Settings

For the adjustments of a new campaign, see options.

Europa Universalis has various settings that can be changed to change the game experience in various ways.

Settings.txt

Settings are stored in a text file, not in the game folder, but in your user documents:

C:\Users\ <USERNAME> \Documents\Paradox Interactive\Europa Universalis IV\settings.txt

Updates to settings from within the game translate to and are stored in this file, meaning you can manually edit settings with a text editor if required.

On GNU/Linux the path of the settings file is:

~/.local/share/Paradox\ Interactive/Europa\ Universalis\ IV/settings.txt

Menu

It is possible to change several settings from the main menu or the escape menu via the "settings" panel.

Game

Settings menu

These settings affect the game itself:

• Autosave interval - Determines how often the game saves automatically. The three latest saves will be stored. Never/monthly/half year/yearly/five years

• Autosave to cloud - If enabled, the latest autosave will be saved in the Steam cloud, and can thus be accessed on other machines

• Compress Autosaves - Can speed up load/save times.

• Hints Active - Whether the player want hints for the game. It is addressed to beginners.

• Floating chat text - Whether the player wants floating chat text or not.

• Allow players to hotjoin - If enabled, it gives access for players to join the Multiplayer session even if it is already running.

• Allow players to play the same country - It does what is says. It is for Multiplayer use.

• Pause on events - Whether you want the game to pause when events occur.

Video

Video Settings

These settings affect the graphics of the game:

• Display mode - Determines how the game is output to the screen. The player can choose between fullscreen, windowed, and windowed (fullscreen) (AKA borderless windowed)
• Resolution - Determines what resolution the game is output on. The available resolutions depends on the player's monitor and graphics card
• Refresh rate - Determines what framerate the game will aim for. Should always be set to the same as the monitor's standard refresh rate
• Multisample level - Determines how many samples will be taken in order to reduce aliasing. Higher setting results in better image quality, but lower frame rate
• Gamma - Determines how bright the game is
• Trees - Turns trees on or off. Turning them off will increase frame rate
• Shadows - Turns shadows on or off. Turning them off will increase frame rate
• Reflections - Turns reflections on or off. Turning them off will increase frame rate
• Particles - Turns particle effects on or off. Turning them off will increase frame rate
• Borders - Turns borders on or off. Turning them off has little effect on frame rate
• Rivers - Turns rivers on or off. Turning them off will increase frame rate
• Post effects - Turns post-processing effects on or off. Turning them off will increase frame rate
• Bloom - Turns bloom on or off. Turning them off will increase frame rate
• City sprawl - Turns on-map cities on or off. Turning them off will increase frame rate
• Ambient objects - Turns ambient objects like seagulls or the moose in Stockholm on or off. Turning them off will increase frame rate to a low degree.
• Moving units - Turns moving units on or off. Turning them off will increase frame rate

Audio

Audio settings

These settings affect the sound of the game:

• Master volume - Changes the volume from all sources
• Effect volume - Changes the volume of sound effects
• Music volume - Changes the volume of the music
• Ambient - Changes the volume of ambient sounds

Controls

Controls settings

These settings affect the game controls:

• Scroll speed - Changes how fast the game moves when touching the edge of the screen or using the arrow keys
• Zoom speed - Changes how fast the game moves when zooming