Does Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 stutter on your PC with an AMD Radeon RX 6000, RX 7000 or RX 9000 graphics card? AMD has acknowledged the issue: in the release notes for AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition 26.10.1 (October 20, 2026), AMD lists among the fixed issues stuttering in Modern Warfare 4 on Radeon RX 6000 series and newer cards. With an older driver, the game can stutter even on a fairly powerful PC. This guide helps you check whether you're affected, install the right driver and rule out other causes.
Problem
- The image freezes for a split second and then resumes, now and then or constantly, during matches.
- The stuttering happens on a Radeon RX 6000, RX 7000 or RX 9000 card.
- The installed AMD driver predates October 20, 2026 (for example version 26.7.1 or a 26.9 version).
- Other games run normally.
What to know before you act
- The official fix: Adrenalin 26.10.1 adds Modern Warfare 4 support and fixes the issue "Stuttering may be observed while playing the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 on Radeon RX 6000 series graphics products and above". Version 26.10.2 (October 30, 2026) was released after this fix.
- Activision's page isn't up to date: at the time of writing (November 2, 2026), Activision's recommended drivers page still lists AMD 26.7.1, a version that predates AMD's fix. A newer version is still in line with that recommendation.
- Network stutter is a different problem: according to Activision, latency and packet loss can also cause stuttering. Your character seems to freeze and then skip ahead, sometimes with rubber banding. A new graphics driver won't change that.
- RX 5000 and older cards: AMD's note doesn't mention them. For these cards, this fix isn't announced.
Step 1: find out whether the stutter comes from graphics or the network
When to use it: always, first.
Suggested solution
- Run Modern Warfare 4's built-in Benchmark Tool (Activision doesn't specify exactly where it is in the menus). According to Activision, it runs a simulated multiplayer sequence and displays real-time Average FPS, CPU, GPU, Ping and Input Latency.
- Watch what happens during the test. If the image stutters or the FPS drops sharply during the sequence, the cause is probably graphical: continue with step 2.
- If the benchmark is smooth but the stutter only happens online, especially with rubber banding or delayed hit markers, the cause is probably the network: see the special cases.
Expected result: you know whether you're dealing with a graphics problem or a connection problem.
When to stop: if you can't find the Benchmark Tool in the menus, go straight to step 2. The driver is still the first thing to check on a Radeon card.
Step 2: identify your card and driver version
When to use it: the stutter looks graphical.
Suggested solution
- Right-click the Start button, then open Device Manager.
- Expand Display adapters and note your card's name (for example "AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT").
- Right-click the card, choose Properties, then the Driver tab, and note the Driver Version.
- Compare that number with the table below. Each Adrenalin package contains two drivers: depending on your card, Windows shows one of the two numbers.
| Adrenalin version | Numbers shown by Windows (depending on the card) | Modern Warfare 4 stutter (RX 6000 and newer) |
|---|---|---|
| 26.10.1 (October 20, 2026) | 32.0.32015.7029 or 32.0.21045.16010 | Fixed according to AMD |
| 26.10.2 (October 30, 2026) | 32.0.32015.12012 or 32.0.21045.20006 | Released after the fix |
Expected result: you know whether your card is affected and whether your driver is older than 26.10.1.
When to stop: if you already have 26.10.1 or newer and the stutter continues, the driver isn't the cause: go to step 4.
Step 3: install Adrenalin 26.10.1 or newer
When to use it: your card is an RX 6000 or newer and your driver is older than 26.10.1.
Suggested solution
- Close Modern Warfare 4 and your launcher (Steam, Battle.net or the Xbox app).
- Open the AMD drivers page and download the latest AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition for your card. You can also use the update check in AMD Software if it's already installed.
- Run the installer and follow the steps AMD describes in its guide How to install AMD Software on a Windows system.
- Restart the PC, then check the driver version as in step 2.
- Relaunch Modern Warfare 4 and play a few matches. After a driver change, the game may need to prepare its shaders again.
Expected result: the driver version matches 26.10.1 or newer, and the stutter goes away or drops clearly.
Rollback: to go back to an earlier version, AMD's release notes recommend using the AMD Cleanup Utility before installing the older version.
When to stop: if the installation fails with an error code, note it. For error 182, see the guide Error 182 when installing the AMD driver: causes and solutions (French guide).
Step 4: use Advanced Shader Delivery (ASD)
When to use it: the driver is up to date, but the game still stutters, especially at the start of matches or after an update.
Suggested solution
- Activision explains that Advanced Shader Delivery (ASD) delivers precompiled shaders ahead of time on supported PC platforms, so Modern Warfare 4 launches faster.
- To benefit from it, Activision advises installing the Xbox PC app, no matter what your PC platform (Steam, Battle.net or Xbox). ASD can then deliver shaders at game install and throughout live updates.
- Install the Xbox app (for example from the Microsoft Store), sign in, then relaunch the game.
Expected result: shaders are delivered in advance, and slowdowns caused by preparing them during matches decrease.
Rollback: the Xbox app can be uninstalled from Settings > Apps > Installed apps. According to Activision, it's only needed if you want to use ASD.
When to stop: Activision doesn't specify in this article which configurations are "supported". If nothing changes after one or two sessions, ASD is probably not the cause.
Step 5: compare your PC with the recommended specs
When to use it: the driver is up to date and the stutter persists.
Suggested solution
- Compare your configuration with the requirements published by Activision. Minimum: Radeon RX 470, 3 GB of video memory, 8 GB of RAM, SSD required. Recommended (90 FPS in multiplayer on High settings): Radeon RX 6600 XT, 8 GB of video memory, 16 GB of RAM.
- Check that the game is installed on an SSD: Activision requires it.
- If your PC is close to the minimum, lower the graphics quality or enable an upscaling technique such as AMD FSR in the game's options.
Expected result: you know whether your PC has enough headroom for the game.
When to stop: if your PC exceeds the recommended specs, the driver is up to date and the stutter is still there, describe your case in this topic.
Special cases
| Situation | What to know |
|---|---|
| Stutter with rubber banding, only online | It's probably the connection. Among other tips, Activision advises playing on a wired connection rather than Wi-Fi and avoiding streaming during matches: see its page Improving lag and game performance in Modern Warfare 4. The guide Warzone: lag and Packet Burst on PC (French guide) also covers network causes. |
| Radeon RX 5000 or older card | AMD's note doesn't cover these cards. Keep the driver up to date and check the minimum specs (step 5). |
| NVIDIA or Intel Arc card | This fix doesn't apply to you. Activision recommends NVIDIA 616.56 and Intel 32.0.101.8974, and states that Intel Arc cards require Resizable BAR. |
| The game crashes instead of stuttering | See Activision's page Crashes or game freezes in Modern Warfare 4. |
| Stutter in every game, not just Modern Warfare 4 | The problem isn't specific to the game: see the guide Games stuttering despite good FPS on PC: causes and solutions (French guide). |
Final check
- ☐ Your card is a Radeon RX 6000, RX 7000 or RX 9000.
- ☐ The driver version shown matches Adrenalin 26.10.1 or newer.
- ☐ The PC was restarted after installing the driver.
- ☐ The built-in benchmark and a few matches run smoothly.
Sources
- AMD: Adrenalin 26.10.1 release notes (October 20, 2026: Modern Warfare 4 support, stutter fix on RX 6000 and newer, AMD Cleanup Utility for downgrading, driver numbers)
- AMD: Adrenalin 26.10.2 release notes (October 30, 2026, driver numbers)
- AMD: How to install AMD Software on a Windows system
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 on PC, features and system requirements (Benchmark Tool, Advanced Shader Delivery and the Xbox PC app, minimum and recommended specs, SSD required, Resizable BAR for Intel Arc)
- Activision: Updating video card drivers on a PC (recommended drivers for Modern Warfare 4)
- Activision: Improving lag and game performance in Modern Warfare 4 (stutter caused by latency and packet loss)
Still having the problem?
Reply in this topic with your exact graphics card model, the driver version shown in Device Manager, your processor and amount of RAM, the platform you use (Steam, Battle.net or Xbox), the built-in benchmark result and when the stutter happens (start of a match, constantly, only online). Don't post login details or your email address.