How to change your monitor's refresh rate

Your monitor's refresh rate — measured in hertz (Hz) — is the number of times per second the image on your screen refreshes. Most monitors ship set to 60 Hz, but if your monitor supports a higher rate and your graphics card can push it, you can change this in your display settings. The process takes about two minutes and requires no hardware changes.

The steps differ slightly between Windows and Mac, but both let you adjust the refresh rate through the operating system's display control panel. You will need to know what refresh rate your monitor actually supports — this is printed on the monitor's box or specification sheet, not something you can guess. Changing the refresh rate to something your monitor does not support will either revert automatically or cause the display to go black until you change it back.

Key Takeaways

  • Your monitor's maximum refresh rate is a fixed hardware specification printed on the box or manual — you cannot make a 60 Hz monitor run at 144 Hz.
  • Windows lets you change refresh rate through Settings > System > Display > Advanced Display, where you will see a dropdown menu listing all supported rates.
  • Mac users adjust refresh rate in System Settings > Displays, though the menu shows "refresh rate" only on newer models with ProMotion support.
  • If the screen goes black after changing the refresh rate, wait 15 seconds and it will revert automatically; if not, restart the computer in safe mode.
  • Your graphics card must support the refresh rate you choose — an older GPU may not be able to output 144 Hz even if the monitor supports it.

Check your monitor's maximum refresh rate before you start

Every monitor has a maximum refresh rate it was manufactured to support. This is a hardware limit you cannot exceed. Look for the specification on the monitor's original box, in the manual, or on the manufacturer's website. Common rates are 60 Hz (standard), 75 Hz, 144 Hz, 165 Hz, 240 Hz, and 360 Hz. Gaming monitors typically support higher rates; office monitors usually max out at 60 Hz.

You also need to know what cable you are using. HDMI 2.0 can carry up to 144 Hz at 1440p resolution, but older HDMI 1.4 cables max out at 60 Hz. DisplayPort 1.4 supports much higher rates. If you are using an older cable, you may need to upgrade it to reach the monitor's full potential — the monitor will work, but only at the lower rate the cable allows.

Change refresh rate on Windows

Open Settings and go to System > Display. Scroll down and click Advanced Display. You will see a dropdown menu labeled Refresh Rate showing the current setting and a list of all rates your system can support. Select the rate you want and click outside the menu to explore it.

Windows will ask you to confirm the change within 15 seconds. If the screen looks wrong or you want to revert, do nothing and it will automatically switch back. If you want to keep the new rate, click Keep Changes. The new setting will stay in place until you change it again.

If you do not see a refresh rate dropdown, your graphics driver may be out of date. Visit the website of your GPU manufacturer — NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel — read the latest driver for your graphics card, and install it. Restart your computer and try again.

Change refresh rate on Mac

Open System Settings and go to Displays. Click Refresh Rate at the bottom of the window. A dropdown menu will show the available rates. Select the one you want.

On older Mac models without ProMotion support, the refresh rate option may not appear. This means your monitor and Mac combination is locked to 60 Hz and cannot be changed through the operating system. You can still use the monitor at 60 Hz, but you will not be able to reach higher rates even if the monitor supports them.

What to do if the screen goes black or looks wrong

If you select a refresh rate that your monitor or cable cannot actually support, the screen will go black or show distorted colors. Do not panic — the system will automatically revert to the previous setting after 15 seconds. Wait and the display will return to normal.

If the screen stays black longer than 15 seconds, restart your computer. When it boots back up, it will use the last working refresh rate. Then go back into display settings and choose a lower rate. If you are not sure which rate to try, start with 75 Hz or 100 Hz rather than jumping straight to the monitor's maximum.

Why your graphics card matters

Your monitor's refresh rate is only one half of the equation. Your graphics card — the component that generates the image — must be powerful enough to actually output that many frames per second. A monitor rated for 240 Hz is useless at 240 Hz if your graphics card can only produce 100 frames per second.

For gaming, this means matching your graphics card to the refresh rate you want. A high-end card like an RTX 4090 can push 240+ Hz in most games, but a mid-range card might only reach 100 Hz at high settings. For everyday work like email and web browsing, this does not matter — your card will easily handle 60 Hz or higher. You can change the refresh rate to whatever your monitor supports, but you will only see the benefit if your card can actually deliver that many frames.

When a higher refresh rate actually matters

A higher refresh rate makes motion smoother and reduces blur when you are moving the mouse or scrolling. At 60 Hz, you see 60 distinct images per second. At 144 Hz, you see 144. The difference is most noticeable in fast-moving games or when dragging windows around the screen. For static work like reading, writing, or spreadsheets, the difference is barely visible.

If you are gaming competitively or doing work that involves a lot of scrolling or panning, a higher refresh rate is worth the investment in both a capable monitor and graphics card. If you mostly read and type, 60 Hz is fine and changing it will not improve your experience. Set the refresh rate to whatever your monitor supports and your graphics card can deliver, then leave it alone unless you notice the display looks choppy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I damage my monitor by setting the refresh rate too high?

No. If you choose a rate the monitor cannot support, the display will go black or show artifacts, but the monitor itself will not be harmed. The system will revert automatically after 15 seconds, or you can restart the computer. Modern monitors have built-in protections against this.

Why does my monitor only show 60 Hz as an option?

Either your monitor is actually a 60 Hz model, your cable does not support higher rates, or your graphics driver is out of date. Check the monitor's specification sheet first. If it supports higher rates, try a different cable (DisplayPort works better than HDMI for high refresh rates) or update your graphics driver from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel.

Does a higher refresh rate use more electricity?

Yes, but the difference is small — typically 5 to 10 watts more for a gaming monitor running at 144 Hz versus 60 Hz. For most people, this is not a meaningful increase in power consumption or cost.

What refresh rate should I choose for everyday work?

60 Hz is standard and perfectly adequate for email, web browsing, documents, and video. If your monitor supports higher rates and you want smoother scrolling, 75 Hz or 100 Hz is a nice middle ground that does not require a powerful graphics card.

Will changing the refresh rate fix a flickering screen?

Sometimes. If the flicker started after you changed the refresh rate, try lowering it by 10 or 15 Hz. If the flicker was already there, it is usually a cable problem or a failing monitor, not a refresh rate issue. Try a different cable first before assuming the monitor is broken.