How to Change Your Monitor Refresh Rate in Windows – EZ CD Key

Introduction

Your monitor’s refresh rate can make a noticeable difference to how smooth your PC feels, especially when gaming. If you own a 144Hz, 165Hz, 240Hz, or higher-refresh-rate monitor but Windows is set to 60Hz, you may not be getting the smooth experience your display can provide. The good news is that changing your monitor’s refresh rate in Windows is usually straightforward. You can adjust it through Display Settings, check which refresh rates your monitor supports, and troubleshoot common problems if a higher option does not appear. However, choosing the highest available number is not always the whole story. Your monitor, graphics card, connection cable, display resolution, and game settings can all affect the refresh rate you can use. This guide explains how to change your monitor refresh rate in Windows 10 and Windows 11, how to verify the setting, and what to do if your display remains stuck at 60Hz.

What Is Monitor Refresh Rate?

A monitor’s refresh rate is the number of times its display updates each second. It is measured in hertz (Hz). For example, a 60Hz monitor refreshes its image 60 times per second, while a 144Hz monitor can refresh it up to 144 times per second under supported conditions. A higher refresh rate can make cursor movement, scrolling, animations, and compatible games look smoother. In fast-paced games, it can also help make motion easier to follow and provide a more responsive experience when your PC can produce enough frames.

Refresh rate and frame rate are related, but they are not the same thing. Refresh rate describes the monitor’s display capability, while frame rate (FPS) describes how many frames the computer or game renders each second.

Refresh rate	Potential benefit	Common use
60Hz	Suitable for everyday tasks and many games	Office work, browsing, casual gaming
75Hz	A modest improvement over 60Hz	Everyday use and entry-level gaming
120Hz	Smoother motion than 60Hz	Gaming and responsive desktop use
144Hz	Popular high-refresh-rate experience	Competitive and general PC gaming
165Hz	Slightly more refreshes per second than 144Hz	Gaming monitors with higher refresh rates
240Hz or higher	Very smooth motion when supported by the system	Competitive gaming and high-FPS setups

A higher refresh rate does not automatically improve every aspect of performance. For example, changing a monitor from 60Hz to 144Hz does not force a game to run at 144 FPS. The game and hardware still need to render frames at an appropriate rate to take full advantage of the display.

How to Change Refresh Rate in Windows 11

Windows 11 includes a refresh-rate setting in the Advanced display menu. You can use it to select a supported refresh rate for your connected display.

Follow these steps:

Right-click an empty area of your desktop.
Select Display settings.
Scroll down and open the Advanced display.
If you have multiple monitors, select the display you want to change.
Find the Choose a refresh rate menu.
Select the refresh rate you want, such as 120Hz, 144Hz, or 165Hz, if available.
Confirm any prompt Windows displays and check that the screen works correctly.

Windows may show additional information in Advanced display, including the selected resolution, refresh rate, and details about the display signal. If you cannot find your preferred refresh rate, do not assume that your monitor is defective. The available choices depend on the display’s capabilities, its current resolution, the connection being used, and the graphics hardware. If you use a laptop with an internal display and an external monitor, make sure you select the correct screen before changing the setting. Each display can have its own supported refresh rates.

How to Change Refresh Rate in Windows 10

Windows 10 also lets you change the refresh rate through Display Settings. The layout differs slightly from Windows 11, but the process is similar.

Right-click the desktop and select Display settings.
Scroll down and select Advanced display settings.
Choose the correct monitor if more than one display is connected.
Select Display adapter properties for the display.
Open the Monitor tab in the properties window.
Find the Screen refresh rate dropdown menu.
Select the refresh rate you want and apply the change.

Depending on your Windows version and graphics setup, the available options may be presented somewhat differently. If Windows offers a refresh-rate menu directly in Advanced display, you can use that option instead.

After changing the setting, move your mouse around the desktop and scroll through a webpage to see whether motion feels smoother. You can also open a game that supports high frame rates to test the difference.

Important: Select a refresh rate that your monitor and connection support at the resolution you are using. If the screen becomes blank or displays an error, wait for Windows to revert the change if a confirmation prompt appears. Avoid forcing unsupported display modes through third-party utilities.

How to Check Your Current Refresh Rate

After changing the setting, verify that Windows is using the refresh rate you selected. In Windows 11, return to Settings → System → Display → Advanced display. Select the correct monitor and check the displayed refresh rate. Windows shows the current resolution and refresh rate for the selected display.

You can also check the monitor’s on-screen display (OSD), if it provides a refresh-rate information panel. Some gaming monitors display the incoming signal’s resolution and refresh rate in their menus.

Remember that the Windows desktop refresh rate and a game’s frame rate are different measurements. If Windows is set to 144Hz but your game produces only 70 FPS, the game is not rendering 144 frames per second. You can still benefit from a high-refresh-rate display, but the experience depends on the game’s performance and display settings.

What to Do If 144Hz or 165Hz Is Missing

If your monitor supports 144Hz or 165Hz but Windows only offers 60Hz, check the display configuration before buying new hardware. The available refresh rates depend on the monitor, graphics hardware, resolution, connection, and supported display modes. Microsoft also notes that some refresh-rate options may require a change in resolution.

Try these fixes in order:

Check the monitor specifications: Confirm the maximum refresh rate and the resolutions at which it is supported.
Use the correct cable and port: Check the monitor and graphics card manuals for the required HDMI or DisplayPort connection. Some combinations support higher refresh rates than others.
Select the correct monitor: In a multi-monitor setup, Windows may be displaying settings for a different screen.
Check the resolution: Some monitors support their highest refresh rate only at specific resolutions or with particular display modes.
Update graphics drivers: Install the appropriate driver from NVIDIA, AMD, Intel, or your computer manufacturer.
Check the monitor menu: Some displays require a high-refresh-rate or overclocking option to be enabled in their own settings.

If you use a docking station, adapter, or converter, test a direct connection to the PC when possible. The dock or adapter may limit the available display modes.

DisplayPort supports a range of high-resolution and high-refresh-rate configurations, but the exact combination depends on the DisplayPort version and the capabilities of the connected devices.

Does a Higher Refresh Rate Improve Gaming Performance?

A higher refresh rate can make games look smoother and make input feel more responsive, particularly in fast-paced titles. However, it does not increase the raw processing power of your CPU or GPU.

For example, changing from 60Hz to 144Hz allows the monitor to refresh more frequently. To take full advantage of that capability, the PC should ideally produce a correspondingly high frame rate. A game running at 40 FPS will not suddenly become a 144 FPS game because you changed the Windows setting.

Your results also depend on the game engine, graphics settings, input latency, and whether your monitor supports variable refresh rate technology.

Setup	What to expect
60Hz monitor with 60 FPS	A standard, smooth experience for many games
144Hz monitor with 60 FPS	The monitor supports more frequent refreshes, but the game still renders 60 FPS
144Hz monitor with 120–144 FPS	Smoother motion and potentially more responsive gameplay
240Hz monitor with 200+ FPS	Very smooth motion, especially useful in supported competitive games
High-refresh monitor with variable refresh rate	Refresh timing can adapt to supported frame rates to reduce tearing and uneven presentation

If your PC struggles to reach high frame rates, consider reducing demanding graphics settings before expecting a higher refresh rate to solve performance problems. A faster monitor improves display capability, not the computer’s ability to render frames.

What Is Dynamic Refresh Rate in Windows 11?

Some Windows 11 devices support Dynamic Refresh Rate (DRR). This feature can adjust the display’s refresh rate according to the activity being performed, balancing smoothness with power efficiency.

For example, a compatible laptop may use a higher refresh rate during scrolling or other supported interactions and reduce it when a high rate is unnecessary. This can help conserve battery power.

DRR requires compatible hardware and a supported display. Microsoft specifies that the feature requires a display supporting variable refresh rate and a refresh rate of at least 120Hz. If DRR causes a game or application to appear to run at a lower refresh rate than expected, Microsoft recommends disabling it as a troubleshooting step.

To check whether your device supports it:

Open Settings.
Select System → Display → Advanced display.
Look for the Dynamic refresh rate option.
Enable or disable it according to your needs, if the option is available.

If you use a desktop gaming monitor and prefer a fixed refresh rate, you can leave DRR off when it is unavailable or unnecessary. Do not confuse DRR with variable refresh rate technologies such as G-SYNC Compatible or FreeSync, which are designed to coordinate display refresh timing with supported frame delivery.

Should You Use the Highest Refresh Rate All the Time?

For a desktop gaming PC, using your monitor’s highest supported refresh rate is often a sensible choice if it works correctly at your preferred resolution. It can make the Windows desktop feel smoother and provide the best opportunity to benefit from high frame rates in games.

Laptops are a little different. Running a display at a higher refresh rate can use more power, potentially reducing battery life. If you’re travelling or working away from a charger, selecting a lower refresh rate may help extend battery life. Microsoft specifically identifies lower refresh rates as a possible power-saving measure on compatible portable devices.

Choose your setting based on how you use the device:

Desktop gaming: Prefer the highest stable refresh rate supported by your monitor and connection.
Competitive gaming: Use a high refresh rate and adjust in-game settings to achieve a suitable frame rate.
Everyday laptop use: Choose a balance between smoothness and battery life.
Troubleshooting display problems: Temporarily test a lower refresh rate to see whether flickering or signal issues improve.

There is no need to change the setting repeatedly if your current configuration works well. The best refresh rate is one your hardware supports reliably and that suits your gaming or everyday-use needs.

Conclusion

Changing your monitor refresh rate in Windows is a simple way to get more out of a compatible display. Open Advanced display settings, select the correct monitor, and choose a supported refresh rate. Then verify the setting and test it in your usual games. If a higher refresh rate is missing, check your monitor’s specifications, cable, connection port, resolution, and graphics drivers before assuming you need new hardware. Keep in mind that refresh rate and FPS are different, and that a high-refresh-rate monitor cannot force a game to render more frames. For most desktop gamers with a compatible high-refresh-rate monitor, selecting the highest stable refresh rate is a good starting point. Laptop users may prefer a lower rate when battery life matters more than extra smoothness.