How to Check Your Monitor’s Refresh Rate (Hz) in Windows and macOS
Understanding your monitor’s refresh rate is crucial for optimizing your visual experience, especially when gaming or working with visually intensive applications. The refresh rate, measured in Hertz (Hz), indicates how many times per second your monitor updates the image displayed. A higher refresh rate results in smoother motion, reduced motion blur, and a more responsive feel. This guide provides detailed instructions on how to check your monitor’s refresh rate on both Windows and macOS operating systems.
## Why is Refresh Rate Important?
* **Smoother Visuals:** A higher refresh rate makes motion appear smoother. This is particularly noticeable in fast-paced games or when scrolling through documents.
* **Reduced Motion Blur:** Higher refresh rates significantly reduce motion blur, making images sharper and clearer, especially during rapid movement.
* **Lower Input Lag:** A higher refresh rate can reduce input lag, the delay between your actions (e.g., mouse clicks, keyboard presses) and their appearance on the screen. This is vital for competitive gaming.
* **Eye Strain Reduction:** Some users find that higher refresh rates reduce eye strain, as the smoother visuals are easier on the eyes.
## Checking Your Monitor’s Refresh Rate in Windows
Windows offers several methods for checking your monitor’s refresh rate. Here’s a comprehensive guide to each approach:
### Method 1: Using Windows Settings (Recommended)
This is the easiest and most reliable method for most users.
1. **Open Windows Settings:**
* Click on the **Start Menu** (Windows icon in the bottom-left corner).
* Click on the **Settings** icon (gear icon). You can also press **Windows key + I** to directly open the Settings app.
2. **Navigate to Display Settings:**
* In the Settings app, click on **System**.
* In the System settings, click on **Display** in the left-hand sidebar.
3. **Advanced Display Settings:**
* Scroll down the Display settings page until you find the “Related settings” section.
* Click on **Advanced display settings**.
4. **Select Your Monitor (If Multiple Monitors are Connected):**
* If you have multiple monitors connected to your computer, you will see a dropdown menu at the top of the Advanced display settings page labeled “Select a display”.
* Choose the monitor you want to check the refresh rate for from the dropdown menu.
5. **Display Adapter Properties:**
* Scroll down to the bottom of the ‘Advanced display settings’ page.
* Click on **Display adapter properties for Display [Number]** (where ‘[Number]’ corresponds to the display you selected). A new window will open.
6. **Monitor Tab:**
* In the Display Adapter Properties window, click on the **Monitor** tab.
7. **Screen Refresh Rate:**
* Under “Monitor settings”, you will find a dropdown menu labeled “Screen refresh rate”.
* The currently selected refresh rate (in Hz) will be displayed in the dropdown menu. This is your monitor’s current refresh rate.
* **Important:** If you have a G-Sync or FreeSync monitor, and the refresh rate displayed doesn’t match what you expect, make sure G-Sync/FreeSync is enabled in your NVIDIA Control Panel/AMD Radeon Settings (see the sections below). Also, certain applications might override the refresh rate. Close all demanding apps and try again.
8. **Changing the Refresh Rate (Optional):**
* If you want to change the refresh rate, select a different value from the dropdown menu. Your monitor and graphics card must support the selected refresh rate.
* Click **Apply** to save the changes.
* Windows will prompt you to confirm the changes. If the screen appears distorted or unreadable, wait for the timer to expire, and the settings will revert to the previous values. Otherwise, click **Keep changes**.
### Method 2: Using NVIDIA Control Panel (For NVIDIA Graphics Cards)
If you have an NVIDIA graphics card, you can also check and change your monitor’s refresh rate using the NVIDIA Control Panel.
1. **Open NVIDIA Control Panel:**
* Right-click on an empty area of your desktop.
* Select **NVIDIA Control Panel** from the context menu. If you don’t see it, check the hidden icons in your system tray.
2. **Navigate to Change Resolution:**
* In the NVIDIA Control Panel, expand the **Display** section in the left-hand sidebar.
* Click on **Change resolution**.
3. **Select Your Monitor (If Multiple Monitors are Connected):**
* If you have multiple monitors connected to your computer, select the monitor you want to check the refresh rate for from the display selection dropdown.
4. **Refresh Rate:**
* In the “Choose the resolution” section, you will see a dropdown menu labeled “Refresh rate”.
* The currently selected refresh rate (in Hz) will be displayed in the dropdown menu.
5. **Changing the Refresh Rate (Optional):**
* If you want to change the refresh rate, select a different value from the dropdown menu. Your monitor and graphics card must support the selected refresh rate.
* Click **Apply** to save the changes.
### Method 3: Using AMD Radeon Settings (For AMD Graphics Cards)
If you have an AMD graphics card, you can check and change your monitor’s refresh rate using the AMD Radeon Settings software.
1. **Open AMD Radeon Settings:**
* Right-click on an empty area of your desktop.
* Select **AMD Radeon Settings** or **AMD Radeon Software** from the context menu. The exact name may vary depending on the version of the software installed. If you can’t find it there, check the hidden icons in the system tray.
2. **Navigate to Display Settings:**
* In the AMD Radeon Settings window, click on the **Gear** icon in the top-right corner to open the Settings menu.
* Click on the **Display** tab.
3. **Select Your Monitor (If Multiple Monitors are Connected):**
* If you have multiple monitors connected to your computer, select the monitor you want to check the refresh rate for from the display selection dropdown.
4. **Refresh Rate:**
* Under the “Display Options” section, you will find an option labeled “Refresh Rate”.
* The currently selected refresh rate (in Hz) will be displayed next to this option.
5. **Changing the Refresh Rate (Optional):**
* If you want to change the refresh rate, click on the dropdown menu next to “Refresh Rate” and select a different value. Your monitor and graphics card must support the selected refresh rate.
### Method 4: Using DirectX Diagnostic Tool (dxdiag)
The DirectX Diagnostic Tool (dxdiag) provides detailed information about your system, including your monitor’s refresh rate, although it might not always be accurate in reporting the *current* refresh rate, but rather the *maximum supported* one.
1. **Open DirectX Diagnostic Tool:**
* Press **Windows key + R** to open the Run dialog box.
* Type **dxdiag** and press Enter.
2. **Navigate to the Display Tab:**
* In the DirectX Diagnostic Tool window, click on the **Display** tab.
3. **Monitor Information:**
* Under the “Monitor” section, look for the line labeled “Current Mode”. It will display the resolution and refresh rate (e.g., 1920 x 1080 (32 bit) (60Hz)).
## Checking Your Monitor’s Refresh Rate in macOS
macOS also provides a straightforward way to check your monitor’s refresh rate.
### Method 1: Using System Preferences
1. **Open System Preferences:**
* Click on the **Apple Menu** (Apple icon in the top-left corner of your screen).
* Select **System Preferences**.
2. **Navigate to Displays:**
* In the System Preferences window, click on **Displays**.
3. **Display Settings:**
* Select the **Display** tab.
4. **Refresh Rate:**
* You’ll see a dropdown menu labeled “Refresh Rate”. The currently selected refresh rate (in Hz) will be displayed. If you don’t see the refresh rate shown directly, look for an ‘Advanced’ button or similar option within the Displays settings that may reveal it. Also make sure ‘Show all resolutions’ is selected.
5. **Changing the Refresh Rate (Optional):**
* If you want to change the refresh rate, select a different value from the dropdown menu. Your monitor and Mac must support the selected refresh rate.
### Method 2: Using Terminal (Advanced Users)
For advanced users, the Terminal provides a way to retrieve detailed display information, including the refresh rate.
1. **Open Terminal:**
* Open **Finder**.
* Go to **Applications** -> **Utilities**.
* Double-click **Terminal** to launch it.
2. **Run the ioreg Command:**
* In the Terminal window, type the following command and press Enter:
bash
ioreg -l | grep “IODisplayEDID”
3. **Analyze the Output:**
* The command will output a large amount of data. Look for lines that contain information about your display. The refresh rate information might not be directly labeled, but you can infer it based on the display timings.
* For a more user-friendly output, you can try a script:
bash
#!/bin/bash
# Get the IODisplayEDID of the primary display
EDID=$(ioreg -l | grep IODisplayEDID | awk ‘{print $NF}’ | sed ‘s///g’)
# Check if EDID is empty
if [ -z “$EDID” ]; then
echo “Error: Could not retrieve display EDID.”
exit 1
fi
# Decode the EDID (requires `edid-decode` to be installed. Install using `brew install edid-decode`)
edid-decode “$EDID” 2>/dev/null | grep “Refresh rate”
# If edid-decode is not installed, prompt the user.
if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
echo “\nError: edid-decode not found. Please install it using ‘brew install edid-decode’ to get more precise refresh rate information.\n”
echo “Attempting to guess refresh rate from detailed timing descriptor(s).”
# Attempt to determine refresh rate by parsing output of `ioreg`.
refresh_rate=$(ioreg -l | grep “IODetailedTimingInformation” -A 15 | grep pixelsPerSecond | awk ‘{print $3}’ | head -n 1)
if [ -n “$refresh_rate” ]; then
refresh_rate=$(echo “$refresh_rate / $(ioreg -l | grep “IODetailedTimingInformation” -A 15 | grep horizBlanking | awk ‘{print $3}’ | head -n 1) / $(ioreg -l | grep “IODetailedTimingInformation” -A 15 | grep vertBlanking | awk ‘{print $3}’ | head -n 1) / $(ioreg -l | grep “IODetailedTimingInformation” -A 15 | grep horizontalActive | awk ‘{print $3}’ | head -n 1) / $(ioreg -l | grep “IODetailedTimingInformation” -A 15 | grep verticalActive | awk ‘{print $3}’ | head -n 1) | bc -l”)
refresh_rate=$(printf “%.2f\n” “$refresh_rate”)
echo “Guessed Refresh Rate: $refresh_rate Hz”
else
echo “Could not automatically determine refresh rate.”
fi
fi
exit 0
* Save the above script to a file (e.g., `get_refresh_rate.sh`), make it executable (`chmod +x get_refresh_rate.sh`), and run it (`./get_refresh_rate.sh`). Note that it requires `edid-decode` to be installed (`brew install edid-decode`) for precise results. The script provides a fallback option to guess the refresh rate if `edid-decode` is not available, but its accuracy is not guaranteed. The fallback option calculates based on the pixel clock and display timings. It’s important to note that, even with `edid-decode`, the reported values may not always be completely accurate, particularly on complex display configurations (e.g., multiple displays, scaled resolutions). Always verify results with the System Preferences Display settings.
## Troubleshooting
* **Incorrect Refresh Rate Displayed:** Ensure your graphics card drivers are up-to-date. Outdated drivers can cause inaccurate refresh rate readings or prevent you from setting the desired refresh rate.
* **Monitor Not Supporting Desired Refresh Rate:** Your monitor must support the refresh rate you are trying to set. Check your monitor’s specifications to confirm its supported refresh rates. The cable you are using can also affect the supported refresh rate (e.g. older HDMI versions may not support high refresh rates at high resolutions). Try a different cable (DisplayPort is generally preferred for high refresh rates).
* **G-Sync/FreeSync Issues:** If you are using a G-Sync or FreeSync monitor, ensure that the technology is enabled in your graphics card control panel (NVIDIA Control Panel or AMD Radeon Settings) and that your monitor is properly configured to use it. Adaptive sync technologies can sometimes interfere with the reported refresh rate. Also, certain games or applications may have their own settings that override your global refresh rate settings.
* **Resolution and Refresh Rate Limitations:** Higher resolutions require more bandwidth. Your graphics card, monitor, and cable must all support the combination of resolution and refresh rate you are trying to use. If you are having trouble achieving a high refresh rate at your desired resolution, try reducing the resolution.
## Conclusion
Checking your monitor’s refresh rate is a simple but important step in optimizing your visual experience. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily determine your monitor’s refresh rate on both Windows and macOS and adjust it to your liking. Remember to ensure that your monitor, graphics card, and cables all support the desired refresh rate for the best possible results.