# FAQ & Best Practices

### ❓ FAQ

**Does Profiler make changes to my project?**\
No — it only displays real-time stats. It doesn’t modify assets, levels, or settings.

**Can I add more stat buttons or custom commands?**\
Yes! You can modify the Editor Utility Widget blueprint to add your own `stat` commands or even bind more console variables.

**Why aren’t stats showing up in the viewport?**\
Make sure you're in **Perspective Viewport** and not using a view mode that disables UI overlays. Also, double-check that the command you're toggling is supported in your version of UE5.

**Can I use Profiler in packaged games?**\
No — RenderTools: Profiler is editor-only. It's intended for development use while building and testing your levels.

**What’s the difference between Profiler and Analyzer?**

* **Profiler** = Real-time stat overlays and performance visibility.
* **Analyzer** = Scans and reports static issues with assets, meshes, materials, etc.

They’re designed to be used together for full performance control.

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### ✅ Best Practices

Make the most of RenderTools: Profiler with these practical tips:

* 🎯 **Enable key stats while building your scene**\
  Keep `stat GPU` and `stat SceneRendering` active as you work to spot real-time performance issues.
* 🔁 **Compare before/after optimization**\
  Use our Analyzer tool to locate these problems, then use Profiler to verify that your changes actually improve performance.
* ⌨️ **Use keyboard shortcuts to work faster**
  * `CTRL` to quickly reset stats
  * `Shift + Scroll` to fine-tune grouped values like `stat.maxpergroup`
* 🧪 **Test in "Game View" (G) to hide UI overhead**\
  Helps give a more accurate look at actual in-game performance.
* 🛑 **Don’t rely on just FPS**\
  Use `stat GPU` or `stat SceneRendering` to dig into which part of the rendering pipeline is slowing you down.
