How to Fix MSI Afterburner Not Working in Windows 11?

MSI Afterburner is an overclocking tool for most graphics cards. Moreover, you can also use it to monitor the performance of your system. But some users reported that MSI Afterburner does not work in Windows 11. In this case, users cannot change performance or monitor MSI Afterburner while playing games. This article will analyze the reasons why MSI Afterburner cannot run in Windows 11 and provide effective fixes for the problem that MSI Afterburner cannot run in Windows 11.

Why doesn’t MSI Afterburner work in Windows 11?

Most of the time, MSI Afterburner will run smoothly, but if MSI Afterburner isn’t work, it’s usually due to a computer setup error, NVIDIA or Steam overlay, compatibility issues, etc. Beside the PC issues, the problem that MSI Afterburner isn’t work on Windows 11 might be also caused by the outdated versions of MSI Afterburner.

After knowing the reasons causing MSI Afterburner not working in Windows 11, it is now time to find the solutions to fix the issue.

What should I do if MSI Afterburner does not work in Windows 11?

1. Disable steam overlay

Launch the search menu by pressing Windows+S keys, type Steam in the text field and click on the relevant search result.

Now, right-click on the game you’re having trouble with and select Properties from the context menu.

Uncheck the checkbox for Enable Steam Overlay in game.

Any program overlay can result in MSI Afterburner not working in Windows 11. And Steam is usually the culprit. Therefore, it is recommended that you disable the overlay and check if that solves the problem. If it doesn’t work, check the next method.

2. Disable NVIDIA Overlay

Launch the NVIDIA GEFORCE EXPERIENCE panel and click the settings (gear) icon near the top right corner.

Next, disable the toggle for IN-GAME OVERLAY.

3. Run MSI Afterburner with administrative privileges

Launch File Explorer by pressing Windows+E keys, copy and paste the following path into the address bar, and hit Enter:

C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner

Right-click on the MSIAfterburner.exe file and select Properties from the context menu.

Navigate to the Compatibility tab in the Properties window.

Now, tick the Run this program as administrator checkbox and click OK at the bottom to save the changes and close the window.

If MSI Afterburner lacks the ability to run with administrative privileges, you may have issues playing games, as well as other applications.

4. Manually select detection level as high in RivaTuner

Launch File Explorer by pressing Windows+E keys, copy and paste the following path in the address bar, and hit Enter:

C:\Program Files (x86)\RivaTuner Statistics Server

Double-click the RTSS.exe file to launch the RivaTuner tool.

Click Yes button on the User Account Control prompt to confirm.

Next, click the Add button.

Navigate to the location of the game, select its executable (.exe) file, and click Open.

Now, select High under Application detection level.

RivaTuner Statistics Server is a tool bundled with MSI Afterburner that helps monitor hardware and overclocked graphics cards.

If MSI Afterburner doesn’t work on certain games or some of them in Windows 11, but not others, changing the application detection level in RivaTuner to high may help. If it works on fixing MSI Afterburner not working in Windows 11, apply the same changes to all games you’re having trouble with.

5. Run MSI Afterburner in Compatibility Mode

Launch File Explorer by pressing Windows+E keys, type the following path in the address bar and hit Enter:

C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner

Right-click on the MSIAfterburner.exe file and select Properties from the context menu.

Now navigate to the Compatibility tab from the top.

Tick ​​the Run this program in compatibility mode check box and select one option at a time from the drop-down menu below it until the error is fixed.

Finally, click OK at the bottom to save the changes and close the Properties window.

If the methods listed above don’t work, you can try running MSI Afterburner in compatibility mode with older versions of the operating system. This has been found to solve the problem for many users.

6. Disable integrated graphics

Press Alt + F4 from the drop-down menu in the Shut Down Windows box and select Restart.

Click OK to restart the computer.

Once you see the manufacturer’s name on the screen, press the F12 or Del key (or other relevant key for your system) to enter the BIOS. Since you only have a few seconds here, press it multiple times to be safe.

Once in the system BIOS, go to the Advanced tab from the top.

Click Chipset from the options listed here.

Next, click on SouthBridge Configuration.

Select the Primary Graphics Adapter option.

In the box that pops up, make sure to select the option that lists PCIE first and IGP (Integrated Graphics Processor) last.

After making changes, navigate to the Exit tab and click Exit & Save Changes.

MSI Afterburner is not working in Windows 11 if you have both external graphics and integrated graphics enabled. In this case, it is best to disable the integrated graphics.

7. Reinstall the MSI Afterburner

• Launch Settings by pressing Windows+I keys and select Applications from the tabs listed in the left pane.
• Click Apps & Features on the right.
• Now, find the MSI Afterburner application, click the ellipsis next to it, and select Uninstall from the menu.
• Click Uninstall in the prompt again.

In many cases, MSI Afterburner not working is caused by the MSI Afterburner application itself. If you are using an outdated version of the MSI Afterburner, you may also encounter the same issue. Therefore, if you are having issues with MSI Afterburner version then the easiest solution is to uninstall MSI Afterburner and then reinstall its latest version.