Guide:Skyrim Configuration Settings

Template:Notice
Suggest first reading: Skyrim Installation Guide, Skyrim Launcher Guide

INI Tweaks

The Skyrim INI files are located in %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Skyrim\, and this guide assumes that the user has either followed the current STEP Guide or has jumped over to this guide whilst following the main guide. Note that this guide is comprehensive, and includes all INI tweaks recommended by STEP, including those in the STEP Guide.

Template:Warning Small

Template:MO Note

Template:Notice Small

The Skyrim INI files are located in %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Skyrim\ ... for anyone not using Mod Organizer (MO).

Template:MO Note

The following INI tweaks are recommended for all users and affect gameplay without impacting performance. Create the following at the end of each of the indicated INI sections. Sections are marked by names within square brackets '[ ]', and some of these sections may already exist, but for those that do not, create the section. Carefully check that ...

no duplicate entries are created,
that all entries are placed into the correct section, and
that all sections are properly defined:

Template:MO Note

Some Informative External Resources

HardOCP shadow tweaks (and performance impact)
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Tweak Guide

Skyrim INI

Each of the following entries can be pasted directly into the INI (if editing manually). The entry descriptions are commented, so they will not be interpreted by the game at startup. Alternatively, these descriptions can be omitted.

[General]
sIntroSequence=    ;Disables the intro sequence for a faster startup

[Display]
;Fixes the shadow flickering issue.  Shadow flickering is caused by updating sun shadows.
fSunShadowUpdateTime=0 
fSunUpdateThreshold=2.0 
fFlickeringLightDistance=8192    ;Helps prevent lighting “pop-in”

[Combat]
;Shift the point of aim to the center of the aiming reticule for arrows and crossbows.
f1PArrowTiltUpAngle=0.7 
f3PArrowTiltUpAngle=0.7 
f1PBoltTiltUpAngle=0.7 
f3PBoltTiltUpAngle=0.7

[Actor]
fVisibleNavmeshMoveDist=12288.0000    ;Increases the distance arrows fly.  (From "Arrows and Bolts Tweaks").

SkyrimPrefs INI

YOU CAN HELP!

[Display]
bTreesReceiveShadows=1       ;Enables shadows rendering on trees (insignificant performance impact)
bDrawLandShadows=1       ;Enables shadows rendering on land (insignificant performance impact)
bShadowsOnGrass=1      ;Enables shadows rendering on grass (significant performance impact)
bFloatPointRenderTarget=1    ;ENB users ONLY!

[Decals]
bDecalsOnSkinnedGeometry=1    ;Enable higher-res blood on NPCs (insignificant performance impact)

[Controls]
bMouseAcceleration=0    :Disables mouse acceleration

Optional INI Tweaks

Some of the tweaks are only relevant to the STEP "Recommended System". For tweaks that affect game performance the potential performance impact is indicated.

Skyrim.ini Tweaks

[Camera]
;Place the camera just above the character's head in third-person view, and correct the camera angle in third-person view while on horseback (from "Third Person Horse Camera")
fOverShoulderAddY=0.0
fOverShoulderPosZ=18.0
fOverShoulderPosX=0.0
fOverShoulderCombatAddY=0.0
fOverShoulderCombatPosZ=24.0
fOverShoulderCombatPosX=0.0
fOverShoulderHorseAddY=-72.0
fOverShoulderHorsePosZ=50.0
fOverShoulderHorsePosX=35.0
fActorFadeOutLimit=-100
fMouseWheelZoomSpeed=60.0
;instant camera-angle switching when switching view types or when mounting/dismounting horse  (from "Instant Camera POV Switching")
f1st3rdSwitchDelay=0.95
iHorseTransitionMillis=001

[Interface]
fBookOpenTime=200.0    ;speeds up the book-opening animation
;move the HUD elements closer to the borders of the screen
fSafeZoneX=10
fSafeZoneY=10 
fSafeZoneXWide=10 
fSafeZoneYWide=10

[Grass]
iMaxGrassTypesPerTexure=7 ;increase grass diversity with a small cost to performance (yes, 'texture' and not 'texture')

[VATS] 
;Increase ranged killcam frequency (or disable killcams)
fVATSCastingAfterKillDelay=1.2000
uVATSRangedPercentSneak=100
uVATSRangedPercentGlobal=100
bVATSMultipleCombatants=1
bVATSForceRanged=1
bVATSDisable=1    ;enable(0) or disable (1) killcams

SkyrimPrefs.ini Tweaks

Increases the number of blood decals per scene (from “Enhanced Blood Textures”).

[Decals]
iMaxDecalsPerFrame=256 ;increases the number of blood decals per scene (from “Enhanced Blood Textures”)

[Display]
fShadowLODStartFade=400.0000    ;push back the distance for shadows to fade (minor performance hit)

[Grass]
fGrassStartFadeDistance=18000    ;push back the distance for grasses to fade (minor performance hit)