: 100 MB available space
  
• Nvidia Users; did you select 'Adaptive' from the Vertical Sync option? If so, try turning it 'Off'. Then restart your computer.
  
• Is 'Smooth Fix' enabled from the in-game graphics options? Try toggling it on/off.
  
• Try different combinations of turning V-Sync (In-Game) on and off. Same goes for the 'Smooth Fix' option.
  
• Are you on a laptop or a desktop with 1 Monitor with your game windowed? Just Fullscreen it with V-Sync turned 'On'. For the sake of having it fullscreened, it makes the game playable.
  
• Courtesy of Steam user TMaaH_L;
  

  Początkowo opublikowane przez "TMaaH_L:

  In the program settings, in the column showing the different settings available for the game, choose "Integrated Graphics", as doing so will make it so the GAME can choose the display settings, (V-Sync and Smooth Fix), and not the graphics processor. This minimizes all overrides between the game settings and the Graphics card settings, and has worked for many people, including myself and @Error502:Original name not found.

Once again, please comment below if I've missed anything out, spelt anything wrong, or just messed something up so I can correct it :)

[table man]

v sync doesn’t work with fps bypass (help pls)

[cockwarming]

as of todays geforce experience update it started screen tearing again, my settings have gone back to default, re-done my settings, still tearing all thats left is to restart my pc. we'll find a fix eventually. ........................... WINDOW MODE WORKS LOL?

[rfdean]

unclear, i tried but my screen exploded and covered me in glass 0/10

[skipper]

you can just install Linux and a Wayland compositor like sway, there will be no screen tearing, Geometry Dash will work just fine through Proton

and never enable v-sync in the game, it makes clicks inconsistent

[Kompadoodle]

the post too long

[kye]

it uhh, it was the opposite for me... i had it on, turned it off, and now i get 144+

[gerazxzx]

i turned on my v sync and the problem persisting, another solution?
i have ryzen 5 2600 and a gtx 1660 ti

[OwWeWo]

just turn on vsync lmfao

[Magician Steve]

just turn on something and boom no more screen tearing

[TomPlum]

@untold; No worries lol. Yeah its very old, but it also depends on your OS, its version, your hardware etc... glad you got if fixed though!