If you’ve ever spent weeks grinding normal and ranked matches only to see your account level creep up slower than a support farming minions in lane, you know how frustrating the grind can be. Most players waste hours on low-XP queues and inefficient play that sets their progress back weeks, even if they win more matches than they lose. Learning how to level up in league of legends fast doesn’t require playing 12 hours a day or spamming meta champions you hate — it just takes a few small tweaks to how you queue, play, and optimize your session time.
Optimize Your Queue Selection for Maximum XP Per Hour
Not all LoL queues are created equal when it comes to XP payout per minute of play. A lot of new players default to blind pick normals because they’re fast to get into, but they often end up in 40+ minute slugfests that give barely more XP than a 20-minute ARAM win. You should prioritize queues that have consistent short match times and high XP multipliers first, especially if you only have a couple hours a day to play.
For most players, ARAM is the sweet spot for fast XP gain: matches almost never run longer than 25 minutes, you get a small XP boost for playing random champions, and queue times are under 2 minutes for most regions during peak hours. If you hate ARAM, normal draft is a solid second choice, but skip ranked queues if your only goal is leveling up — ranked has longer queue times and no extra XP bonus to make up for the wait. Co-op vs AI is only worth it if you can clear matches in under 15 minutes with a premade group of high-skill players, otherwise the low XP penalty for bot matches makes it not worth the time.
Maximize In-Game XP Gain With Small Playstyle Tweaks
When you’re waiting for queue pops or taking a 5-minute break between matches to avoid tilt, it’s tempting to scroll social media or watch short clips to pass the time. A lot of LoL players I know opt for quick, low-stakes casual games during these breaks to keep their reflexes sharp without taking on another full match, and many reach for Ind Slots for a fast, low-pressure distraction that fits perfectly into short gaps between queues. It’s a small change, but it keeps you from getting sucked into a 20-minute YouTube video that cuts into your total playtime for the day.
Inside matches, you can boost your individual XP gain by 10-15% just by making a few simple changes to how you play. First, never leave lane before the first wave crashes unless you’re responding to a team fight you can actually help win. Minion XP is the single largest source of XP in the early game, and missing even one full wave can put you a full level behind your lane opponent for the first 10 minutes. Second, always participate in team fights and objective takes if you’re within range — you get shared XP for every kill and objective your team takes, even if you don’t land the final blow. Third, avoid dying unnecessarily in the late game; every time you die, you miss out on 2-3 waves of minion XP and potential objective gains that add up fast over the course of a match.
How to Level Up in League of Legends Fast With Account Bonuses
Riot regularly hands out XP boosts and bonus XP events that can double or even triple your XP gain for short periods, and most players don’t take full advantage of them. If you have a stash of XP boosts from event rewards or Prime Gaming drops, save them for days when you have 3+ hours to play in one session, so you get the maximum value out of the boost timer.
Event passes are another underrated source of extra XP. Even if you don’t buy the premium pass, the free track almost always includes XP boosts, XP tokens, and bonus XP missions that give you hundreds of extra XP per match for completing simple tasks like playing as a certain champion or winning 2 ARAM matches. Make sure you check the event page every time you log in to pick up new missions, because they often stack with existing XP boosts for even faster gains.
If you want to get the most out of your account bonuses, follow these three simple rules:
- Save time-limited XP boosts for long play sessions — don’t waste a 3-day XP boost if you only have 30 minutes to play each day that week
- Stack mission rewards with active boosts: if you have a mission that gives 500 bonus XP for a win, use a 2x XP boost to turn that win into 1000 extra XP on top of the base match payout
- Log in daily even if you don’t have time to play — you can often claim daily login rewards that include XP boosts or bonus mission progress without queuing for a single match
You don’t have to spend real money on boosts to make fast progress either. Riot gives out free 1-day XP boosts for almost every major game update, holiday event, and community milestone, so you can build up a stash of boosts without spending a dime if you log in regularly.
Avoid Common Mistakes That Slow Down Your Leveling Progress
Even if you follow all the tips above, a few common mistakes can cut your XP gain in half without you even noticing. The biggest mistake I see new players make is spamming surrender votes at 15 minutes just because their team is down a few kills. Most matches that are winnable at 15 minutes give 30-40% more XP than a surrendered match, even if you end up losing. Unless your team is getting spawn camped and has no chance of coming back, it’s almost always worth playing out the match for the extra XP.
Another common mistake is queuing alone if you perform worse in solo matches. Playing with a premade group of 2-3 friends who are around your skill level will boost your win rate by 15-20% on average, and wins give 50% more XP than losses. Even if you only play with one friend who plays a complementary role to yours, you’ll get more consistent wins and faster queues than playing alone. Just don’t queue with friends who are 3+ ranks above or below you, because that will raise the average skill level of your lobbies and make it harder to win consistently.
The last mistake to avoid is playing when you’re tilted or burnt out. Tilted players lose 60% more matches than players who are calm and focused, and losing streaks will kill your XP gain faster than anything else. If you lose two matches in a row, take a 5-minute break to stretch, get a drink, or step outside for some fresh air before you queue again. Never force yourself to play through a losing streak just to hit a leveling goal, because you’ll only waste more time and end up hating the game.
At the end of the day, getting better at LoL and leveling up your account go hand in hand — the small tweaks you make to play more efficiently will help you win more matches and climb ranks at the same time you’re gaining XP. You don’t have to no-life the game or spend extra money on boosts to make fast progress, and focusing on consistent, efficient play will get you to your goal level much faster than grinding for hours on end when you’re tired or tilted. If you implement even half of the tips we covered, you’ll be shocked at how much easier it is to learn how to level up in league of legends fast once you stop wasting time on inefficient play and queues.