Get started with Visor in 7 steps
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Download and install
Get the installer from the download page and run it. If Windows SmartScreen appears, click More info, then Run anyway. Then click Yes in the UAC prompt, because reading sensors needs administrator rights.
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Decide whether to install PawnIO
The first time you open Visor, it asks whether to install PawnIO, a signed open-source driver used to read per-core CPU temperatures, voltages and motherboard fans. If you agree, the app opens the official installer from pawnio.eu. If you skip it, Visor still works with fewer sensors.
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Read the dashboard
The overview shows load rings for the CPU, GPU and RAM, a temperature graph and a graphics card summary. Each part has its own color (CPU cyan, GPU violet, RAM pink). Click an icon on the left to open that part's detail page. Unfamiliar values have a short explanation under the number.
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Run Smart Check
Click Smart Check and Visor checks your settings and hardware. You get a 0–100 health score and a list of findings, most important first, each with the reason it matters. See the full list on the Smart Check page.
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Fix what it finds
With Pro, safe Windows settings such as refresh rate, power plan and Game Mode can be fixed in one click. Visor always asks first and gives you an undo. BIOS settings like XMP come with steps for you to follow. On the free edition, you can fix things yourself with the sections further down this page.
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Turn on the overlay while gaming (Pro)
Turn the overlay on in the app, then start your game. FPS, 1% lows, frametime, temperatures and load appear over the game in a transparent, click-through window. If you can't see it, set the game's display mode to Borderless or Windowed. After you finish, the session report is waiting in the app.
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Activate Pro
Click “Unlock Pro” in the app and start the free 7-day trial, buy in the app to activate automatically, or paste the key from the thank-you page or email. One key works on 2 PCs. Lost it? Get it again on the key recovery page.
Set your monitor to its full refresh rate
A 144, 165 or 240 Hz monitor left at 60 Hz is one of the most common findings, especially after plugging in a new monitor or updating drivers.
- Windows 11: open Settings › System › Display › Advanced display
- Windows 10: open Settings › System › Display › Advanced display settings
- Under Choose a refresh rate (or Refresh rate), pick the highest value offered
- If no high value is offered, make sure the cable goes into the graphics card (not the motherboard) and that your DisplayPort or HDMI cable supports that resolution and refresh rate
Visor shows the current refresh rate next to your monitor's maximum, and Smart Check warns you when it's lower.
Enable XMP / EXPO so RAM runs at full speed
Almost all RAM runs at a baseline speed until you enable its XMP (Intel) or EXPO (AMD) profile in the BIOS. Visor never touches the BIOS for you, because a wrong BIOS setting can stop a PC from booting. The general steps are:
- Restart and press the BIOS key during boot (usually Del or F2)
- Find the setting called XMP, EXPO, D.O.C.P. or Memory Profile (the name depends on the board maker)
- Choose Profile 1, then save and exit (usually F10)
- Open Visor and check that the RAM's running speed now matches its rating
If the PC becomes unstable, turn the profile off again in the BIOS and update the BIOS from your board maker's website before trying again.
Change the power plan and turn on Game Mode
- Windows 11: open Settings › System › Power & battery and set Power mode to Best performance or Balanced
- Windows 10: open Control Panel › Power Options and choose Balanced or High performance instead of Power saver
- Game Mode: open Settings › Gaming › Game Mode and switch it on
On a laptop, high-performance modes drain the battery faster, so plug in while gaming.
How hot is too hot?
Limits differ between models, but these are useful rough guides. If Visor warns about throttling, the chip really has hit its limit; it's not just a high number.
- CPU while gaming: 60–85°C is normal for most PCs. Some recent CPUs are designed to run at 90–95°C.
- GPU while gaming: 60–80°C is normal, and the hotspot usually reads 10–20°C higher.
- At idle: a CPU above 60°C while doing nothing is worth checking for dust, fans and thermal paste.
- SSDs are mostly comfortable below 70°C.
Troubleshooting
Why do some sensors say they can't be read?
Low-level sensors need PawnIO, and some motherboards and laptops simply don't report certain values. Visor shows that a value can't be read instead of guessing. Try installing PawnIO from the app; if it still can't be read, that hardware doesn't expose it.
I can't see the overlay in my game. What now?
Set the game's display mode to Borderless or Windowed. Some games in exclusive fullscreen draw over every other window.
Still stuck. Who can I contact?
Email [email protected] with your PC model, or attach the spec card from Visor. It helps us answer faster.