ThisCalculator

Everyday

Fallout 4 Long Loading Times: Fixes That Work

Updated · Standard formula, shown below

Fallout 4 Long Loading Times: Fixes That Work

Fallout 4 long loading times are a common complaint, especially on older PCs and consoles, but most players can cut them dramatically with a few targeted settings, mods, and hardware tweaks. This guide explains why the game stalls on load screens and walks you through the fixes that actually work, from simple ini edits to hardware upgrades.

Why Fallout 4 Loads So Slowly

Fallout 4 streams a massive open world with hundreds of placed objects, NPC schedules, and dynamic lighting. When you enter a new cell (interior or exterior), the game must load all that data from your storage drive into RAM and VRAM. The bottleneck is almost always the drive’s read speed, not your CPU or GPU. On a 5400 RPM hard drive, load times can exceed 90 seconds; on a SATA SSD, they often drop to 10–20 seconds; on an NVMe SSD, they can be under 5 seconds.

Another major factor is the game’s engine (Creation Engine), which was not designed for modern multi-threaded CPUs. It does most loading on a single thread, so even a fast CPU won’t help if the drive is slow. Also, the game’s default settings are conservative: it pre-loads more than necessary and doesn’t use all available RAM.

Quick Software Fixes (No Mods Needed)

Before you buy anything, try these built-in settings and file edits. They are safe and reversible.

  • Set the game to Borderless Windowed mode: In the launcher, select Windowed Mode and then set the resolution to your monitor’s native size. This can reduce stutter and sometimes speeds up loading because the game doesn’t have to handle exclusive fullscreen transitions.
  • Disable VSync in-game: VSync can cap your frame rate and cause input lag, but it rarely affects load times. However, if you have an NVIDIA or AMD control panel, forcing VSync off there and enabling it in the driver can help.
  • Update your graphics drivers: Old drivers can cause memory leaks and slow asset streaming. Use the manufacturer’s site (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel) to get the latest stable driver.
  • Close background programs: Web browsers, Discord, and other apps eat RAM and disk I/O. For Fallout 4, 8GB of RAM is the minimum; 16GB is recommended. If you have 8GB, closing everything else is essential.

If those don’t help, proceed to the ini edits below.

Editing Fallout4.ini and Fallout4Prefs.ini

Two configuration files control how the game loads data. They are in Documents\My Games\Fallout4 (on Windows). Back them up before editing.

  1. Increase the number of preloaded cells: In Fallout4Prefs.ini, under [General], find or add bPreemptivelyUnloadCells=0. This tells the game not to unload cells as aggressively, so re-entering an area is faster.
  2. Enable multithreading: Under [General], add bUseMultiThreadedRendering=1 and bUseMultiThreadedAI=1. This lets the engine use more than one CPU core for some tasks.
  3. Increase the file-loading buffer: Under [General], add bLoadBackgroundLevelGeometry=0 (this stops the game from loading distant geometry in the background, which can cause stutter). Also add iNumHWThreads=4 (or your actual CPU core count, but 4 is safe for most).
  4. Set the game to use more RAM: Under [Memory] (create it if missing), add bUseOSAllocators=1. This makes the game use Windows memory allocation instead of its own, which can reduce crashes and speed up loading on systems with 16GB+ RAM.

After editing, launch the game. If it crashes, revert the changes one by one.

The Single Best Fix: Install on an SSD

Moving Fallout 4 from a hard drive to a solid-state drive is the most effective change you can make. Load times typically drop by 50–80%. An SSD is not a luxury; it’s the standard for modern gaming.

  • If you have a desktop PC: Install a SATA SSD (2.5-inch) or an NVMe M.2 drive. NVMe is faster, but SATA is still a huge improvement over HDD.
  • If you have a laptop: Many laptops have a 2.5-inch drive bay or an M.2 slot. Check your model’s manual.
  • If you’re on console (PS4/Xbox One): You can replace the internal drive with an SSD, or use an external SSD via USB 3.0. The game will load faster, though not as fast as on a PC with a good SSD.

After moving the game, verify the new path in the launcher. On Steam, you can use the “Move Install Folder” feature.

Mods That Improve Loading Speed

If you’re comfortable with mods, several community-made fixes specifically target load times. Always read the mod’s description for compatibility and installation instructions.

  • Load Accelerator: This mod removes the frame rate cap during loading screens, which can cut load times in half because the game renders the loading screen at a higher FPS, allowing the loading process to finish sooner.
  • F4SE (Fallout 4 Script Extender): Not a load-time fix itself, but many performance mods require it. Install it first if you plan to use other mods.
  • Texture optimization mods: Some mods reduce the resolution of textures or compress them, which reduces the amount of data the game needs to load. This helps on systems with limited VRAM.
  • Unofficial Fallout 4 Patch: Fixes many bugs, including some that cause memory leaks and slow loading.

Be careful with mods that claim to “optimize” the game—some can cause instability. Stick to well-known ones with many downloads and recent updates.

Hardware Upgrades That Actually Matter

If you’ve done the software fixes and are still waiting, the hardware may be the limit.

  • RAM: Fallout 4 uses about 4–6GB of RAM. If you have 8GB, the system is swapping to the page file, which is on your drive—slowing everything down. Upgrade to 16GB if possible.
  • CPU: The game’s single-threaded nature means a CPU with high single-core performance helps. But this is rarely the primary bottleneck for load times.
  • GPU: A weak GPU can cause stutter during loading, but it won’t make the loading bar move faster. Only upgrade if you’re also getting low FPS.

For most players, the SSD upgrade is the only hardware change that will make a noticeable difference in load times.

Common Mistakes and Misconceptions

Many players try fixes that don’t work or make things worse. Here’s what to avoid:

  • Setting graphics to low: Lowering texture quality can reduce VRAM usage, but it doesn’t speed up loading from the drive. It may even cause more pop-in.
  • Using a RAM disk: Putting the game on a RAM disk is fast, but it’s complicated, and you lose the data on shutdown. An SSD is easier and nearly as fast.
  • Defragmenting an SSD: Never defragment an SSD—it reduces its lifespan and provides no benefit. Only defragment HDDs.
  • Disabling the page file: Some guides suggest disabling the page file to free RAM, but this can cause crashes if the game needs more memory than you have. Leave it on.

Also, note that load times can increase with the size of your save file and the number of mods installed. A heavily modded game will always load slower than a vanilla one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Fallout 4 loading so slow on my PS4? The PS4’s internal hard drive is a 5400 RPM HDD, which is slow. Replacing it with an SSD (or using an external SSD) will cut load times significantly. Also, close other applications and ensure the game is fully updated.

Does lowering the resolution help load times? No. Resolution affects GPU load, not the time it takes to read data from the drive. The loading bar is tied to the game’s asset loading, which is disk-bound.

Will installing mods make load times worse? Some mods add more assets (textures, meshes) which can increase load times, but performance mods like Load Accelerator can help. It depends on the mod. Always read the mod page for performance notes.

Is there a way to skip the loading screen entirely? No, but you can reduce its duration. The fastest way is to have the game on an NVMe SSD and use the Load Accelerator mod. Even then, you’ll see a brief load screen.

Why does my load time increase after playing for a while? This is often due to a memory leak in the game engine. The Unofficial Patch fixes some, but if it persists, restarting the game every couple of hours helps. Also, avoid leaving the game running while you sleep.

Can I use a USB flash drive to speed up loading on console? Yes, but only if the flash drive is USB 3.0 and has good read speeds. However, a proper external SSD is more reliable and faster. Flash drives can overheat and throttle.

Related

Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.