How to Increase Your Monitor Refresh Rate
Increasing your monitor's refresh rate is one of the most impactful changes you can make for gaming smoothness, and it is free if your monitor already supports a higher rate. Most monitors are set to 60Hz by default even if they are capable of 144Hz or higher. This guide shows every method to change it.
Before changing anything, verify your current rate at the Refresh Rate Test and check what your monitor supports by looking at its model specifications.
What Limits Your Maximum Refresh Rate
Three things together determine the maximum refresh rate you can actually use:
- Monitor hardware: the panel's maximum rated Hz.
- Cable and connection type: HDMI 1.4 is limited to 60Hz at 1440p and above. DisplayPort and HDMI 2.0+ support 144Hz and higher.
- GPU output: your graphics card must support the resolution and refresh rate combination.
If any of these three is the bottleneck, the full rate is not achievable. Changing the setting in Windows has no effect if the cable does not support the signal.
Method 1: Windows 11
- Right-click your desktop and select Display settings.
- Scroll down to the Related settings section and click Advanced display.
- If you have multiple monitors, select the one you want to change from the dropdown.
- Click the Refresh rate dropdown and select the highest available value.
- Click Keep changes when the confirmation dialog appears.
- Verify the change using the Refresh Rate Test.
Method 2: Windows 10
- Right-click your desktop and select Display settings.
- Click Advanced display settings.
- Click Display adapter properties for Display 1.
- Click the Monitor tab.
- Under Screen refresh rate, select the highest available option from the dropdown.
- Click Apply, then OK.
Method 3: NVIDIA Control Panel (Windows)
- Right-click your desktop and select NVIDIA Control Panel.
- Under Display in the left menu, click Change resolution.
- Select your monitor.
- Find the Refresh rate field and select the highest supported value.
- Click Apply.
The NVIDIA Control Panel is more reliable than Windows Display Settings for ensuring the GPU is actually sending the correct signal, especially for high refresh rates over 120Hz.
Method 4: AMD Radeon Software (Windows)
- Right-click your desktop and select AMD Radeon Software.
- Go to Settings, then Display.
- Under the display settings, find Refresh Rate and select the maximum.
Method 5: Mac
On macOS Ventura and later:
- Open System Settings.
- Click Displays.
- On ProMotion displays (MacBook Pro 14/16, Studio Display), the rate adjusts automatically up to 120Hz. To set a fixed rate, click the refresh rate option and select your preference.
On older macOS (Monterey and earlier):
- Open System Preferences, click Displays.
- Hold the Option key and click the Scaled option to see Hz settings.
After Changing: How to Verify It Worked
Use the Refresh Rate Test to verify your browser reports the expected Hz. If it still shows 60Hz after changing the setting:
- Check your cable: HDMI 1.4 limits to 60Hz at 1440p. Swap for a DisplayPort cable or HDMI 2.0+.
- Check the monitor's OSD (on-screen display): some monitors have a manual refresh rate cap in their menu. Enter the monitor's menu (button on the back or side) and look for a display mode or refresh rate setting.
- Restart Windows after the change: some GPU drivers require a restart to apply the new setting.
Common Problems
| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
| Only 60Hz available in settings | Check cable type, try DisplayPort; HDMI 1.4 caps at 60Hz |
| Setting reverts to 60Hz after restart | Set the rate in GPU control panel (NVIDIA/AMD) instead of Windows settings |
| Screen goes black after changing rate | Monitor may not support the selected rate. Wait 15 seconds for Windows to revert. |
| Image looks blurry or distorted at new rate | The monitor's OSD may need to be set to the correct mode (game mode or high refresh mode) |
| FPS not matching new refresh rate in games | Cap FPS in-game to match the new refresh rate, or enable G-Sync/FreeSync |
For context on why refresh rate matters alongside FPS, see the FPS vs Refresh Rate guide. To check your current Hz before and after making changes, use how to check Hz on monitor.