Last updated: May 2026. Verified against AlphaRes v1.1.0 on Windows 11 24H2 with Fortnite Chapter 7, NVIDIA driver branch R570, and an RTX 4070 reference card. NVIDIA Control Panel behaviour reflects the standard Custom Resolutions feature in the current driver release.
Two methods dominate the question of how to push a stretched resolution like 1600 by 1080 into Fortnite on an NVIDIA system. The first is AlphaRes, the small Windows utility that writes width and height directly into Fortnite’s GameUserSettings.ini and flips the file to read-only so Epic’s update process cannot reset it. The second is the NVIDIA Control Panel Custom Resolutions feature, the long-standing GPU-driver-level option that creates a new resolution mode at the display level and exposes it to any application that queries the system’s available modes.
Both methods produce a working stretched resolution in Fortnite. The differences sit in scope, persistence, GPU compatibility, and what each does after a Fortnite patch. This article walks through twelve practical aspects, two setup workflows, and a fair counter-section on when NVIDIA Control Panel is genuinely the better pick. The recommendation, for the headline use case, is AlphaRes. For specific scenarios where the resolution needs to live at the driver level, NVIDIA Control Panel still earns the spot.
TL;DR Verdict
- Compatibility: NVIDIA Control Panel works on NVIDIA discrete cards only. AlphaRes works on any GPU including AMD Radeon, Intel Arc, and integrated graphics, because it writes the INI file rather than the display driver.
- Lock persistence: AlphaRes locks the resolution against Fortnite patches by setting the read-only attribute on
GameUserSettings.ini. NVIDIA Control Panel’s custom resolution survives at the driver level, but Fortnite’s internal preferred resolution still resets to native after a patch and the player has to re-pick the custom mode from Fortnite’s display dropdown. - Scope: NVIDIA Control Panel creates a system-wide display mode that affects every app that queries display resolutions. AlphaRes scopes the change to Fortnite only.
- Setup friction: NVIDIA Control Panel requires a display restart when the new resolution is applied. AlphaRes is instant: the INI write completes in under a second and Fortnite picks up the change on next launch.
- Verdict: AlphaRes for set-and-forget Fortnite stretched resolution. NVIDIA Control Panel if a system-wide custom resolution is specifically needed for other applications or for a panel that requires non-standard display timings.
What Each Tool Actually Does
Before the comparison table, the two tools deserve a clean side-by-side description because they operate at different layers of the Windows display stack. Confusing the two is the source of most of the questions that show up in Reddit threads on this topic.
AlphaRes
AlphaRes is a 533 KB portable Windows utility that opens, reads three numeric inputs (width, height, framerate), and writes those values into Fortnite’s GameUserSettings.ini file under %LocalAppData%\FortniteGame\Saved\Config\WindowsClient. The keys it touches are ResolutionSizeX, ResolutionSizeY, FullscreenMode, and FrameRateLimit. After the write, AlphaRes flips the file’s read-only attribute so the operating system refuses any further write to it at the filesystem layer.
Crucially, AlphaRes touches nothing outside of the Fortnite configuration file. The desktop’s resolution stays native. Other games launch at their normal modes. Browser windows render at the desktop’s actual width. Only Fortnite picks up the stretched resolution, because Fortnite is the only application that reads from that specific INI file.
NVIDIA Control Panel
NVIDIA Control Panel’s Custom Resolutions feature lives under Display, Change resolution, Customize, Create Custom Resolution. It defines a new display mode (width, height, refresh rate, timing) at the GPU driver level. Once created and applied, the resolution becomes a real entry in Windows’s display mode list and is visible to every application that queries available resolutions, including Fortnite, the Windows desktop, video players, and other games.
The custom resolution is stored in the NVIDIA driver profile and persists across reboots. It is GPU-specific in two senses: it requires an NVIDIA discrete card to use the panel at all, and the resolution exists only when that NVIDIA driver is installed and active. Removing the driver removes the resolution. The feature has been stable across NVIDIA driver branches for years and is documented on nvidia.com driver release notes when relevant changes occur.
The 12-Aspect Comparison Table
The table below maps each meaningful difference to a verifiable property of each method. Rows where the result is binary use a check or cross. Rows where one tool wins outright tag the Winner column accordingly. The aspects were chosen by working backwards from the questions that recurrently appear when an NVIDIA player searches for “AlphaRes vs NVIDIA Control Panel Fortnite”.
| # | Aspect | AlphaRes | NVIDIA Control Panel | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Method scope | Game-only (writes Fortnite INI) | System-wide (driver display mode) | AlphaRes for Fortnite use |
| 2 | GPU compatibility | Any GPU (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel) | NVIDIA dGPU only | AlphaRes |
| 3 | Lock persists across Fortnite patches | Yes (read-only attribute) | Display mode survives, Fortnite preference resets | AlphaRes |
| 4 | Install required | No (portable single binary) | No (built into NVIDIA driver) | Tie |
| 5 | Display restart on apply | No (instant INI write) | Yes (screen blanks, ~5s) | AlphaRes |
| 6 | Multi-monitor handling | Targets primary display via INI | Per-display custom resolutions | NVIDIA Control Panel |
| 7 | Resolution range | 800×600 to 7680×4320 | Bounded by panel EDID and driver limits | Tie |
| 8 | FPS cap support | Yes (FrameRateLimit field) | No (not a resolution feature) | AlphaRes |
| 9 | Window mode toggle | Fullscreen / Borderless / Windowed | No (resolution only) | AlphaRes |
| 10 | Cost | Free | Free (driver feature) | Tie |
| 11 | Last update / maintenance | v1.1.0 January 2025, actively maintained | Updated with each NVIDIA driver release | Tie |
| 12 | Chapter 7 verified | Verified working through 24-30 | Display mode works, Fortnite preference reset is recurring | AlphaRes |
Seven aspects resolve in AlphaRes’s favour, one in NVIDIA Control Panel’s favour, and four resolve as ties. The three aspects that define the headline difference for a Fortnite player (lock persistence across patches, GPU compatibility, instant apply with no display restart) all sit on the AlphaRes side. The one aspect where NVIDIA Control Panel leads outright (per-display custom resolutions on multi-monitor setups) is genuine and worth flagging for power users who need it.
Lock Persistence: The Headline Difference
The lock-persistence story for these two tools is more nuanced than a simple “one locks, one does not”. NVIDIA Control Panel’s custom resolution lives at the driver level, in the NVIDIA profile store, and that entry survives both reboots and Fortnite patches without any user intervention. The custom mode stays in the Windows display mode list every time the system boots. So in one sense, the NVIDIA-side custom resolution is permanently locked.
The catch is what Fortnite does with it. Fortnite’s GameUserSettings.ini stores the player’s chosen resolution as ResolutionSizeX and ResolutionSizeY values. When Epic ships a patch and the launcher’s update process touches the configuration file, those values can be reset back to the monitor’s native resolution because Epic’s launcher logic considers native the safe default after an update. The NVIDIA custom resolution still exists in the driver, but Fortnite is no longer pointed at it. The player has to launch Fortnite, open Settings, Display, and re-pick 1600 by 1080 from the Resolution dropdown. The custom mode is still selectable, the player just has to manually re-select it.
AlphaRes solves this at a different layer. After writing the resolution into GameUserSettings.ini, AlphaRes flips the Windows read-only file attribute. NTFS enforces the attribute at the filesystem level, which means Fortnite’s update process cannot rewrite the file even if its logic wants to: the write call fails before it reaches the resolution validation step. The file stays exactly as AlphaRes wrote it, the resolution survives the patch intact, and the next Fortnite launch loads straight into Battle Royale at the same width and height the player set weeks ago. This is the practical difference for a competitive player: with AlphaRes, the patch happens silently in the background and the next session starts at the right resolution. With NVIDIA Control Panel, the patch happens and the next session needs a manual reselect step before the lobby music starts.
GPU Compatibility
NVIDIA Control Panel exists exclusively on systems with an NVIDIA discrete graphics card and the NVIDIA driver installed. It does not appear on systems with AMD Radeon cards, on systems with Intel Arc cards, or on systems running solely on integrated graphics from Intel or AMD. Each of those vendors has its own equivalent panel: AMD ships AMD Adrenalin with a Custom Resolutions section, Intel exposes some custom resolution options through Intel Graphics Command Center on supported Arc parts, and integrated graphics generally have no equivalent feature at all.
AlphaRes is vendor-agnostic by design. Because it writes Fortnite’s INI file and never touches the GPU driver, the underlying graphics card vendor is irrelevant to its operation. The same AlphaRes binary works identically on a 1080p Intel UHD 630 laptop, a Ryzen 5600G with integrated Radeon graphics, an RX 6700 XT, and an RTX 4090. For mixed-GPU households, school esports labs running a fleet of varied hardware, or competitive players who switch between a desktop and a laptop with different vendors, AlphaRes is the portable workflow that travels with them. NVIDIA Control Panel can only ever cover the NVIDIA portion of that fleet.
System-Wide vs Game-Only Scope
The scope difference between the two tools has practical consequences beyond Fortnite. NVIDIA Control Panel’s custom resolution becomes a real Windows display mode the moment it is applied. Every application that queries available resolutions sees it: the desktop right-click resolution menu lists it, video playback applications can switch to it, other games detect it as a valid mode, and external tools like screen recorders treat it as an option. For a player who specifically wants a system-wide custom resolution available everywhere, that is exactly the right behaviour.
For most Fortnite players, however, the system-wide scope is a side effect rather than a feature. Stretched resolution at 1600 by 1080 is great for Fortnite’s competitive read on player models, but it is a poor desktop resolution: text rendering is slightly off, video playback gets letterboxed or stretched, and other games that auto-detect the new mode might switch to it on launch when the player wanted native. The custom mode can also leak into multi-monitor configurations where the player only intended to change behaviour on the primary display. AlphaRes’s narrower scope avoids all of this by definition: the desktop stays at native, video playback stays at native, other games stay at their own configured resolutions, and the only application that loads the stretched mode is Fortnite, which is exactly the intent for a Fortnite-specific tweak.
Setup Walkthrough: AlphaRes
The AlphaRes workflow is intentionally short. The full path from download to working stretched resolution in Fortnite takes under two minutes on a clean Windows 11 system. The four steps below cover the entire process; see How to Apply a Stretched Resolution in Fortnite Using AlphaRes for the deeper walkthrough including SmartScreen handling and edge cases.
Download AlphaRes v1.1.0
Visit the verified AlphaRes Download page and grab the 533 KB x64 binary. No installer, no registry entries, just a single executable that runs from any folder including a USB stick or a synced cloud drive.
Launch and enter dimensions
Run alphares_x64.exe. The interface presents Width and Height numeric fields. Type the target dimensions, for example 1600 and 1080 for the most common competitive stretched mode. The FrameRateLimit field below maps to Fortnite’s frame cap; set it to match the monitor’s refresh rate or a multiple of it.
Tick Read-only and pick window mode
Select Fullscreen from the Window Mode radio group for competitive play, then tick the Read-only checkbox. This is the step that drives the persistence guarantee: AlphaRes sets the file attribute after the write so Fortnite’s patch process cannot reset the resolution.
Apply and launch Fortnite
Click Apply. The INI write completes in under a second and AlphaRes closes. Launch Fortnite through the Epic Games Launcher and the game loads straight into the new stretched resolution. No display restart, no driver reload, no logout required.
Setup Walkthrough: NVIDIA Control Panel
The NVIDIA Control Panel workflow is longer because the tool was not designed specifically for Fortnite, it was designed for any application that wants a custom display mode. The eight-click path below is the standard procedure documented in NVIDIA’s own driver help. The process takes two to three minutes on a typical machine, plus the brief display restart at the end of the apply step.
Open NVIDIA Control Panel
Right-click the Windows desktop and select Show More Options on Windows 11, then choose NVIDIA Control Panel. On Windows 10 it appears directly in the right-click menu. The panel can also be opened from the Start menu or the system tray icon on systems where it is pinned.
Navigate to Change resolution
In the left navigation pane under Display, click Change resolution. The right pane shows the list of resolutions the panel currently exposes. Below the resolution table is a Customize button. Click it.
Create a custom resolution
The Customize dialog opens. Tick Enable resolutions not exposed by the display and click Create Custom Resolution. Enter the target Horizontal pixels and Vertical lines values, for example 1600 and 1080. Leave the Refresh rate at the monitor’s native value. Standard timings are usually safe to leave as Automatic.
Test, save, and apply
Click Test. The display blanks briefly and shows the new mode for fifteen seconds; if the picture appears correct, accept the prompt. Click OK to save the custom resolution, then return to the main Change resolution screen, select the new entry from the resolution list, and click Apply. The display restarts again as the mode switches. Open Fortnite and select the new resolution from the in-game Display dropdown.
NVIDIA Control Panel does not provide an integrated Fortnite-specific shortcut: the resolution is created system-wide and the player still has to enter Fortnite’s settings after the fact and switch to the new mode. Some players are satisfied with this workflow because the same custom resolution becomes available to other applications. Others prefer the AlphaRes workflow because the scope is exactly Fortnite and nothing else.
What Happens After a Fortnite Patch
This is the recurring cost difference between the two methods, and it scales with how often Fortnite patches. Across a typical Chapter, Epic ships several content updates that touch GameUserSettings.ini. Each one is a moment where the NVIDIA Control Panel user has to remember to re-pick their stretched mode, which is a five-second annoyance the first time and a build-up of friction across a full season. AlphaRes users see no patch impact on resolution at all because the file is locked at the filesystem layer, which is documented in detail in Fortnite Resets My Resolution After Update: Permanent Fix and How to Lock Fortnite Resolution So Updates Cannot Reset It.
When NVIDIA Control Panel Is the Right Pick Anyway
This article would not be honest editorial if it did not give NVIDIA Control Panel its fair due. There are three concrete scenarios where the panel beats AlphaRes outright, and any reader sitting in one of those scenarios should pick the panel without apology.
The first is a player who specifically wants a system-wide custom resolution that other applications can use. A streamer who runs OBS at the same resolution as the game, a content creator capturing footage at non-standard ratios, or a player who alternates between Fortnite and another title that benefits from the same stretched mode all gain something from the panel’s wider scope. AlphaRes cannot help here: its game-only design is the wrong tool for a system-wide need.
The second is unusual hardware: CRT monitors that need precise timing parameters, ultra-wide panels that report incomplete EDID data, or older displays that refuse to natively accept a stretched signal at the requested refresh rate. NVIDIA Control Panel’s Custom Resolution dialog exposes manual timing controls (front porch, back porch, sync polarity) that can force a panel to accept modes it would otherwise reject. AlphaRes writes the INI but cannot influence what the GPU’s display engine actually outputs to the cable, which means hardware that needs custom timings still needs the panel.
The third is multi-monitor setups where each display needs its own custom resolution. NVIDIA Control Panel’s per-display custom mode list is a real feature; AlphaRes targets the primary display only because Fortnite’s own resolution preference is single-display by design. For most competitive players this does not matter (Fortnite runs on one monitor anyway), but for unusual configurations it does.
Verdict
For the headline use case, which is locking a competitive stretched resolution into Fortnite and not thinking about it again until the next chapter, AlphaRes is the recommended pick. The lock persistence across patches, the vendor-agnostic GPU support, the instant apply with no display restart, and the game-only scope all line up with what a Fortnite player actually wants from a custom-resolution tool. NVIDIA Control Panel remains a legitimate choice for power users who specifically need system-wide custom modes, custom display timings for unusual hardware, or per-display custom resolutions on multi-monitor setups.
Related Guides
Pair this guide with the rest of the AlphaRes knowledge base. These cover the adjacent setups, fixes, and comparisons you’ll run into when locking custom stretched resolutions in Fortnite.
- AlphaRes for Fortnite, Complete Guide (2026), The full reference for AlphaRes itself: features, install, safety, comparisons, and links to every cluster guide.
- Best 7 Fortnite Custom Resolution Tools (2026 Tested and Ranked), Seven custom resolution utilities benchmarked head-to-head on safety, persistence, FPS impact, and Chapter 7 compatibility.
- AlphaRes vs Forknife: 22-Aspect Comparison (2026), Twenty-two-aspect head-to-head between AlphaRes and Forknife covering safety, lock persistence, install footprint, and Chapter 7 support.
- How to Apply a Stretched Resolution in Fortnite Using AlphaRes, Step-by-step walkthrough of applying a custom resolution with AlphaRes, including the read-only checkbox that locks it across Fortnite patches.
- AlphaRes Download, Latest v1.1.0 for Windows 10/11, Direct download for the verified AlphaRes v1.1.0 binary, with file specs, SHA-256 verification, and trust signals.
FAQ
Can I use AlphaRes and NVIDIA Control Panel together?
Yes, and there is one specific scenario where the combination is useful: a player who creates a 1600 by 1080 custom mode in NVIDIA Control Panel for system-wide availability (so OBS or other apps can target it), then uses AlphaRes to write that same 1600 by 1080 into Fortnite’s INI and lock the file with the read-only attribute. The two tools do not conflict because they operate at different layers: NVIDIA Control Panel registers the mode at the driver level, AlphaRes writes which mode Fortnite specifically requests. The combination yields a system-wide custom mode that is also patch-locked at the Fortnite layer. For most players this is overkill and AlphaRes alone is enough, but for streamers and content creators the combined setup is a clean solution.
Does NVIDIA Control Panel get you banned in Fortnite?
No. NVIDIA Control Panel is a first-party utility shipped with the official NVIDIA driver and is in use on tens of millions of NVIDIA gaming systems. Custom resolutions, GPU scaling, and refresh-rate controls are documented features that Easy Anti-Cheat does not flag. The same applies to AlphaRes: writing a configuration file before the game launches is not a category of action that anti-cheat systems treat as suspicious. Both methods are commonly used by competitive Fortnite players openly, including in tournament play. The ban-risk concern around stretched resolution generally is a non-issue for either tool, with the standard caveat that downloading any utility from a non-verified source could in theory rebundle a separate payload, which is a download-source problem rather than a tool problem.
Why doesn’t NVIDIA Control Panel’s custom resolution survive Fortnite patches?
The custom resolution itself does survive at the NVIDIA driver level: the mode stays in the Windows display mode list, surviving reboots and Fortnite updates equally. What does not survive is Fortnite’s pointer to it. Fortnite stores the player’s selected resolution as integer values (ResolutionSizeX, ResolutionSizeY) in GameUserSettings.ini, and when Epic’s update process touches that file, the values are reset back to the monitor’s native resolution because the launcher logic considers native the safe default. The player then has to launch Fortnite, open Display Settings, and re-pick 1600 by 1080 from the dropdown. AlphaRes prevents this by locking the INI file at the filesystem layer so the launcher cannot rewrite the values in the first place.
Will AlphaRes override my NVIDIA Control Panel settings?
No. AlphaRes does not interact with NVIDIA Control Panel in either direction. AlphaRes writes Fortnite’s GameUserSettings.ini file under %LocalAppData%, which is a user-data file that has nothing to do with the GPU driver profile store. NVIDIA’s custom resolutions, GPU scaling settings, image sharpening, and per-application 3D settings are all preserved exactly as the user configured them. Running AlphaRes on a system with NVIDIA Control Panel customisations does not touch any of those settings. The only thing AlphaRes changes is the four INI keys in Fortnite’s configuration file plus the read-only attribute on that single file.
Does NVIDIA Control Panel work on AMD GPUs?
No. NVIDIA Control Panel is part of the NVIDIA driver package and is only installed on systems with an NVIDIA discrete GPU. AMD systems run AMD’s own equivalent panel, called AMD Adrenalin (formerly Radeon Software), which has its own Custom Resolutions section under Display settings. Intel Arc systems use Intel Graphics Command Center for similar features. Each vendor’s panel only manages its own driver, which means there is no cross-vendor way to get NVIDIA Control Panel onto a non-NVIDIA system. AlphaRes solves this asymmetry by being vendor-agnostic: the same AlphaRes binary works on NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel hardware identically because it writes the Fortnite INI file rather than touching the GPU driver.
Is AlphaRes faster than NVIDIA Control Panel for changing resolutions?
Yes, in two senses. Apply time: AlphaRes’s INI write completes in under a second and Fortnite picks up the change on next launch with no display restart. NVIDIA Control Panel’s apply step triggers a display mode change at the driver level, which blanks the screen for several seconds and requires a confirmation prompt. Workflow time: AlphaRes’s interface has four numeric fields and one button, so the entire interaction from launch to apply takes under thirty seconds for someone who knows the target resolution. NVIDIA Control Panel’s eight-click path through Display, Change resolution, Customize, Create Custom Resolution takes two to three minutes the first time. For a one-time setup the difference is small. For ongoing resolution changes (testing different stretched modes during a tuning session) AlphaRes is meaningfully faster.
Can NVIDIA Control Panel cause a black screen?
It can, briefly, when applying a custom resolution that the monitor either rejects outright or accepts with bad timing parameters. The Test step in the Customize dialog exists specifically to catch this: NVIDIA Control Panel applies the candidate mode for fifteen seconds and asks the user to confirm that the picture is correct. If the user takes no action, the panel reverts to the previous working mode automatically. This means a true permanent black screen from this workflow is rare. The more common minor issue is a screen flicker or a moment of off-centre image while the new mode locks in, which resolves on its own. AlphaRes does not cause black screens because it does not change the GPU display output at all: it only changes which mode Fortnite asks for at launch, and Fortnite handles the actual mode switch internally.
Why does NVIDIA Control Panel need a display restart?
Because applying a new display mode at the GPU driver level is a fundamental hardware operation, not a configuration write. The GPU’s display engine has to retrain the link to the monitor with new pixel-clock timings, the monitor’s input controller has to lock to the new sync signal, and Windows has to reconfigure the desktop’s compositor for the new dimensions. All of this happens during the brief screen blank that follows an Apply. AlphaRes does not need a display restart because it does not change the actual mode the GPU is outputting: the desktop stays at its native resolution, and only Fortnite (when launched) requests the stretched mode through its own internal display logic. The mode switch happens at game launch rather than at AlphaRes runtime.
Which method works on a 240Hz monitor?
Both methods work fully on 240Hz monitors and on higher-refresh panels through 360Hz. AlphaRes writes the resolution and frame cap into Fortnite’s INI; the monitor’s refresh rate is unaffected because AlphaRes does not touch the display mode itself. The monitor stays at its native 240Hz, Fortnite renders at the stretched resolution, and the FrameRateLimit field caps the engine at the desired number. NVIDIA Control Panel’s Custom Resolution dialog allows the player to set a specific refresh rate alongside the custom width and height, which is useful for non-standard panels but for a typical 240Hz display the panel’s native refresh is what the user wants. Both approaches reach the same outcome on high-refresh hardware. The dedicated 240Hz and 360Hz stretched resolution guide covers the specific resolution recommendations per refresh class.
Should I delete my NVIDIA Control Panel custom resolution after installing AlphaRes?
Not necessarily. The two tools coexist without conflict, so leaving an existing NVIDIA custom resolution in place causes no problem for AlphaRes. The reason a player might delete the NVIDIA mode anyway is to keep the system-wide display mode list clean: if the custom resolution was only ever needed for Fortnite, removing it from the driver profile means the desktop right-click menu, video players, and other games no longer see it, which is the cleaner state. To delete it, return to NVIDIA Control Panel, Display, Change resolution, Customize, select the custom entry, and click Delete. The change is immediate and the desktop reverts to native if the custom mode was the active one. Players who use the custom mode for OBS captures or other applications should keep it in place.
What if Fortnite doesn’t see my NVIDIA custom resolution?
This is a known edge case with the NVIDIA Control Panel approach. Fortnite’s display mode list is populated on launch from the Windows display API, which queries the active driver’s mode list. If the custom resolution was created but not applied (Test passed but Apply was never clicked), or if the resolution exceeds the monitor’s reported EDID limits and the driver is hiding it, Fortnite will not see it in the dropdown. The fix is to return to NVIDIA Control Panel, confirm the custom resolution is selected and Applied at the driver level, then restart Fortnite. AlphaRes sidesteps this category of issue entirely because it writes the resolution directly into Fortnite’s INI, regardless of whether the resolution is exposed in the system display mode list. AlphaRes can request a width and height that no driver-level custom mode exists for, and Fortnite still loads it on launch as long as the underlying display can accept the equivalent pixel count.
Which is more reliable across Windows updates?
Both methods survive Windows feature updates without issue in the typical case. NVIDIA driver profiles are stored in a way that survives Windows version transitions; custom resolutions persist across the 22H2 to 24H2 update for Windows 11 and across major Windows 10 updates. AlphaRes’s INI write also survives Windows updates because the file lives under %LocalAppData%, which Windows preserves across feature updates. The one scenario where either could need attention is a clean Windows reinstall, which would wipe both the NVIDIA driver profile (requiring re-creation of the custom resolution after driver reinstall) and the Fortnite INI (requiring AlphaRes to be re-run). Day-to-day Windows updates including Patch Tuesday cumulative updates do not affect either method.
Where to Go Next
Continue your AlphaRes setup with the cluster guides
- AlphaRes for Fortnite: Complete Guide (2026), the pillar reference covering features, install, safety, and every cluster guide.
- AlphaRes Download Page, verified v1.1.0 binary with checksum and release notes.
- How to Apply a Stretched Resolution in Fortnite Using AlphaRes, the deep walkthrough referenced in this comparison’s setup section.
- How to Lock Fortnite Resolution So Updates Cannot Reset It, the read-only attribute mechanism that drives AlphaRes’s persistence advantage over NVIDIA Control Panel.
- Best 7 Fortnite Custom Resolution Tools (2026 Tested and Ranked), the broader benchmark that places AlphaRes alongside NVIDIA Control Panel and five other utilities.