A monitor’s refresh rate refers to how quickly and smoothly images transition on the screen. The higher the refresh rate, the smoother and clearer the transition. Checking a monitor’s refresh rate involves navigating to Advanced Display Settings settings and choosing the desired refresh rate settings.
Table Of Contents
- 1 How Do I Find My Screen Refresh Rate?
- 1.1 How to Check a Monitor Refresh Rate with Windows 7
- 1.2 How to Check Your Monitor Hz with Windows 10
- 1.3 How to Check Your Monitor Refresh Rate with Windows 11
- 1.4 How to Check Monitor Refresh Rate with Mac
- 1.5 How to Check Screen Refresh Rate with Android
- 1.6 How to Change the Refresh Rate on a Monitor without a PC
- 2 How to Check the Refresh Rate on a Laptop
- 3 How do I Know If My Monitor Is 144 Hz?
- 4 How Do I Know If My Monitor Is 120 Hz?
- 5 Why a Monitor’s Refresh Rate Is Crucial
Key Takeaways
- Right-click on the desktop and select Display Settings
- Select your desired monitor if you have multiple displays
- Scroll down and select Advanced Display Settings
- Check the drop-down menu available under Refresh Rate. The current refresh rate is shown here and can be higher if your monitor/PC is capable.
However, the process differs based on the device you’re using and the operating system.
Related: 8 of The Cheapest 240HZ Monitors on The Market in 2023
How Do I Find My Screen Refresh Rate?
Refresh rates are typically located under the ‘Settings’ option, but how you reach and customize them depends on your device. Here’s how you find and change screen refresh rates on different devices:
How to Check a Monitor Refresh Rate with Windows 7
Checking and changing the monitor Hz rate in Windows 7 is straightforward by following these steps:
- Right-click on the desktop and select ‘Personalization’ to open the ‘Settings’ window.
- Click ‘Display’ and ‘Change Display Settings’ then ‘Advanced Settings.’
- Doing so opens a similar window to the one below, where you select a drop-down menu under the ‘Screen refresh rate’ and change it to 60 Hertz. Click ‘Apply’ and close all the tabs.
- Give your computer a few seconds for the changes to reflect. Sometimes the screen might ‘blink’ and come back with a clearer display.
Related: Best Gaming Monitor: The Top 6 Displays in 2023
How to Check Your Monitor Hz with Windows 10
Checking and changing the refresh rate on Windows 10 takes a different approach, and you can follow these steps:
- Click on ‘Start’ > ‘Settings’ > ‘System Display’ > then ‘Advanced Display.’
- The computer will open a new Advanced Display tab showing desktop resolution, active signal resolution, and refresh rate. You can change the refresh rate at the bottom of the panel under the ‘Refresh Rate’ option like the one below:
- Change it to the higher settings if you need a better experience.
How to Check Your Monitor Refresh Rate with Windows 11
Power on your PC, and open Start > Settings > System > Display > Related Settings > Advanced Display Settings.
Open Display Information and make changes to the refresh rates under ‘Choose a Refresh Rate’ as shown below:
Give your PC a bit of time for the changes to reflect.
How to Check Monitor Refresh Rate with Mac
Mac computers are slightly different from Windows, and accessing the refresh rate page follows a different approach. Here’s how you do it:
- Click on the Apple icon > About this Mac > System Report > Graphics/Display > Resolution.
- Here, you’ll see the current refresh rate, and you can change it by clicking the drop-down menu, which opens different refresh rate settings, shown here:
- Choose the highest refresh rate if you need optimal performance. Again, give your Mac some time for changes to reflect. Try restarting the computer if the changes don’t show up.
How to Check Screen Refresh Rate with Android
Android 11 allows users to check the devices’ refresh rate, with the settings accessible using this path:
Settings > System > Developer Options > Show Refresh Rate.
The option is often off by default, and tapping on the toggle exposes the devices’ refresh rate at the top left corner, as shown below:
Android devices block users from accessing the Developer Options, but there’s an easy way around such restrictions. Follow these steps to access the Developer Options:
- Settings > About Device/About Phone > Software Information. Scroll down to Build Number and tap it five or seven times, depending on your device.
- You’ll be prompted to enter your phone unlock pin or pattern and granted access to Developer Options.
- From there, scroll down until you locate the Refresh Rate option.
How to Change Refresh Rate on a Monitor
Sometimes you may have more than one monitor connected to your PC, which is common with gamers. In this case, you’ll have to navigate to Settings > Display Settings and choose the monitor you want to change the refresh rate.
It’s always best to match the refresh rate on the two monitors to get the best experience.
Related: Gaming Monitor Vs. Regular Monitor
How to Change the Refresh Rate on a Monitor without a PC
Changing the refresh rate on a monitor without a PC can be complex, but the easiest way is using the gaming device you have, like an Xbox or PlayStation, to induce the changes. Here’s how you do it:
- Changing refresh rate through Xbox: Press Xbox Button > Profile and System > Settings > General > Tv and Display Options > Refresh Rate.
Set it to at least 120Hz to support the default Xbox gaming requirement.
- Changing refresh rate through PlayStation: Go to Settings > General > TV and Display Options > Video Fidelity and Overscan > Connection and change it from Auto-detect to HDMI and select 120Hz.
Using an HDMI 2.1 cable is another way of improving a monitor’s refresh rate, as the cable supports up to 60 frames-per-second, equivalent to 4K resolution.
How to Check the Refresh Rate on a Laptop
Laptops follow the same procedure as any computer, and you can access the refresh rate option by following these steps:
Right-click on the desktop > Display Settings > Advanced Display Settings and see how much refresh rates your laptop supports. The default setting for any laptop is 60Hz, but you should check to be sure. However, check the Operating System type, as each has a slightly different route. However, it’s always safe to use this method despite the type of OS your laptop is running on:
Start > Settings/Control Panel > System > Display > Advanced Settings > Refresh Rate
How do I Know If My Monitor Is 144 Hz?
The easiest way of knowing if the monitor uses 144 Hz is by using the Advanced Display option mentioned in this article several times. Manual check allows you to customize and change the settings as you see fit.
However, you can check the media output to know whether the monitor has a higher or lower refresh rate. Clear images mean a high refresh rate, and the opposite is true.
How Do I Know If My Monitor Is 120 Hz?
A monitor’s refresh rate is indicated by navigating to Settings > System > Display > Advanced Display > Refresh Rate.
Ideally, you can check image quality, clarity, and whether the media is dragging behind as you play.
Why a Monitor’s Refresh Rate Is Crucial
A higher refresh rate means a smooth picture display, enhancing your gaming experience. It also means a lower load on the CPU, especially the graphics card, which renders the video output. Smooth media transition is gentle to the eyes, keeps you in the game for longer, and enhances your decision-making when gaming since the action takes time in real-time.
When buying a monitor for gaming or other high-end use such as video editing, ensure you get one with a refresh rate of at least 60 Hz and above. Also, the device you connect to the monitor, like Xbox or PlayStation, determines the picture quality, so not everything is about the monitor’s refresh rate. You can always talk to an expert if you don’t know which monitor to get for your high-end use.
