There's nothing more frustrating than lining up a perfect Yasuo ultimate, only to have your ping spike and miss the entire enemy team, or get disconnected right as you're about to take the enemy nexus. High ping is one of the biggest barriers to climbing ranks in League of Legends, no matter how good your mechanics or game sense are. The good news is that most high ping issues are easy to fix without spending hundreds of dollars on new hardware or a premium internet plan. In this guide, we'll cover actionable, tested tips for how to lower ping in league of legends so you can play without lag and focus on winning more matches.
Quick Hardware Checks to Lower Ping in League of Legends Instantly
Most high ping issues start with your local setup, and you can fix a lot of them in less than five minutes without spending any money. The first and most impactful change you can make is switching from a Wi-Fi connection to a wired ethernet connection—Wi-Fi interference from walls, other devices, or neighboring networks can add 20 to 100ms of ping randomly, even if you have a fast plan. If you can't run an ethernet cable to your PC, move your router as close to your gaming setup as possible, and keep it away from large metal objects or microwaves that cause signal interference.
You'll also want to close background bandwidth-heavy apps on all devices connected to your network, not just your gaming PC. Common culprits include:
- Video or music streaming services running in the background on your PC, phone, or smart TV
- Cloud sync tools like Google Drive or Dropbox actively uploading large files
- Active game, update, or large file downloads on any device on your network
- Video call software that's open even if you're not currently on a call
Even small background downloads can cause ping spikes right when you're trying to land a crucial skill shot or escape a gank, so it's worth taking 30 seconds to close these before you queue up for a match. You can also set up a dedicated guest network for other household devices to keep your gaming traffic separate if you share your internet with multiple people.
Tweak In-Game and Client Settings for Better Connection Stability
Riot's League of Legends client has a lot of background features that use extra bandwidth without you noticing, and turning them off can make a noticeable difference in your ping stability. First, head to the client settings and turn off auto-updates during matches, as well as the option to send anonymous usage data to Riot. You can also turn off the in-game streaming and clipping features if you don't use them regularly, as they eat up both bandwidth and processing power while you play.
Matching your server location to your physical location is another non-negotiable step to keep ping low. It might be fun to play with friends on a server across the world, but you'll almost always have 100+ ms of ping no matter what fixes you try, which puts you at a major disadvantage against players who live closer to the server. If you regularly play with friends in another region, look for server transfer sales a few times a year to move your account permanently if it's worth it for you.
If you're waiting for a match to start and have a few minutes to kill, avoid scrolling through short-form video platforms that eat up bandwidth in the background. These platforms auto-load high-resolution content even when you're not actively watching, which can cause small ping spikes that carry over into the first few minutes of your game. Lots of players opt for low-bandwidth casual games to pass the time instead, and many reach for Spin Winner for quick, low-data rounds that won't tax your connection before your queue pops.
You can also turn off in-game voice chat if you're not using it, as it uses a steady stream of bandwidth to connect you to your team. If you need to communicate with friends, use a third-party voice app that lets you adjust bandwidth usage to lower settings for slower connections. You can also lower in-game graphics settings if you're playing on an older PC, as frame drops can sometimes feel like ping spikes even when your connection is stable.
Adjust ISP and Network Configuration for Long-Term Low Ping
If you've fixed your local setup and still have consistent high ping, the issue might be with your internet service provider or network configuration. First, run a speed test to check if you're getting the download and upload speeds you're paying for. If your speeds are consistently 30% lower than advertised, contact your ISP to check for line damage or congestion in your area. Many ISPs will send a technician to fix line issues for free if you report consistent slow speeds.
Gaming VPNs only help if your ISP is throttling gaming traffic, so don't waste money on one unless you've confirmed that's the issue first. You can test this by running a ping test to your local LoL server during peak hours and off-peak hours. If your ping is 50+ ms higher during peak hours when everyone in your area is using the internet, your ISP is likely throttling gaming traffic, and a good gaming VPN can route your connection around the throttled nodes to lower ping. If you don't have throttling, a VPN will add extra ping, so it's not worth using.
Another easy fix is changing your DNS server to a faster public option like Google DNS or Cloudflare DNS. DNS servers translate domain names to IP addresses, and a faster DNS server can cut down the time it takes for your PC to connect to LoL servers by a few ms, which adds up over time. You can find step-by-step guides to change your DNS server for both Windows and Mac online for free, and it only takes a minute to set up.
If you live in a rural area, satellite internet is almost always a bad fit for League of Legends, as the signal has to travel to space and back, adding a minimum of 500ms of ping. Look for fixed wireless internet providers in your area instead, as they offer much lower latency for gaming at similar price points to satellite plans. You can also ask your ISP if they offer a dedicated gaming plan with prioritized traffic for lower latency during peak hours.
Troubleshoot Persistent Random Ping Spikes
If you have consistent low ping most of the time but get random spikes out of nowhere, there are a few less common fixes you can try. First, check if your router is overheating—if it's stuffed in a cabinet or covered in dust, it can throttle your connection to cool down, causing random ping spikes that last 10 to 30 seconds at a time. Don't ignore router overheating; it's one of the most overlooked causes of ping issues for casual players, and fixing it can be as simple as moving your router to an open, well-ventilated space and wiping dust off the vents every few months.
Next, make sure your PC's network adapter drivers are up to date. Outdated drivers can cause compatibility issues with your router or LoL's servers, leading to random connection drops or ping spikes. You can update your drivers through the device manager on Windows or the system settings on Mac for free, and it only takes a few minutes. You should also check for firmware updates for your router, as these often fix bugs that cause connection instability.
You can also run a traceroute test to your local LoL server to see where the lag is coming from. A traceroute test shows each stop your connection makes between your PC and the game server, so you can see if the issue is with your local network, your ISP, or Riot's servers. If the lag is happening on Riot's end, you can submit a support ticket to let them know, and they usually fix server issues within a few hours. You can also check Riot's server status page to see if there are known outages in your area before you spend time troubleshooting your own setup.
If you play on a laptop, make sure it's not in power saving mode, as this setting throttles your network adapter to save battery life, leading to random ping spikes during intense gameplay. Switch to performance mode while you're playing to make sure your network adapter is running at full speed. You can also plug your laptop in while playing, as power saving mode often kicks in automatically when the battery is low, even if you haven't turned it on manually.
You don't need to be a tech expert to fix high ping issues in League of Legends. Most of the tips we covered take less than 10 minutes to implement, and many are completely free, from closing background apps to updating your network drivers. Test one change at a time to see what makes the biggest difference for your setup, and you'll be shocked at how much smoother your matches get when you don't have to fight lag as well as the enemy team. Taking the time to adjust your setup to lower ping in League of Legends will help you land more skill shots, react faster to ganks, and climb the ranked ladder faster than you thought possible.