Learn How to Change Your Display Refresh Rate

Understanding Display Refresh Rate and Why It Matters

Display refresh rate refers to how many times per second your monitor updates the image on your screen. This measurement is expressed in Hertz (Hz). A 60Hz display refreshes 60 times per second, while a 144Hz display refreshes 144 times per second. The higher the refresh rate, the smoother motion appears on your screen.

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For everyday tasks like browsing the web, checking email, or working with documents, a standard 60Hz refresh rate works perfectly fine. However, certain activities benefit from higher refresh rates. Gamers often prefer 120Hz, 144Hz, or even 240Hz+ displays because faster refresh rates can reduce motion blur and make fast-moving objects appear smoother. Video editors and animators may also prefer higher refresh rates when reviewing footage or animations.

Your operating system and graphics card work together to send information to your monitor. The refresh rate setting tells your system how many times per second to send new image data. If your monitor supports 144Hz but your system is set to 60Hz, you're not using the monitor's full capability. Conversely, your system cannot display a refresh rate higher than what your monitor physically supports.

Different types of monitors support different maximum refresh rates. Older LCD monitors typically max out at 60Hz. Many modern displays support 75Hz, 100Hz, 120Hz, or higher. Gaming monitors frequently offer 144Hz, 165Hz, 240Hz, or even 360Hz. High-refresh displays are becoming more affordable, with many models priced competitively with standard 60Hz monitors.

Practical Takeaway: Before changing your refresh rate, check your monitor's manual or specifications to learn what maximum refresh rate it supports. This prevents you from attempting to set a refresh rate the hardware cannot display.

How to Change Refresh Rate on Windows 10 and Windows 11

Windows operating systems allow you to adjust your refresh rate through the display settings menu. The process is straightforward and takes just a few minutes.

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Start by right-clicking on your desktop background. You should see a context menu with several options. Look for "Display settings" or "Screen resolution" and select it. This opens the Settings app or Control Panel, depending on your Windows version. On Windows 11, this typically opens the Settings app. On Windows 10, you may go to Settings > System > Display.

Once in the display settings, scroll down to find an option labeled "Refresh rate," "Advanced display settings," or "Display adapter properties." On Windows 11, you'll likely find a "Refresh rate" dropdown directly in the display settings. On Windows 10, you may need to click "Advanced display settings" at the bottom of the Display settings page. This opens additional options where you can select your refresh rate.

Click on the refresh rate dropdown menu. You'll see a list of supported refresh rates for your current display setup. For example, you might see options like 60Hz, 75Hz, 100Hz, 120Hz, or 144Hz depending on your monitor and graphics card combination. Select the desired refresh rate from the list.

After selecting a new refresh rate, your screen may flicker briefly as Windows applies the change. A dialog box typically appears asking you to confirm the change. You have about 15 seconds to confirm before the system reverts to the previous setting. This safety feature prevents you from being left with an unusable display if something goes wrong.

Click "Keep changes" or "Yes" to confirm your new refresh rate setting. If the new rate causes display problems like flickering or no signal, simply wait for the timeout period and the system will automatically revert to your previous refresh rate.

Practical Takeaway: Write down your original refresh rate before making changes so you can easily revert if needed. The confirmation dialog gives you time to test the setting before it becomes permanent.

Changing Refresh Rate on macOS

Mac computers handle refresh rate adjustments differently than Windows systems, though the concept remains the same. Mac users can adjust refresh rates through System Preferences or System Settings depending on their macOS version.

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Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen and select "System Preferences" or "System Settings" (the name depends on your macOS version). Look for an option called "Displays" and click it. This opens your display configuration panel where you'll see various display settings.

In the Displays settings, look for a "Refresh Rate" or "Resolution" option. Some macOS versions combine these settings together. If you see a dropdown menu labeled "Refresh Rate," click it to see available options. Your Mac will show only the refresh rates that your monitor and graphics setup support.

For newer M1, M2, or M3 Macs with Apple Silicon, the refresh rate options may appear different than on Intel-based Macs. Apple Silicon Macs automatically optimize refresh rates for your connected display. You may see options like "60Hz," "120Hz," or other rates depending on your external monitor. Built-in MacBook displays typically run at their native refresh rate and don't offer adjustment options.

Select your desired refresh rate from the dropdown. If you're using an external monitor with your Mac, the available refresh rates depend on the monitor's capabilities and the connection type. USB-C, Thunderbolt, and HDMI connections may support different maximum refresh rates. For example, an older HDMI connection might max out at 60Hz, while a newer Thunderbolt connection could support higher rates.

After selecting a new refresh rate, the change applies immediately. Unlike Windows, macOS doesn't typically show a confirmation dialog. Your display should adjust smoothly without flickering. If you notice problems, return to Display settings and select a lower refresh rate.

Practical Takeaway: Mac users should verify their monitor's specifications and connection type to understand what refresh rates are truly available. Not all external monitors work optimally with all Mac systems, and connection type significantly impacts maximum refresh rate capability.

Adjusting Refresh Rate on Linux Systems

Linux users have several methods to change refresh rates depending on their desktop environment and graphics setup. The process varies more widely on Linux than on Windows or macOS because Linux offers multiple paths to the same setting.

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The most common method involves using the graphical settings tool for your specific desktop environment. For GNOME-based systems, open Settings and navigate to Displays. Look for a "Refresh Rate" dropdown option. For KDE Plasma systems, open System Settings, go to Startup and Shutdown, then Splash Screen, and look for display settings. Different desktop environments use different menu structures.

If your graphical settings don't show refresh rate options, you can use command-line tools. The xrandr command is widely used on Linux systems running X11. Open a terminal and type "xrandr" to see your current display configuration and supported refresh rates. The output shows connected monitors and their available resolutions and refresh rates. Look for lines containing "Hz" to see supported refresh rates.

To set a specific refresh rate using xrandr, use a command like: xrandr --output HDMI-1 --mode 1920x1080 --rate 144. Replace "HDMI-1" with your monitor name (shown in xrandr output) and "1920x1080" with your desired resolution. Change "144" to your preferred refresh rate. Run this command from the terminal.

For systems using Wayland instead of X11, refresh rate options may appear in graphical settings but command-line control is more limited. Check your Linux distribution's documentation for Wayland-specific tools and methods.

Some Linux users experiencing refresh rate issues may need to update their graphics drivers. NVIDIA users can install the proprietary NVIDIA driver for better refresh rate support. AMD users should use AMDGPU drivers. Intel integrated graphics typically work well with open-source drivers included with Linux distributions.

Practical Takeaway: Linux users should know their desktop environment and graphics card to find the right method for adjusting refresh rates. Graphical settings are simplest, but command-line tools offer more control when needed.

Understanding Graphics Card and Monitor Compatibility

Your graphics card and monitor work together to determine what refresh rates are actually possible on your system. Understanding this relationship helps explain why you might not see certain refresh rates in your settings menu.

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Your graphics card contains a GPU