Many of us have noticed that our screens seem to refresh a lot quicker than they did a few years ago. In Windows, you can change this by going to Control Panel > Display > Advanced Settings > Change advanced display settings > Make sure the settings are set to “Use my display GPUs for this display.” You can find the same option in the Control Panel for Windows 10 under Control Panel > Appearance and Personalization > Display > Change desktop screen settings > Enable Adaptive refresh and then select “Use my display GPUs for this display.”
“How to Change Desktop Screen Refresh Rate in Windows 11” is a blog post title that sounds fairly easy to describe, but it’s really not. Unless you know what you are doing, changing your desktop screen refresh rate can be a bit risky. If you are considering changing your screen’s refresh rate for the first time, you should read this tutorial before you proceed. And remember this: if you are changing your refresh rate, you are not changing your display’s refresh rate, you are changing your monitor’s refresh rate. And you are changing it without changing your display’s refresh rate, thus the risk.
Most people don’t realize that you can change your Windows desktop’s display refresh rate, even if you’re using a 1080p or 4K monitor. The refresh rate determines how fast the computer refreshes the display. The refresh rate is important for both image quality and smooth motion when watching movies.
In Windows 11, this article will teach you how to adjust the refresh rate of your desktop screen. This is the refresh rate that Windows uses to run the desktop screen and any program that runs in windowed mode, unlike the refresh rate you specify in games.
What exactly is refresh rate, and why is it important?
Some contemporary monitors and TVs can operate at refresh rates greater than 60hz, which is the norm for most displays. These high-end monitors are usually known as gaming monitors since they have a refresh rate that is quicker than normal for a better gaming experience. 120hz, 144hz, 240hz, and up to 360hz are some of the most popular high-end monitor refresh rates on the market today.
In a nutshell, the refresh rate is the frequency with which the picture on the display screen is updated. A 144hz monitor, for example, can show pictures at a refresh rate of up to 144 frames per second, giving you a considerably smoother experience than a standard 60 fps screen.
If your game supports it, you may configure your game to run at that particular refresh rate if you have a high-tier display with a refresh rate greater than 60hz. In most games, the refresh rate option is coupled with the screen resolution setting in the visual setup.
Refresh rate in-game compared. refresh rate in Windows
You may adjust the refresh rate of your Windows desktop screen in addition to changing the refresh rate in games. After installing the monitor’s driver, Windows should be able to identify your new display and adjust its refresh rate to the maximum it can handle.
However, there are times when Windows will not adjust the refresh rate on its own and will remain at 60hz. Many users are unaware of this, and as a result, they are unable to get the most out of their display while running applications in windowed mode.
The refresh rate specified in the Windows display settings will be used for every action taken on the Windows desktop screen and any program that runs in windowed mode. Browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, for example, will operate at the refresh rate specified in the Windows display settings when you surf the web.
However, if you run your game in windowed mode, it will run at the refresh rate specified in the Windows display settings.
If you believe Windows is running at a lower refresh rate than your monitor can support, or if you’re not sure, and just want to see what refresh rate Windows is using right now, here’s a quick guide on how to change the desktop screen refresh rate in Windows 11 so that windowed mode apps can run at the rate you want.
How to Change the Refresh Rate of the Desktop Screen in Windows 11
Follow the instructions below to alter the refresh rate of your Windows desktop screen.
- Right-click anywhere on the desktop in Windows 11 and choose Display Settings from the context menu.
- Select Advanced display from the Related settings section of the Display settings box.
- Select the refresh rate you want Windows to use for the desktop screen and applications in windowed mode from the drop-down option next to “Choose a refresh rate” under Display details.
If the refresh rate you want isn’t shown in the list of possible refresh rates, it means either your monitor doesn’t support the refresh rate or it hasn’t been recognized by Windows yet, in which case you should try installing the driver for your monitor.
Unlike in-game refresh rates, the desktop screen and applications that run in windowed mode in Windows 11 have their own refresh rate options.
To change your desktop screen refresh rate in Windows 11, you need to go into the Display Window Settings in Control Panel.. Read more about the display control panel is unable to change refresh rate and let us know what you think.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I change the refresh rate on my desktop?
You can change the refresh rate in Windows by going into the settings and clicking on Display then selecting Change refresh rate.
How do I change my Monitor refresh rate to 144Hz?
You can change your monitor refresh rate to 144Hz by following these steps. 1) Open the Nvidia Control Panel 2) Click on Change Resolution 3) Select the resolution you want, and click apply 4) Click on Advanced Settings 5) Under Display, find Vertical Sync and set it to Always On.
How do I change from 60hz to 144Hz on Windows 10?
To change your refresh rate on Windows 10, you will need to use the Nvidia Control Panel.
Related Tags
This article broadly covered the following related topics:
- how do i set my display settings to default?
- how to change displays on windows 10
- default display settings windows 10
- adjust screen position windows 10
- how do i move screen position?
