Why is Valorant lagging?

The short answer

Valorant is very sensitive to packet loss and unstable ping, because shots are decided in fractions of a second. Lag usually comes from Wi-Fi, your connection slowing down when others use it (bufferbloat), or a server far away. Turn on Valorant's network stats to see your round-trip time and packet loss, then fix the cause rather than the symptom.

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Show your ping and packet loss in Valorant

Valorant's video settings include on-screen stats, including network round-trip time (RTT) and packet loss. Turn them on and watch them during a match:

Round-trip time under about 35 ms is very good for Valorant; above 70 ms you'll start to feel it.
Packet loss should stay at 0%. Even 1–2% causes shots that don't register and enemies that appear late.
If the numbers jump around a lot, your connection has jitter, which is often Wi-Fi or bufferbloat.

What "network buffering" does

Valorant has a network buffering setting with options from minimum to maximum. More buffering smooths over an unstable connection by holding data a moment longer, at the cost of a little extra delay.

On a stable, wired connection, minimum buffering gives the most responsive play.
On an unstable connection, a higher setting can make the game look smoother, but it hides the problem rather than fixing it.

The usual causes

Wi-Fi: bursts of lost packets and jumpy ping, especially far from the router.
Bufferbloat: ping jumps when someone else at home streams, downloads or uploads. See what is bufferbloat.
Server distance: a high but steady ping usually means the server is far away.
Background apps: launchers, updates and cloud sync running while you play.

How to fix it

Run our test with the speed test included, to see whether you have packet loss, jitter, bufferbloat or high base ping.
Play on Ethernet if you possibly can.
Turn on Smart Queue Management (SQM) in your router if lag comes and goes with others' use. See how to fix bufferbloat.
Close launchers and pause updates while playing.
Restart your router if packet loss suddenly appears.
If loss continues on a wired connection with nothing else running, share your test results with your Internet provider.

Questions people ask

What's a good ping for Valorant?

Under 35 ms is excellent and under 60 ms is fine for most players. Stability matters as much as the number: steady 50 ms beats a ping that jumps between 20 and 120.

Why do my shots not register?

Usually packet loss or jitter: your shot reaches the server late or not at all. Check the packet loss stat during a match, and test on a cable to see if it disappears.

Should I use maximum network buffering?

Only if your connection is unstable and you can't fix it yet. It makes the game look smoother but adds delay. Fixing the cause (often Wi-Fi or bufferbloat) is better.

Last updated October 17, 2026.