Your monitor quietly shapes how smooth, comfortable, and enjoyable your screen experience feels every single day. From scrolling and streaming to gaming and creative work, the refresh rate plays a key role in how naturally everything moves on your display.
Yet many people never check their monitor’s refresh rate and miss out on the performance they already own. In this guide, you’ll learn how to quickly check your monitor’s refresh rate and make sure you’re getting the best visual experience possible.
What Is Refresh Rate?
The refresh rate of a monitor is how many times the screen redraws an image every second and is usually expressed in hertz (Hz). For comparison, a 60Hz monitor refreshes the image 60 times each second, and a 144Hz monitor does so at 144 times per second. The faster the refresh rate, the more fluid motion looks on your screen, particularly when things are moving fast.
Refresh Rate vs Frame Rate
Refresh rate gets confused with frame rate, however they are two separate things. Frame rate (FPS) is how many frames your computer or graphics card is producing each second, while refresh rate is how many of those frames the monitor can actually display. Even if your system is running games at 100 frames per second, for example, the most your monitor can display is 60 of them per second. This is why your hardware and display settings both count.
Most normal monitors have a 60Hz refresh rate, which is totally fine for browsing the web, doing some office work or watching videos. But refresh rates 75Hz and above (120, 144, 240) make a significant difference in movement. That’s especially helpful for gaming, where snappy response times and fluid visuals can make a huge difference. That’s why investing in a quality gaming monitor is always a key.
After people encounter a faster refresh rate, they generally notice that a lower one feels less smooth. That’s why grasping what refresh rate is and knowing how to check it can be an important part of making the most out of that new monitor.
So Why Does It Matter What Your Monitor’s Refresh Rate Is?
Understanding your monitor’s refresh rate can help you determine whether it is operating as expected. Many monitors can display higher refresh rates, but most ship from the factory with default settings that restrict them to 60Hz. You may only be getting a fraction of the picture, and you don’t even know it.
For gamers, refresh rate is critical in speed and visual fluidity. A faster refresh rate means that motion on the screen looks smoother, which can make it easier to follow and react to the action in fast-paced scenes. This can minimize motion blur and screen tearing, making for a much more immersive experience, which is especially true in competitive games where every frame counts.
Outside of gaming, refresh rate is still important. Typical tasks such as web browsing and window moving or work inside professional design and video software feel markedly smoother on high refresh rate displays. Smoother motion can also prove easier on the eyes over extended sessions of use, especially for individuals who spend a lot of time in front of the screen.
Put briefly, understanding your monitor’s refresh rate means making sure you’re getting the visual quality for which you paid. Plus, it helps you get the most of your gaming pc performance. It enables you to troubleshoot screen issues and adjust your display parameters, as well as a cleaner and more professional viewing of the screen throughout all of your work.
How to Check Your Monitor’s Refresh Rate (Step-by-Step Methods)
It’s actually fairly easy to check your monitor’s refresh rate. You will see this value somewhere in your operating system, or you can find it through the control panel of your graphics card, and some monitors even list their native resolution on the exterior. Here we will offer the steps for some screenshots of more reputable and frequently used methods.
The Best Method to Check Check Refresh Rate on Windows
The easiest way to verify the refresh rate for most users is through Windows. This trick works in Windows 10 and in Windows 11.
Begin by right-clicking on an empty area of your desktop and choosing Display settings. The main display configuration will open. Scroll down and select Advanced display settings. If you have multiple monitors, ensure the right display is chosen at the top of your screen.
Under the display information section that appears, you will see a field called Refresh rate (Hz). This displays the refresh rate of your monitor. If you monitor supports different refresh rates, you may also get a dropdown box from which to change it.
If it can work with a higher refresh rate, select the highest one available that works for your monitor and press Apply. The screen might flicker for a second after the new setting is applied, but it’s nothing to worry about. As soon as you’ve applied the correct setting, your monitor will just work at the rate specified.
This is a great way to immediately verify you’re running at your monitor’s maximum supported refresh rate instead of the previous, much lower default.
How to Check Monitor Refresh Rate from Your Graphics Card Control Panel
Your graphics card software offers another reliable method to check and, in some cases, refine your monitor’s refresh rate. This may be particularly helpful if Windows is not giving you all available options.
NVIDIA Control Panel
If you have an NVIDIA graphics card, right-click your desktop and click NVIDIA Control Panel. From the left side menu, click on Change resolution under Display. Here, you’ll find your monitor listed with a drop-down screen displaying the available resolutions and refresh rates. The chosen refresh rate is listed right alongside the resolution.
AMD Radeon Software
For AMD users, right-click on the desktop and open AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition. Just head to the Display tab, and you’ll see some listed refresh rate info for each screen. You can also control advanced display settings from this section.
Intel Graphics Command Center
If you have an Intel integrated GPU, follow the Start-menu access link for the Intel Graphics Command Center. Head to the Display category and select refresh rates in display settings.
Changing Refresh Rate Limits Using the GPU Control Panel Nvidia/Sony Utilizing your GPUs control panel can be beneficial when you’re having problems or the option to select a higher refresh rate isn’t available in Windows, but it should be if your display does support higher refresh rates.
Checking Your Refresh Rate Using Your Monitor
While not all contemporary monitors have an on-screen display (OSD) menu which provides information about the run-time status of the display. This setting can be found in the menu of your monitor, which you can open via buttons or joystick on the monitor.
Once in the menu, you should find categories for Information, Status or Display Info. These are typically where resolution, refresh rate and the input source are displayed. The refresh rate shown here is what your monitor is actually receiving from your system.
That’s nice this way it will also check what your monitor is really receiving not only the system settings. If there’s a discrepancy between the settings used within Windows and what you can see in your monitor’s OSD, that might point to a cable or configuration problem.
Checking Your Refresh Rate with Online Tools
Additionally, there are browser-based utilities that can visually depict how your monitor refreshes. These utilities are great for verifying that your refresh rate is feeling right, especially after you’ve fiddled with settings.
These tools are not always completely accurate, but they can offer peace of mind that your display is working properly. They are best used as a secondary check, rather than the primary procedure.
If You Don’t Have Higher Refresh Rates, What to Do
A number of common things can be preventing your monitor from showing you a higher refresh rate, even if it is supported by the game and your hardware. Thus, you have to take care of it while building your gaming pc. Your cable might not be able to handle higher refresh rates, many older HDMI cables are limited at lower refresh rates. Using a certified DisplayPort or newer HDMI cable should resolve any issues.
Outdated video card drivers can also cause higher refresh rates to not be available in the list. Make sure that you are using the most recent drivers, so your GPU supports your monitor properly. Finally, ensure your monitor is configured properly; some may need you to switch on a higher refresh rate in its OSD menu.
How to Make Sure Your Monitor is Running at the Best Refresh Rate
Verifying your monitor’s refresh rate is just the beginning. In order to really appreciate smooth visuals and peak performance, you need to ensure that your entire setup is capable of pushing out and maintaining that refreshed rate on a regular basis. Some small tweaks can be all the difference in the world.
One of the biggest influences is the cable that connects your monitor to computer. Not all cables are capable of high refresh rates, even if your monitor is. The highest refresh rates are supported by DisplayPort cable, although newer HDMI versions do also support higher values. A cheap or old cord is the sort of thing that could surreptitiously cap your refresh rate with no warning at all.
Your graphics drivers matter too. It could be that your drivers are out of the date or you have installed them incorrectly which means you haven’t gotten all refresh rates to show in settings. By keeping your GPU drivers up to date, this will promote better compatibility with your monitor and the ability for your system to fully understand what it has at its disposal. Display performance is often affected by driver updates which can include performance enhancements and bug fixes.
It’s also a smart idea to check your monitor’s on-screen settings. With some monitors you also have to activate a higher refresh rate manually or choose another performance mode in the OSD. When this is turned off, your refresh rate may receive a low default value while all else is fine.
Another good habit is to check the refresh rate after updating your system or making any new hardware purchases. Occasionally big windows updates, driver installs, cable changes can reset display settings. Pause to check your refresh rate, and make sure your monitor is still running at its optimal abilities.
Common Refresh Rate Terms Explained
As you read about monitor refresh rates, you’ll often see technical language that can be bewildering in the beginning. It’s so much easier to understand those terms and what they mean on your monitor’s specs and settings, which means you’re able to make better decisions when calibrating your display.
The Unit of Measure for Refresh Rate is Hertz (Hz).
It signifies how many times your monitor updates the image each second. 60Hz display refreshes the screen 60 times per second, and 144Hz monitor displays the image on-screen 144 times a second. Larger values tend to have smoother motion and visuals.
FPS and Refresh Rate are Tightly Interlinked
Frame Rate (FPS) is the frequency (rate) at which an imaging device produces unique consecutive images called frames. And your monitor cannot produce more frames-per-second than its maximum refresh rate, regardless of what your system is capable of. Which is why you should be balancing the two to perform at your best.
Motion Blur
It refers to slag, when rapidly moving objects look smudged or blurry on-screen. A higher refresh rate can help mitigate motion blur by refreshing the image more often, so that everything moves more sharply and naturally. It is especially apparent during playbacks of fast-paced games or content with a lot of action.
Screen Tearing
It occurs when the screen presents portions of two or more frames at the same time which can be seen as a horizontal gap in-between. Such an undesired effect can happen when a frame rate is lower than the refresh rate. V-Sync, FreeSync, and G-Sync are technologies that aim to alleviate or prevent this problem.
Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) Technologies
It enables the monitor to display frame rates as soon as they are available, and do not require the scheduled fixed frame rate. This provides an overall smoother experience with reduced stutter and tearing. FreeSync and G-Sync are popular types of VRR tech in monitors today.
Knowing these terms arms you with more control over your display settings and allows you to get the most out of your monitor no matter how you use it.
Take Away
Your monitor’s refresh rate might seem like a small detail, but it has a surprisingly large effect on how smooth and enjoyable your screen experience can be. Whether you’re gaming, working or just scrolling through stuff on the web, being able to check your monitor’s refresh rate allows you to verify that your display is performing exactly as it should be.
With easy tools like Windows display settings, your graphics control panel, or even your monitor’s on-screen menu, you can verify and optimize your refresh rate in no time with complete peace of mind. A few extra minutes trying out cables, updating drivers and checking settings means you’re getting full value from your monitor and seeing the best visuals it can produce. Once everything is really good, you’ll notice every time your screen comes on.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Is a higher refresh rate always better?
A higher refresh rate generally provides smoother motion and a more responsive feel, but it isn’t always necessary for everyone. For everyday tasks like browsing, office work, or watching standard videos, a 60Hz or 75Hz display is usually sufficient. Higher refresh rates are most beneficial for gaming, creative work, and users who prefer ultra-smooth motion.
- Why is my monitor stuck at 60Hz even though it supports more?
This often happens due to cable limitations, outdated graphics drivers, or incorrect display settings. Older HDMI cables may not support higher refresh rates, and some monitors require manual activation of high refresh modes in their on-screen menu. Updating drivers and switching to a DisplayPort or newer HDMI cable usually resolves this issue.
- Can changing the refresh rate damage my monitor?
No, changing the refresh rate within your monitor’s supported range is completely safe. Modern operating systems only allow refresh rate options that your monitor can handle. If a selected setting isn’t supported, the system will automatically revert to the previous one.
- Does refresh rate affect eye strain?
A higher refresh rate can make motion appear smoother and more natural, which some users find more comfortable during long screen sessions. While it won’t eliminate eye strain entirely, smoother visuals can reduce visual fatigue, especially when scrolling or working for extended periods.
- Do I need a powerful graphics card for a high refresh rate monitor?
It depends on how you use your monitor. For gaming, a stronger graphics card is needed to produce enough frames to take advantage of higher refresh rates. For general use, your system can still benefit from smoother motion even without high frame rates.