Where to find the settings menu on your VG27AQ3A

The ASUS VG27AQ3A has a physical menu button on the back-right corner of the monitor base. Press this button once to open the on-screen menu — you'll see a white menu appear in the center of your screen with options listed vertically. The menu stays open for about 30 seconds of inactivity, then closes automatically. If you need to adjust a setting and the menu closes, just press the button again.

Below the menu button are four arrow buttons arranged in a cross pattern. Use the up and down arrows to move between menu options, and the left and right arrows to change the value of whichever setting you've selected. A button labeled "Back" or with a left-pointing arrow lets you exit the current submenu and return to the main list.

Key Takeaways

  • The menu button is on the back-right of the monitor base; press it to open the on-screen menu that appears in the center of your screen.
  • Use the up and down arrow buttons to navigate between settings, and left and right arrows to change values.
  • Brightness and contrast are in the Picture menu, and refresh rate is in the Display menu under Resolution.
  • The VG27AQ3A defaults to 60 Hz; you must change this to 144 Hz in the Display menu to use the monitor's full speed.
  • If you change a setting and want to undo it, the Reset option in the System menu restores factory defaults.

Adjusting brightness and contrast

Open the on-screen menu by pressing the menu button, then use the up and down arrows to highlight "Picture." Press the right arrow to enter the Picture submenu. You'll see options including Brightness, Contrast, and Color Temperature. Highlight "Brightness" and use the left and right arrows to increase or decrease it — the number appears next to the setting and ranges from 0 to 100.

Brightness controls how light or dark the entire screen appears. If you're in a bright room, increase brightness; if you're in a dark room, lower it to reduce eye strain. Contrast controls the difference between the brightest whites and darkest blacks on your screen. Most people leave contrast at the default 50, but you can adjust it if dark areas look washed out or if bright areas look blown out. After you've set both values, press the back button to return to the main menu.

Changing the refresh rate to 144 Hz

The VG27AQ3A is a 144 Hz monitor, but it ships set to 60 Hz by default. You must change this in your graphics settings, not in the monitor menu itself. The monitor menu controls only the resolution and input source — the refresh rate is controlled by your computer.

On Windows, right-click on your desktop and select "Display settings." Scroll down and click "Advanced display settings." Look for "Refresh rate" near the bottom of the window and click the dropdown. Select 144 Hz from the list. Click "explore," then "Keep changes" when Windows asks if you want to keep the new setting. On Mac, open System Preferences, go to Displays, click "Scaled," and look for a refresh rate option if your graphics card supports it — not all Macs offer this choice.

If 144 Hz doesn't appear in your list, your graphics card or cable may not support it. Check that you're using a DisplayPort cable or a high-speed HDMI cable (HDMI 2.0 or newer), not an older VGA or standard HDMI cable. If you're using the correct cable and 144 Hz still doesn't show up, update your graphics card driver.

Changing color temperature and color settings

Open the menu, navigate to Picture, and highlight "Color Temperature." The VG27AQ3A offers preset options: Standard (neutral white), Warm (more orange), and Cool (more blue). Select whichever looks most comfortable to your eyes. Standard is the best choice for photo or video work; Warm is easier on the eyes in dark rooms; Cool is useful if you find the screen looking yellow.

If you want more control, look for "RGB" in the Picture menu on some firmware versions. This lets you adjust red, green, and blue channels individually, though most people don't need this level of control. After selecting your color temperature, press back to return to the main menu.

Adjusting response time and overdrive

Open the menu and navigate to Picture. Look for "Overdrive" — this setting reduces ghosting (a blur that trails behind moving objects) by speeding up how fast pixels change color. The VG27AQ3A offers Off, Low, Medium, and High. For gaming, Medium or High is typical, but if you see dark halos around moving objects, lower it to Low or Off.

Response time itself is not adjustable on this monitor — it's a fixed hardware specification of 1 millisecond. Overdrive is the only setting that affects perceived responsiveness. Test different overdrive levels while playing a game you know well; the setting that looks sharpest without halos is the right one for you.

Changing input source and resolution

Open the menu and navigate to "Display." You'll see "Resolution" and "Input" options. Resolution shows the current pixel count — the VG27AQ3A supports 2560 × 1440 (its native resolution) and lower resolutions like 1920 × 1080. Leave this at 2560 × 1440 unless your graphics card can't handle it; lower resolutions look blurry on this monitor.

The Input option lets you switch between DisplayPort, HDMI, and USB-C if you have multiple cables connected. Highlight "Input" and use the left and right arrows to cycle through available inputs. The monitor will switch to whichever input you select. This is useful if you connect both a gaming PC and a work laptop and want to switch between them without unplugging cables.

Resetting all settings to factory defaults

If you've changed multiple settings and want to start over, open the menu and navigate to "System" or "Setup" (the exact name varies by firmware version). Look for "Reset" or "Factory Reset." Select it and confirm when the monitor asks if you're sure. All settings return to their original values: brightness at 50, contrast at 50, color temperature at Standard, and overdrive at Medium.

This does not affect your refresh rate setting on your computer — that's stored by Windows or Mac, not by the monitor. You'll need to change the refresh rate back to 144 Hz in your graphics settings if you want it after a factory reset.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my screen look blurry after I changed the resolution?

The VG27AQ3A's native resolution is 2560 × 1440. If you set it lower, Windows or Mac scales the image up, which makes text and images look soft. Set the resolution back to 2560 × 1440 in your Display settings on your computer. If your graphics card can't handle that resolution, you may need a newer card.

I changed the refresh rate but it keeps going back to 60 Hz after I restart.

Windows sometimes resets the refresh rate if there's a driver issue. Right-click your desktop, select Display settings, go to Advanced display settings, and set it to 144 Hz again. Then update your graphics card driver through the manufacturer's website (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel). After the driver updates, restart and set the refresh rate again — it should stick this time.

What does overdrive do and why does my screen look weird when it's on High?

Overdrive speeds up pixel response to reduce ghosting during fast motion. On High, it can overshoot and create dark halos around moving objects. If you see this, lower overdrive to Medium or Low. The best setting depends on your eyes and the game — test a few levels while playing something with lots of motion.

Can I control the monitor settings from my computer instead of using the buttons?

ASUS makes a software called DisplayWidget that can control some settings remotely on certain monitors, but compatibility with the VG27AQ3A varies. The physical buttons on the monitor are the most reliable way to adjust settings. Check ASUS's support page for your specific model to see if DisplayWidget is available.

The menu button doesn't work — what should I do?

Make sure you're pressing the button on the back-right of the monitor base, not the power button. If the menu still doesn't appear, the monitor may need a power cycle: unplug it from the wall, wait 10 seconds, and plug it back in. If the menu still doesn't open after that, contact ASUS support — the button may be stuck or the monitor may have a hardware issue.