Find your monitor's refresh rate settings in Windows or macOS

Your monitor's refresh rate — measured in hertz (Hz) — is how many times per second the screen redraws the image. Most monitors ship set to 60 Hz, but many can run faster. To change it, you go into your operating system's display settings, not into any button on the monitor itself.

On Windows, right-click your desktop, select "Display settings," scroll down to "Advanced display settings," then look for "Refresh rate" in the dropdown menu. On macOS, go to System Settings > Displays > Refresh Rate. The available options depend on what your monitor and graphics card actually support — you can only choose from what they both allow.

Before you change anything, write down what your current refresh rate is. That way, if something looks wrong after the change, you know what to switch back to.

Key Takeaways

  • Your monitor's refresh rate lives in Windows Display Settings or macOS Display Preferences, not on the monitor itself.
  • You can only select a refresh rate that both your monitor and graphics card support; not all combinations work.
  • Higher refresh rates (144 Hz, 240 Hz) require a compatible monitor and a graphics card powerful enough to feed it frames at that speed.
  • If your screen flickers or goes black after changing the refresh rate, revert to the previous setting — Windows will revert automatically after 15 seconds if you don't confirm the change.

Check what refresh rates your monitor actually supports

Not every monitor can run at every refresh rate. A basic office monitor might max out at 60 Hz. A gaming monitor might support 144 Hz, 165 Hz, or 240 Hz. Your graphics card also has to be capable of pushing that many frames per second, or the higher refresh rate won't help.

Find your monitor's model number (usually on a sticker on the back or bottom) and look up its specs on the manufacturer's website or on a retailer's product page. The spec sheet will list the maximum refresh rate and the connection type it needs — HDMI, DisplayPort, or USB-C. This matters because an HDMI cable might not carry a high refresh rate even if the monitor supports it.

If you don't know your graphics card model, open Device Manager on Windows (search for it in the Start menu) and expand "Display adapters." On macOS, go to System Report > Graphics/Displays. Write down the exact model name.

Use the correct cable for the refresh rate you want

The cable connecting your monitor to your computer can be a bottleneck. HDMI 2.0 maxes out around 60 Hz at 1440p resolution and 30 Hz at 4K. HDMI 2.1 can handle much higher refresh rates, but many older cables are HDMI 2.0. DisplayPort 1.4 supports high refresh rates at high resolutions and is common on gaming monitors.

If you're trying to run 144 Hz or higher, check what cable came with your monitor or what you're currently using. If it's an older HDMI cable, that might be why the higher refresh rate option doesn't appear in your settings. Swapping to the cable that came with the monitor, or to a DisplayPort cable if your monitor has that port, often fixes the problem.

Most monitors come with at least one cable in the box. If yours didn't, or if you're not sure what you have, look at the ports on the back of the monitor and the back of your computer. The shape of the port tells you what type of cable fits.

Change the refresh rate in Windows step by step

Right-click on an empty area of your desktop and select "Display settings." If that option doesn't appear, go to Settings > System > Display instead. Scroll down until you see "Advanced display settings" and click it.

In the Advanced Display Settings window, look for a dropdown labeled "Refresh rate." Click it and select the refresh rate you want. Common options are 60 Hz, 75 Hz, 100 Hz, 120 Hz, 144 Hz, 165 Hz, and 240 Hz — but you'll only see the ones your monitor and graphics card support together. Click "Apply."

Windows will ask you to confirm the change. You have 15 seconds to click "Keep changes." If you don't click it, Windows automatically reverts to the previous refresh rate. If the screen goes black, flickers, or looks wrong, just wait for the 15-second timer to expire and it will switch back on its own.

Change the refresh rate on macOS

Click the Apple menu and go to System Settings. Select "Displays," then look for "Refresh Rate" near the bottom of the window. Click the dropdown and choose the refresh rate you want. The change takes effect immediately — there's no confirmation step like Windows has.

If you don't see a Refresh Rate option, your monitor or cable might not support anything higher than what's currently set. On some Macs, especially older ones, the refresh rate options are limited by the graphics hardware. If you're using an external monitor on a MacBook, make sure you're using the cable that came with the monitor or a high-quality replacement.

Understand why higher refresh rates matter (and when they don't)

A higher refresh rate makes motion look smoother, especially in fast-moving content like video games or scrolling through web pages. The difference between 60 Hz and 144 Hz is noticeable to most people. The difference between 144 Hz and 240 Hz is smaller and matters mainly to competitive gamers.

If you're doing office work, writing, or watching videos, you probably won't see a meaningful difference between 60 Hz and 144 Hz. Your graphics card also has to actually produce that many frames per second — if your GPU can only output 80 frames per second, setting the monitor to 144 Hz won't make anything smoother. The monitor will just display each frame multiple times.

Higher refresh rates also use slightly more power and can generate a tiny bit more heat, but the difference is negligible on modern equipment. The main reason not to use a higher refresh rate is if it causes flickering or other display problems, in which case you should revert to a lower setting that's stable.

Troubleshoot if the refresh rate won't change or looks wrong

If the refresh rate option is grayed out or missing entirely, your graphics card drivers are likely out of date. On Windows, go to Device Manager, right-click your graphics card under "Display adapters," and select "Update driver." On macOS, go to System Settings > General > Software Update and install any available updates.

If the screen flickers after you change the refresh rate, revert immediately — either by clicking "Revert" in Windows or by going back into Display Settings and choosing a lower refresh rate. Flickering usually means the monitor, cable, or graphics card can't reliably handle that refresh rate at your current resolution. Try a lower refresh rate, or check that you're using the correct cable.

If you changed the refresh rate and the screen went black, wait 15 seconds without touching anything — Windows will automatically revert. On macOS, if the display goes black, try restarting your Mac or unplugging and replugging the monitor cable. If problems persist, your monitor or graphics card may not actually support the refresh rate you selected, even though it appeared in the menu.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will a higher refresh rate make my computer run slower?

No. The refresh rate only controls how often the monitor redraws the image. It doesn't affect how fast your computer processes data or runs programs. Your graphics card has to work slightly harder to produce more frames per second, but that's separate from the refresh rate setting itself.

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

Modern monitors won't let you select a refresh rate they can't handle — the option simply won't appear in your settings. If you do somehow set an unsupported rate, the worst that usually happens is flickering or a black screen, and reverting the setting fixes it immediately. Permanent damage from refresh rate is extremely rare on current equipment.

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

Either your monitor only supports 60 Hz, your graphics card drivers need updating, or your cable isn't capable of higher refresh rates. Check your monitor's specs first. If it supports higher rates, update your graphics drivers. If that doesn't work, try the cable that came with the monitor or a different cable type (DisplayPort instead of HDMI, for example).

Do I need a special monitor to use 144 Hz?

Yes. A standard office monitor typically maxes out at 60 Hz. Gaming monitors and high-refresh monitors are specifically built to support 144 Hz, 165 Hz, 240 Hz, or higher. The monitor's spec sheet will list its maximum refresh rate. You also need a graphics card capable of producing that many frames per second for the higher refresh rate to matter.

Will changing the refresh rate affect my screen resolution?

No. Refresh rate and resolution are separate settings. You can change one without affecting the other. However, some combinations of very high resolution and very high refresh rate might require a better cable or graphics card to work properly.