The refresh rate is how many times a display refreshes the image per second. Therefore, a 144Hz display refreshes the image 144 times per second.
The refresh rate is crucial in the motion smoothness of your display. Thus, higher refresh rates like 144 Hertz ensure a smooth motion in displays.
That means using a gaming monitor with a higher refresh rate. The experience feels smooth and seamless.
Windows should automatically select the best refresh rate when you connect your Monitor to a PC. However, it fails sometimes. Several problems emanating from the hardware or software may limit your display refresh rate below 144Hz. If so, how do you set or change your Monitor to 144Hz?
Related: What is hz on a Monitor? A Complete Guide
Key Takeaways
- 144Hz refresh rate refreshes the display 144 times per second, ensuring a smooth motion.
- A display may fail to display a 144Hz refresh rate even if it supports 144 Hertz refresh rate.
- An outdated graphics card and incorrect display settings may limit a 144Hz monitor from running at 144Hz.
Read through to learn how to set or change your Monitor to 144Hz.
Table Of Contents
- 1 How Do I Get 144HZ on My Monitor With HDMI?
- 2 How Do I Enable 144HZ on My Monitor Windows 10, 11?
- 3 Why Is My Monitor Not Displaying 144HZ?
- 4 Should I Set My Monitor to 144HZ?
- 5 My 144HZ Monitor Is Only Showing 60Hz
- 6 How to Set Monitor to 144HZ NVIDIA Control Panel
- 7 144HZ Monitor Not Showing 144HZ Option
- 8 144HZ Monitor Only Showing 100HZ
- 9 How to Change Acer Monitor to 144HZ
- 10 Lg Ultragear Gaming Monitor How to Change to 144HZ
How Do I Get 144HZ on My Monitor With HDMI?
All HDMI cables above version 1.4 support 144Hz. However, you need to connect the cable to the correct port to transmit 144Hz. Ensure you connect the HDMI cable to the GPU’s dedicated slot to support 144Hz.
While you can run 144Hz over an HDMI cable, you’ll need to sacrifice chroma, color, resolution, and compression.
Below are the refresh rates that different HDMI versions support.
- HDMI 1.4 – 144Hz at 1080p
- HDMI 2.0 – 144Hz at 1440p
- HDMI 2.1 – 144Hz at 4K.
You can’t transmit 144Hz on standard HDMI cables due to limited bandwidth.
Related: Best 1440p Monitor – 5 Models to Consider
How Do I Enable 144HZ on My Monitor Windows 10, 11?
Windows 10
Follow the steps below to enable 144Hz on your Windows 10 device.
- Press the Start tab and select Settings.
- Navigate to System.
3. Choose display from the list of options.
4. Move to Advanced display settings
5. Proceed to Refresh rate. Select 144Hz refresh rate under it.
Windows 11
Follow the steps below to enable 144Hz on your Windows 11 device.
- Go to the Start tab and select Settings.
- Navigate to System.
- Select display from the list of options.
- Move to Advanced display.
- Go to Choose a refresh rate tab and select 144Hz.
Why Is My Monitor Not Displaying 144HZ?
A 144Hz monitor should connect automatically at 144Hz when you connect it to Windows 10 PC. If it fails, your settings may be incorrectly configured, or your Monitor’s drivers may be outdated.
If you’re in this scenario, try the following fixes.
Update Monitor Drivers
A faulty graphics card will cause your 144Hz Monitor to run at lower refresh rates. You’ll need to update the drivers to solve this issue. Remember that the driver you install should match your computer hardware and Operating System. Fortunately, you can avoid this hustle by enabling automatic driver updates.
Adjust Settings Manually
If your monitor settings recommend lower refresh rates, it won’t display 144Hz. To ensure the Monitor displays 144Hz, you must manually change the settings.
Follow the steps below.
- On your Windows computer, go to Start and tap on Settings.
- Next, go to System.
- Navigate to Display.
- Select Advanced Display Settings.
- Check the refresh rate setting. If it isn’t set at 144Hz, configure it appropriately.
- Select the Display Adapter Properties tab.
- Choose Monitor.
- Click on the drop-down menu to select 144Hz refresh rate.
Should I Set My Monitor to 144HZ?
Set your Monitor to 144Hz when playing competitive games. For most users, a 144Hz refresh rate only comes in for gaming needs. Otherwise, you don’t need it. A user playing single-player games won’t necessarily need a 144Hz monitor.
Remember that your Monitor may support a 144Hz refresh rate but fail to produce images at 144hz. You require a dedicated GPU and a powerful processor to produce these high-end images.
But, the higher the refresh rate, the better the motion. Higher refresh rates on games with fast-moving actions produce a perfectly smooth motion to boost your gaming performance.
My 144HZ Monitor Is Only Showing 60Hz
Sometimes, a 144Hz monitor may only show 60Hz. If this issue happens to you, the problem might be the following.
- Default display settings (set at 60Hz)
- Unsuitable HDMI
- Outdated graphics card
- Console (maybe it doesn’t support 144hz)
Related: 144Hz vs. 60Hz – Which Refresh Rate Should I Choose?
Default display settings
The default display settings are the leading cause of 144Hz monitors only showing 60Hz. You’ll need to change the default settings if your Monitor has this issue.
Use the steps below to change the default settings.
- Open Settings.
- Go to System.
- Navigate to Display
- Move to Advanced Display Settings.
- The refresh rate is at the lower-left side of the interface. Press the tab and change the refresh rate to 144Hz.
Unsuitable HDMI
If you incorrectly connect your HDMI cable, the Monitor may fail to show 144Hz but, instead, only show 60Hz. The cable will limit your display’s ability to run 144 Hertz refresh rate.
Therefore, you should always connect your cables correctly. Also, avoid using old cables as they may be damaged.
Outdated Graphics Drivers
It is improbable that your Monitor only shows 60Hz because of an outdated graphics card. However, an outdated graphics card can limit your Monitor’s refresh rate.
You’re more likely to encounter this problem if you don’t use your PC for an extended period. Also, failing to carry out system updates for an extended period can cause the same problem.
Use the relevant GPU software to update your graphics card drivers to address this issue.
Issues emanating from the console
While you may game on a monitor supporting a 144 Hertz refresh rate, the console, on the other hand, may not support this refresh rate.
Below are some quick facts.
- All PS4 models, including PS4 Pro, don’t surpass the 60Hz refresh rate. They have a maximum refresh rate of 60 Hz.
- All Xbox One models have the same fate; a 60Hz maximum refresh rate.
How to Set Monitor to 144HZ NVIDIA Control Panel
Follow the process below to set your Monitor to the 144Hz Nvidia control panel.
- Go to the NVIDIA Control Panel navigation tree pane.
- Navigate to Display.
- Select the Change resolution tab.
- Choose the Monitor to change the refresh rate.
- Select 144 Hertz from the list of refresh rates supported.
144HZ Monitor Not Showing 144HZ Option
If your 144Hz Monitor fails to show the 144Hz option, you’ll need to update the graphics driver or adjust Windows 10 display settings.
Update Graphics Driver
If your 144Hz Monitor has an outdated graphics driver, it may cause the Monitor not to run at 144Hz. If this feature happens, the Monitor can fail to display the 144Hz option.
You can manually update your Monitor’s graphics driver through the Device Manager. Be keen when downloading an update. The source should be trusted, and the driver update should be the stable version.
Make Changes To Windows 10 Display Settings
The 144Hz Monitor not showing the 144Hz option may be a simple settings problem. So you need to change the refresh rate from the Settings app.
Follow the guide below to change your Monitor’s refresh rate.
- Open the Settings app. You can click Windows + I keys simultaneously.
- Navigate to System.
- Select the Display option. This option is found on the left panel of the interface.
- Select Advanced display settings.
- The next screen will show Display information. If the refresh rate reads a value lower than 144 Hertz, press the Display adapter properties.
- Select the Monitor tab.
- Click the drop-down menu. From the refresh rate list, select the refresh rate you wish. In this case, choose 144Hertz.
- Click on the Apply tab to apply the changes.
- Press the OK tab to save changes.
144HZ Monitor Only Showing 100HZ
If your 144Hz Monitor only shows 100Hz, you can configure it to 144 Hertz through the following process.
- Right-click on your PC to view more details.
- From the list of options, select Display Settings.
3. Navigate to Advanced display settings. 4. Under the display information, select Display Adapter Properties.
5. Choose the Monitor tab from the new window that opens.
6. Change the refresh rate from 100Hz to 144Hz.
How to Change Acer Monitor to 144HZ
Follow the steps below to change the Acer monitor to 144 Hertz.
- On your Acer monitor, click on the Menu button.
- Scroll down the options by pressing the down arrow button on the Acer monitor remote.
- Select System and press OK.
- Move back to the remote and press the down arrow key again.
- Select DFHD-144Hz Mode. Change its mode to ON.
Lg Ultragear Gaming Monitor How to Change to 144HZ
Follow the steps below to change the refresh rate of the LG Ultragear gaming monitor to 144Hz.
- Right-click on your desktop to show more options.
- From the list of options, select Display Settings.
- Go to Advanced display settings.
- Under the display information, select Display Adapter.
- Choose the Monitor tab from the new window that opens.
- Select the Screen refresh rate option.
- Set the refresh rate at 144 Hertz.
You may need to turn off Adaptive Sync to run your Monitor at 144Hz refresh. The Adaptive-Sync feature limits HDMI to 100 hertz only.