A key element to be able to use our PC and get the most out of both the applications we use on a daily basis and the operating system itself is the monitor. Each screen has a refresh rate that is measured in hertz (Hz) and is responsible for defining the number of times an image appears on the screen per second. This is something that we can easily configure in both Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Typically the faster the screen refreshes, the faster and smoother our viewing experience will be. In the same way, the slower the images on the screen are updated, the less fluid this experience will be and can end up leading to flickering on the monitor and causing both headaches and eyestrain.
Laptop screens typically have a standard 60Hz refresh rate. However, if you’re using a desktop monitor, it may have a higher refresh rate of 90Hz, 120Hz, or 144Hz.
If our screen has a refresh rate of 60Hz. which is considered one of the standards, means that it is capable of showing us up to 60 frames per second. In general, the videos have a frequency of 30, so 60 Hz would be enough. But of course, as the demands increase, this value should also be higher, which is why many manufacturers are already launching screens with a higher refresh rate such as 90 Hz, 120 Hz or 144 Hz .
That is why if we want to enjoy it to the fullest while we play or browse a website, we can increase or decrease the refresh rate according to the specifications of our screen.
Change the hertz in Windows 10
In order to modify the refresh rate in Windows 10, we must access the Configuration menu, for which we can use the “Windows + I” key combination or right-click on the Start menu icon and select Configuration. Then click on the “System” section. This will open a new window, in which we will select the “Screen” option in the left side menu. Next, we scroll to the bottom and click on “Advanced display settings” .
In the new screen that appears we can select the screen to see or change its configuration. It will also show us more information about it, such as the resolution, its refresh rate, the bit depth, the color format and the color space. Next, we click on “Show display adapter properties” .
This will open a new floating window where we must click on the “Monitor” tab. Here in the “Monitor settings” section we find the “Screen refresh rate” . Click on the drop-down menu to see other available options. Once finished, click on Apply and OK so that the changes are saved and applied automatically.
Set the frequency in Windows 11
The fastest way to change the update frequency in Windows 11 is through the Settings menu, which we access by pressing the keyboard shortcut “Windows + I”. Later, in the left side menu we select the “System” section and in the right panel we click on “Screen”.
In the new window that appears, we scroll to the bottom until we locate the “Related configuration options” section, where we select the “Advanced screen” option.
Within the advanced configurations for the monitor, we can select a screen to see or change its configuration, something ideal in case we use several monitors at the same time, since we can choose which one we want to make the changes on.
Just below it will show us information about the screen, such as the graphics card to which it is connected, the resolution and active refresh rate, the bit depth, the color format and the color space.
Later we find the section that most interests us called “Choose an update frequency” . Now it is only necessary to click on the box on the right to be able to change the refresh rate of the monitor, the change taking place automatically.
Use the Intel UHD Graphics Control Panel
In the event that our computer has an integrated Intel graphics card, we can use the Intel UHD Graphics Control Panel to change the screen refresh rate. To access it we can write its name in the search box of the Start menu and select it or press the key combination “Ctrl + Alt + F12”. Once opened, we select the “Screen” section that we find in the lower left.
In the new screen that appears we can select the screen on which we want to make the adjustments. Next we can change the resolution of this and just below we have the “Refresh rate” option. We simply have to click on the arrow to display its menu and choose the desired fresh rate. The change will take place automatically.
From the NVIDIA Control Panel
If our PC has an NVIDIA graphics card, we can also use its control panel to adjust and change the refresh rate. To access this application, just click with the right mouse button on a blank space in the Start menu, and in the context menu select NVIDIA Control Panel.
Once opened, in the menu on the left within the “Screen” section, click on “Change resolution”. Later, in the panel on the right, we select the screen for which we want to change the update frequency. Finally, we click on the “Refresh Rate” dropdown menu and select the desired Hertz rate.
Once made, the changes will take effect immediately.
Pages to check the refresh rate of the monitor
Next, we are going to see a series of free tools that will help us determine the refresh rate of our monitor, in case we do not know it. They are web applications, so we can use them from our browser, without having to install any software on our computer.
V-Sync Tester
It is a simple tool that will be put into operation when we access it from the browser through this link to its website . In order for it to work correctly, it requires software with HTML5 support and it will instantly and automatically calculate the refresh rate of the screen, as well as the response delay.
UFO test
This is another free proposal that offers us the update frequency verification function, which is carried out through an internal test that is executed automatically as soon as you access its official website . After a few seconds it will show us both the FPS detected and those supported. In addition, it tells us both pixels per frame and pixels per second. For best results, it is recommended that we close other open tabs and applications in the browser.
Frame Rate Tester
This web application was in charge of testing the FPS frequency and comparing them with the screen update. After an animation on the screen to calculate the speed, it informed us of the frequency data obtained. To work, it required as an essential requirement that we have Flash enabled, but since Flash is already dead, this has caused it to no longer work.