Quick answer
On Windows 11, go to Settings > System > Display > Advanced display. Your current refresh rate is listed there, and you can change it under Choose a refresh rate. On a Mac, go to Apple menu > System Settings > Displays and open the Refresh Rate menu. To measure what your screen is actually doing right now, run our refresh rate test.
A surprising number of people buy a 144 Hz monitor and use it at 60 Hz for months without knowing. Windows doesn't always switch to the highest rate on its own, and the wrong cable can cap it too. Checking takes thirty seconds.
Step 1: Measure it
Open the refresh rate test on the monitor you want to check and keep the tab in front for a few seconds. It counts how many frames your browser draws per second, which follows the screen's refresh rate. If you paid for 144 Hz and the test shows about 60, something in the chain is holding it back.
Step 2: Check and change it on Windows 11
- Open Start > Settings > System > Display.
- If you have more than one screen, select the one you want at the top.
- Select Advanced display. The display information panel shows the current resolution and refresh rate, and whether the screen supports variable refresh rate.
- Next to Choose a refresh rate, pick the highest rate your monitor lists.
Rates marked with an asterisk don't support your current resolution, so choosing one will change the resolution too.
Dynamic refresh rate: some Windows 11 laptops have a toggle that lowers the rate automatically when you're just reading, to save battery. It needs a screen that supports variable refresh rate at 120 Hz or more. If a game seems stuck at a lower rate, try turning it off.
Step 3: Check and change it on a Mac
- Choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Displays.
- Open the Refresh Rate pop-up menu and choose a rate.
On a 14-inch or 16-inch MacBook Pro with Apple silicon, choose ProMotion to let the screen adapt up to 120 Hz. Many other Macs and external displays only offer 60 Hz, in which case you won't see the menu at all.
Still stuck at 60 Hz? Check these
| Cause | Fix |
|---|---|
| Wrong or old cable | Use DisplayPort, or the HDMI cable that came with the monitor. Older HDMI cables and adapters often top out at 60 Hz at high resolutions. |
| Plugged into the wrong port | On a desktop with a graphics card, plug the monitor into the card, not the motherboard's video port. |
| Monitor's own setting | Some monitors have an overclock or "high refresh" option in their on-screen menu that's off by default. |
| Resolution too high for the link | Very high resolutions can limit the rate a cable carries. Try the monitor's native resolution. |
| Old graphics driver | Update the driver from your graphics card maker or through Windows Update. |
Does refresh rate actually matter?
At 60 Hz, your screen draws a new image about every 16.7 milliseconds. At 144 Hz it's about every 6.9 ms. That makes scrolling and fast motion look smoother, and it means you see changes on screen sooner, which is why gamers care. It also nudges scores on timing tests: see our guide on what a good reaction time is.
While you're checking your new monitor, run the dead pixel test too, so you can catch a bad pixel inside the return window.
Sources
- Microsoft Support: Change the refresh rate on your monitor in Windows
- Apple Support: Change the refresh rate on your MacBook Pro or Apple display
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