GTA V: Editing settings.xml to Disable Shadows for 60+ FPS

In GTA V, shadows are not just visual; they are tied to a complex lighting and distance scaling system that constantly updates as you move through Los Santos. For players on laptops or older desktops, this is usually the primary cause of “stuttering” during high-speed chases. Modifying the settings.xml allows you to bypass the “Normal” limit and set shadow quality to 0. While this makes the game look significantly flatter, the trade-off is a much smoother frame rate and significantly lower hardware temperatures.

Hardware Compatibility & Expectations

• Integrated Graphics Users: Essential for Intel HD/UHD and older Vega iGPUs to reach playable frame rates at 720p or 1080p.
• CPU-Limited Systems: Disabling shadows reduces the number of draw calls the CPU has to process, helping older Quad-core processors maintain stable 60 FPS.
• Low-End Laptops: Dramatic reduction in stuttering and thermal throttling during long gaming sessions.

Backup and Preparation

Since GTA V syncs some settings with the Rockstar Cloud, you must ensure the game is closed before editing the file.

1. Completely close GTA V and the Rockstar Games Launcher.
2. Navigate to the Documents folder (path below).
3. Right-click settings.xml and select Copy, then paste it to your desktop as a safety backup.
4. Open the original file with Notepad or Notepad++.

File Location

GTA V stores its primary configuration file in your local Windows user documents: C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Documents\Rockstar Games\GTA V\settings.xml

Best Config Settings

Open the file and use Ctrl+F to find the following lines. Update the values to 0 to disable shadows and optimize lighting:

<ShadowQuality value="0" />
<Shadow_ParticleShadows value="false" />
<Shadow_Distance value="0.000000" />
<Shadow_SplitZStart value="0.000000" />
<Shadow_SplitZEnd value="0.000000" />
<Shadow_aircraftExpandsWithDistance value="false" />
<Shadow_LongShadows value="false" />
<Shadow_SoftShadows value="0" />
<Lighting_FogVolumes value="false" />

Pro Tip: If you find the game is still stuttering, search for <ReflectionQuality value="1" /> and change it to 0 as well to further reduce GPU load.

Key Parameters Explained

Parameter	Recommended Value	Impact
ShadowQuality	0	The master switch. Setting this to 0 completely removes shadows from the world.
Lighting_FogVolumes	false	Disables volumetric lighting (fog/godrays), which is very taxing on budget GPUs.
Shadow_Distance	0.000000	Prevents the engine from calculating shadow data for distant objects.
Shadow_SoftShadows	0	Disables the “softening” filter on any remaining interior lighting shadows.

In-Game Settings vs. Config

After applying these XML tweaks, avoid touching the “Graphics” tab in-game, as the menu may revert your changes to “Normal.”

• DirectX Version: Use DirectX 10 or 10.1 for the best performance on very old hardware. DirectX 11 is heavier but more stable on newer cards.
• Frame Scaling Mode: If you still need more FPS, go to “Advanced Graphics” and set this to 0.750.
• Population Density: Set this to 30-50% to reduce CPU strain alongside the shadow fix.

Troubleshooting & Common Fixes

• Game Looks “Too Bright”: Without shadows, the game can look washed out. Lower the “Brightness” slider in the in-game display settings to add some artificial contrast.
• Settings Resetting: If the game resets your shadows to “Normal,” right-click settings.xml, go to Properties, and check Read-only. (Note: You won’t be able to change any other settings while this is checked).
• Interior Lighting Issues: Disabling shadows can make some interiors look unnaturally bright or causes flickering. This is a known side effect of the “ShadowQuality 0” tweak.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Conclusion and Expected Results

By manually forcing ShadowQuality to 0 in the settings.xml, you remove the single largest performance bottleneck in GTA V. Users on budget hardware typically see an increase of 15-25 FPS, often making the difference between a choppy experience and a stable 60 FPS. While the world of Los Santos may lose some depth, the fluid gameplay is worth the sacrifice for low-end PC owners.