How to Change Your Monitor's Refresh Rate

Understanding Monitor Refresh Rate Basics

A monitor's refresh rate measures how many times per second the display updates the image on your screen. This measurement is expressed in hertz (Hz). For example, a 60 Hz monitor refreshes the image 60 times every second, while a 144 Hz monitor refreshes 144 times per second. The higher the refresh rate, the smoother motion appears on your screen, particularly when watching videos, playing games, or scrolling through web pages.

Most standard monitors come with a 60 Hz refresh rate, which has been the industry standard for decades. However, gaming monitors, professional displays, and newer consumer monitors often feature higher refresh rates like 75 Hz, 100 Hz, 120 Hz, 144 Hz, 165 Hz, 240 Hz, or even higher. The human eye can generally perceive differences in refresh rate up to around 100-144 Hz, though some people notice smoothness improvements beyond this range.

Your monitor's maximum refresh rate is determined by its hardware specifications and cannot be exceeded, regardless of your settings. However, your operating system and graphics card may not automatically run your monitor at its highest possible refresh rate. This is why manually changing the refresh rate setting is often necessary to take full advantage of your display's capabilities.

Understanding your monitor's specifications matters because different activities benefit from different refresh rates. Video streaming and everyday computing tasks work fine at 60 Hz, while competitive gaming, fast-paced action games, and graphics-intensive applications may feel noticeably smoother at 100 Hz or higher. Professional work involving video editing or animation may also benefit from higher refresh rates.

Practical Takeaway: Check your monitor's manual or manufacturer's specifications to determine its maximum supported refresh rate before attempting to change your settings. This information is usually listed on the box or on the manufacturer's website.

Changing Refresh Rate on Windows Operating Systems

Windows computers provide straightforward access to refresh rate settings through the display properties menu. On Windows 10 and Windows 11, the process is similar, though the exact menu locations may vary slightly. To begin, right-click on an empty area of your desktop and look for an option that says "Display settings" or similar. This opens the main display configuration panel where most monitor adjustments are made.

Once in the display settings, scroll down until you find an option labeled "Advanced display settings" or "Advanced options." This section contains the refresh rate setting that most users need to modify. Click on this option to open a new window with more detailed display information. Within this advanced menu, you should see a section for refresh rate, often appearing as a dropdown menu showing the current setting in Hz.

Click on the refresh rate dropdown to see all available options your system recognizes for your monitor. Your monitor's maximum refresh rate should appear in this list if your graphics card supports it. Select your desired refresh rate from the available options. Most users can select their monitor's maximum refresh rate without issues, though some may prefer slightly lower settings if experiencing any display problems.

After selecting a new refresh rate, Windows typically asks you to confirm the change. Your screen may briefly go black or flicker during this confirmation process—this is normal. You usually have 15 seconds to confirm the new setting before Windows reverts to the previous refresh rate. If the new setting causes problems like flickering, distortion, or black screens, simply wait for the automatic reversion or click "Revert" to return to your previous settings.

If you cannot find a refresh rate option in the standard Windows display settings, you may need to update your graphics driver. Outdated or generic drivers sometimes lack full monitor support. Visit your graphics card manufacturer's website—typically NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel—and search for the latest driver version for your specific graphics card model. Installing current drivers often reveals additional refresh rate options.

Practical Takeaway: Write down your current refresh rate before making changes so you can easily revert if needed. Most modern monitors and graphics cards support at least 75 Hz, and changing to this setting usually produces a noticeably smoother visual experience compared to standard 60 Hz.

Changing Refresh Rate on macOS Systems

Apple computers handle refresh rate settings differently than Windows machines, and the process varies depending on your specific macOS version. The good news is that modern Macs with Apple Silicon chips or recent Intel processors typically support higher refresh rates through external monitors. However, the built-in Retina displays on MacBooks have fixed refresh rates that cannot be changed through standard system settings.

To adjust an external monitor's refresh rate on macOS, click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select "System Settings" (or "System Preferences" on older macOS versions). From there, navigate to "Displays." If you have multiple displays connected, make sure you select the correct monitor. Look for an option labeled "Refresh Rate" or similar—this menu shows available refresh rate options for your connected external display.

On newer macOS versions, refresh rate settings may appear within the display resolution settings. Some Macs automatically detect and apply optimal refresh rates without user intervention. If you do not see a refresh rate option in the standard Displays settings, your monitor may already be running at its optimal refresh rate, or your graphics driver needs updating.

For Mac users with specialized displays or external monitors, third-party applications sometimes provide additional refresh rate control options. However, these are generally unnecessary for standard monitors. Apple's built-in settings handle most common external display configurations adequately. If you experience issues with refresh rate settings on macOS, restarting your computer often resolves the problem.

It's worth noting that macOS systems prioritize display quality and system stability over extremely high refresh rates. While Windows gaming enthusiasts regularly use 240 Hz or higher displays, macOS typically supports refresh rates up to 120 Hz or 144 Hz for most external monitors. This reflects Apple's design philosophy and the types of workflows for which Mac computers are commonly used.

Practical Takeaway: Mac users with external monitors should check the display settings after connecting a new monitor, as the system may default to a conservative refresh rate. Manually selecting a higher refresh rate often improves the visual experience for scrolling and video playback.

Understanding Graphics Driver Requirements

Your graphics driver acts as a translator between your operating system and your graphics card, enabling communication about display capabilities and settings. Without current drivers, your system may not recognize higher refresh rates that your monitor and graphics card technically support. This is one of the most common reasons users cannot change their refresh rate to desired settings.

Graphics drivers are maintained by manufacturers including NVIDIA (for GeForce cards), AMD (for Radeon cards), and Intel (for integrated graphics). Each manufacturer regularly releases driver updates that improve performance, add features, and fix bugs. These updates often include expanded monitor support and recognition of higher refresh rates. If your monitor's maximum refresh rate does not appear in your refresh rate dropdown, an outdated driver is frequently the culprit.

To update your graphics driver on Windows, identify your graphics card model first. Right-click on the Start button and select "Device Manager." Look for "Display adapters" in the list and click the arrow to expand it. This shows your graphics card name. Visit the manufacturer's website (NVIDIA.com, AMD.com, or Intel.com) and navigate to their driver download section. Enter your graphics card model and operating system to find the appropriate driver version.

Download the latest driver and run the installation file. The installation process usually takes several minutes and may require a restart. After restarting your computer, return to your display settings and check if additional refresh rate options are now available. Many users report that the refresh rate they wanted suddenly appears after a fresh driver installation.

For laptop users, graphics drivers may come from the laptop manufacturer (Dell, Lenovo, HP, etc.) rather than directly from the graphics card maker. Check your laptop manufacturer's support website for display or graphics driver updates. Some laptop manufacturers include customized driver versions with additional features specific to their hardware.

Practical Takeaway: Before troubleshooting refresh rate issues, update your graphics driver as a first step. This resolves a significant percentage of refresh rate problems and takes only 10-20 minutes including restart time.

Troubleshooting Common Refresh Rate Problems

Even after changing your refresh rate settings, some users experience display issues ranging from minor flickering to complete signal loss. These problems usually have straightforward solutions. The most common issue is selecting a refresh rate that your display cable cannot properly support. Different cable types—