How to Open the NVIDIA Overlay: Guide + Troubleshooting

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Plus, quick fixes and how to change the hotkey

Written by Hannah Dillon

Last Updated: December 12, 2025 Fact Checked

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Opening the Overlay

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Fixing the Overlay

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Changing the Hotkey

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If you have an NVIDIA graphics card, you can open a helpful overlay that allows you to record your gameplay, get a recording of gameplay that just happened, and much more. But how do you open that overlay? Thankfully, it's as easy as pushing Alt + Z. In this article, we teach you how to open the overlay, how to troubleshoot if the overlay won't open, and how to change the overlay hotkey. Keep reading to learn more.

Accessing the NVIDIA Overlay

Press Alt + Z to open the overlay, and then press Alt + Z or Esc to close it when it's open. If the overlay won't open, check to make sure it's enabled in the NVIDIA App. You can change the NVIDIA overlay hotkey shortcut from the settings within the overlay.

Section 1 of 3:

Opening the NVIDIA Overlay

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1
Press Alt+Z. You don't have to be in a game to open the NVIDIA overlay. Simply press Alt + Z to open the overlay, no matter what you're doing.
- If the overlay won't open, jump ahead to learn how to fix it.
- Previously, you could use GeForce Experience to open and control the NVIDIA overlay. However, you now must use the NVIDIA App to open and control the NVIDIA overlay. Your GeForce Experience app should prompt you to update it when you try to open it.
  - If you don't have GeForce Experience or the NVIDIA App, you can download the NVIDIA App on NVIDIA's site.
2
Press Alt+Z again to close the overlay. Once you're done with the overlay, press the same hotkey to close it. Alternatively, you can press Esc to close the overlay quickly and easily.

Section 2 of 3:

Fixing an Overlay That Won't Open

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1
Open the NVIDIA App. If your NVIDIA overlay won't open, it likely isn't enabled. You can enable it in the NVIDIA App.
- The NVIDIA App has replaced the GeForce Experience app. If you don't have GeForce Experience or the NVIDIA App, you can download the NVIDIA App on NVIDIA's site.
2
Click Settings in the lower-left corner. It's at the bottom of the left-hand sidebar menu, and it has an icon of a gear.
3
Toggle on NVIDIA overlay. It's the first option under the "Features" tab, which is the default tab when you open settings.^{[1]
X
Research source} Once you enable the overlay, you can close the NVIDIA App and open the overlay.

Section 3 of 3:

Changing the Overlay Hotkey

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1
Press Alt+Z. You must use Alt + Z to open the NVIDIA overlay before you can change the hotkey to something else. If the overlay won't open, you may need to turn it on.
2
Click the gear icon at the top of the overlay. It's located in the upper-right corner of the overlay, next to the X button.
3
Click Shortcuts. It's at the top of the menu, with an icon of a keyboard.
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Change the hotkey next to "open/close the in-game overlay." To do this, click into the box that says "Alt+Z" and press a different combination of keys on your keyboard. If the hotkey is already in use, you'll see a notice at the bottom of the overlay. You can only use a hotkey that's not in use by a different keyboard shortcut.^{[2]
X
Research source}
5
Press your new shortcut or Esc to close the overlay. Once you've changed the overlay hotkey, you can close out of the overlay.