How to Find the Refresh Rate of Your Monitor

Your monitor's refresh rate determines how many times per second the screen redraws the image — measured in hertz (Hz). A 60Hz display updates 60 times per second. A 144Hz display updates 144 times per second. That difference is visible, especially in fast-moving content like games or video.

Knowing your actual refresh rate matters because your monitor may support a high refresh rate, but your system might not be running it at that level. Here's how to check — across every major platform.

What Refresh Rate Actually Means

Refresh rate is not the same as frame rate, though the two are closely related. Frame rate (measured in FPS) is how many frames your GPU produces. Refresh rate is how many times your monitor can display a new frame. If your monitor is capped at 60Hz but your GPU is outputting 120 FPS, the monitor can only show 60 of those frames per second.

Common refresh rate tiers you'll encounter:

The refresh rate your system is currently using may differ from the maximum your monitor supports — which is exactly why checking it directly is worthwhile.

How to Check Refresh Rate on Windows

Windows 11 and Windows 10

1. Right-click on the desktop and select Display settings
2. Scroll down and click Advanced display settings
3. Under your monitor's name, you'll see Refresh rate listed — for example, 144Hz

You can also change the refresh rate from this same screen using the Choose a refresh rate dropdown. If your monitor supports multiple rates, they'll all appear here.

Via Device Manager (for more technical detail)

1. Open Device Manager
2. Expand Monitors
3. Right-click your monitor and select Properties

This won't show the active refresh rate directly, but it confirms the driver your system is using, which can affect what rates are available.

How to Check Refresh Rate on macOS

1. Open System Settings (macOS Ventura and later) or System Preferences (older versions)
2. Click Displays
3. Look for the Refresh Rate dropdown

On MacBooks with ProMotion displays (M-series chips and newer), you'll typically see options up to 120Hz, and the system may adjust dynamically depending on what's on screen. What's shown in the dropdown is the current set rate, not necessarily the instantaneous rate.

How to Check on Linux 🖥️

In most desktop environments (GNOME, KDE), navigate to:

Settings → Display — the active refresh rate is shown alongside resolution.

For terminal users, the command:

xrandr 

outputs detailed display information including all supported modes and the active one (marked with an asterisk *).

How to Check Refresh Rate on a Gaming Console

• PlayStation 5: Settings → Screen and Video → Video Output → Video Output Information shows current refresh rate
• Xbox Series X/S: Settings → General → TV & display options → Refresh rate is listed under the current resolution

Why Your Monitor Might Not Be Running at Its Maximum Rate

This is where a lot of confusion happens. Your monitor may be rated for 144Hz, but if Windows defaulted to 60Hz during setup, that's what you're getting. Several factors affect this:

• Cable type: An older HDMI 1.4 cable may cap out at 60Hz at higher resolutions. DisplayPort and HDMI 2.0/2.1 generally support higher refresh rates
• GPU capability: Your graphics card needs to support the output resolution and refresh rate combination
• Driver state: Outdated GPU drivers can limit available refresh rate options
• Display mode: Some monitors have separate modes (e.g., a "gaming mode" or preset) that unlock higher refresh rates

Running a quick refresh rate test — like the one at testufo.com — can give you a visual confirmation of what your display is actually rendering, separate from what your OS settings report.

The Variables That Make This Different for Every Setup 🔍

Checking the refresh rate is straightforward, but what you do with that information depends on several things that vary widely between users:

• Your GPU model determines the ceiling of what refresh rates are achievable at your resolution
• Your cable and port (HDMI version, DisplayPort version, USB-C with DisplayPort Alt Mode) each carry different bandwidth limits
• Your OS version affects where the settings live and what options appear
• Your use case — whether you're doing video editing, competitive gaming, or general productivity — shapes whether the difference between 60Hz and 144Hz is meaningful to you at all
• Adaptive sync technologies like G-Sync or FreeSync add another layer, dynamically adjusting the refresh rate to match frame output rather than holding a fixed rate

Someone running a high-end gaming rig with a 240Hz monitor and DisplayPort 1.4 is in a completely different situation from someone using a laptop connected to an external display via a USB-C hub. Both can check their refresh rate using the steps above — but what they find, and whether any adjustment makes sense, comes down to the specifics of their own setup.