Apex Legends: Editing local.cfg for Faster Map Loading

The primary goal for Apex Legends map loading optimization is VRAM Streaming Control and Shader Pre-Caching. When you load into World’s Edge or Storm Point, the engine allocates a “Texture Streaming Budget.” If this budget is misconfigured, the game will “choke” as it tries to move data from your SSD to your GPU. This configuration focuses on disabling the unskippable intro movies and forcing the engine to use all available CPU threads for background asset decompression.

Hardware & System Prerequisites

• NVMe SSD Storage: Apex Legends has massive “pak” files. Moving the game from an HDD to an NVMe SSD can reduce map load times by up to 60%.
• VRAM Awareness: Your stream_memory setting must match your GPU’s actual VRAM. Setting it too high causes Windows to use “System Memory,” which is 10x slower and causes the loading screen to hang.
• Launch Options: Some “Map Loading” tweaks can only be executed before the game executable starts.

File Location

Apex Legends uses two main configuration files. We will focus on the one that controls local hardware streaming:

%USERPROFILE%\Saved Games\Respawn\Apex\local\local.cfg (Note: If this file doesn’t exist, you can create it as a simple .txt file and rename the extension to .cfg.)

Technical Configuration (Code Block)

Add these commands to your local.cfg to streamline the asset pipeline and bypass unnecessary loading delays:

// Apex Legends Map Load & Streaming Optimization
cl_forcepreload "0"               // Set to 0 in 2026; 1 causes longer loads & stutters
mat_compressedtextures "1"        // Ensures textures are decompressed faster
cl_ragdoll_self_collision "0"     // Reduces physics calculation during map load
stream_drop_unused "1"            // Clears VRAM of old map assets immediately
intro_viewed "1"                  // Bypasses intro logic checks

// VRAM Streaming Budget (Adjust based on your GPU)
// 0 = None, 600000 = 6GB, 800000 = 8GB
setting.stream_memory "600000"    

// CPU Multi-threading for Assets
r_threaded_particles "1"
r_threaded_renderables "1"
r_queued_ropes "1"

Essential Launch Options

To further decrease the time spent in loading screens, right-click the game in Steam/EA App and add these to “Launch Options”:

-novid -high -threads [Number of Cores] +map_settings_override 1

Strategy for Faster Map Loading

To ensure you are the first one in the Legend selection screen:

• The Preload Myth: Older guides suggest cl_forcepreload 1, but in the modern version of Apex, this forces the game to load everything into RAM before the lobby, causing massive hangs and “Out of Memory” errors. Setting this to 0 allows for dynamic streaming, which is significantly faster on modern SSDs.
• Texture Streaming Budget: In the in-game settings, setting “Texture Streaming Budget” to Medium (3GB-4GB) even on high-end cards can speed up map loading. It reduces the size of the initial data burst required to start the match.
• Shader Compilation: If you see “Compiling Shaders” every time you launch, ensure your NVIDIA/AMD Shader Cache is set to 10GB or Unlimited in your GPU Control Panel. This prevents the game from re-calculating shaders for every map.

Key Performance Parameters

Parameter	Recommended Value	Impact
cl_forcepreload	0	Prevents the game from hanging on the “Black Screen.”
stream_drop_unused	1	Ensures the next map doesn’t fight for VRAM with the last.
-novid (Launch Op)	Active	Skips the Respawn/EA intros entirely.
setting.stream_memory	Matches VRAM	Correctly allocates the GPU’s texture pipe.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Conclusion and Expected Results

By manually refining your local.cfg and utilizing optimized launch options, you are bypassing the “bottlenecks” of the Source Engine’s asset delivery. You can expect shorter loading times between matches, the elimination of the black screen hang, and smoother transitions as you drop into the map.