How to check the monitor refresh rate in Windows 10

How to check monitor refresh rate in Windows 10

Are you interested in learning how to check the monitor refresh rate in Windows 10? If so stay with us and keep reading.

In this article, we have unveiled the three easiest ways to check the monitor refresh rate in Windows 10.

When it comes to PC gaming, the monitor/screen refresh rate is something that can either make or break your gaming experience.

No one wants to play a competitive shooting game on a blurry screen. Therefore, checking the refresh rate and setting it to a higher value can make your gaming time worth every second.

Generally, most monitors come with a default refresh rate of 60 Hz. That means they can fetch information and update the display at the speed of 60 times per second.

Although it’s a low refresh rate for a gaming monitor, it is pretty good for everyday use.

While it’s no big science to understand that, many people often get confused between different refresh rates and waste time playing on a choppy screen.

Fortunately, you can not only check the refresh rate but can also change it according to your preference.

So, if you are someone who has been looking to enhance the display quality, you can do so by increasing the refresh rate in settings.

To simplify this task, we have also included a step-by-step guide on changing the refresh rate in Windows 10. Read the complete article to know all about your monitor’s refresh rate.

Table of Contents

  1. How to the check monitor refresh rate in Windows 10
    1. What is a monitor refresh rate?
    2. Checking monitor refresh rate in Windows 10
    3. Changing monitor refresh rate in Windows 10
  2. Wrap Up

How to the check monitor refresh rate in Windows 10

What is a monitor refresh rate?

As stated earlier, monitor refresh rate plays a key role in how fast the visuals appear on the screen. It informs you how many times your system refreshes with new images per second.

Therefore, the higher the refresh rate, the higher will be the display quality. And, this is why refresh rate is a crucial aspect of a gaming setup.

Although the concept of refresh rate is not difficult to understand, many gamers misunderstood their monitor’s display rate with the frame rate (FPS).

While both indicate the number of times a stationary image appears on the monitor screen, they don’t mean the same.

A refresh rate, in simple words, refers to how fast a monitor can refresh its visuals and video signals. It is measured in Hertz (Hz) and is responsible for a laggy or fluid display while gaming.

On the other hand, FPS refers to the number of distinct stationary images produced by the processor and depends on in-game settings.

However, even with their differences, they do work together in giving you an effortless gaming experience.

Till now, you must have understood the importance of display refresh rate for a smooth gaming PC.

Now, let’s find out the three best ways to check your monitor’s refresh rate setting.

Checking monitor refresh rate in Windows 10

If you are a Windows 10 user, you can check the computer monitor refresh rate by any of the following methods:

Via System Settings

  • Press the “Windows key +I” on your keyboard and go to “System”;
How to check monitor refresh rate in Windows 10

  • Tap on the “Display” tab on the left pane and then click on “Advanced Display Settings”;
How to check monitor refresh rate in Windows 10

  • There you will find the display refresh rate along with some other display specifications like screen native resolution, bit depth, etc.
How to check monitor refresh rate in Windows 10

  • You can also click on the “Display adapter properties” option below the display information to check the screen refresh rate. For this, switch to the Monitor tab after the display adapter properties tab appears on the screen.
How to check monitor refresh rate in Windows 10

Using the Run Prompt

There is an easier and quicker way to find out your monitor’s refresh rate in seconds. It’s by using the Run utility on your system.

  • Open the Run box by pressing “Windows + R” keys;
  • Type or paste “dxdiag” in the Run bar and hit Enter. The DirectX diagnostic app window will open on your screen;

  • Click on the “Display” tab and then scroll through the device information until you see the current display mode. It will show you three things: your maximum computer display resolution, operating system, and screen refresh rate.

Check refresh rate in System Information

  • Hold the “Windows + R” keys and type “msinfo32” in the Run box;

  • Double-Click on the “Components” tab in the left corner and then on “Display”;
  • Find the “Resolution” option to see the current screen resolution and refresh rate in Hertz.

Changing monitor refresh rate in Windows 10

You can change or set the refresh rate in Windows 10 by heading over to the advanced display setting in the Settings app. To do so, go to “Settings”.

In Settings, click on “System” > “Display” > “Advanced display settings” > “Display adapter properties” and “Monitor”.

Now, you will see the screen refresh rate option. Click on it and select the desired refresh rate for your monitor.  Finally, click “OK” to apply it to your current monitor display.

If you are unable to change the default refresh rate on your monitor, this might be due to two reasons.

  • If your monitor uses an HDMI port, it wouldn’t allow you to increase the default refresh rate. In this case, you will need a DisplayPort cable to set the maximum refresh rate for your display;
  • Also, with a substandard HDMI cable or DisplayPort cable, your monitor might not change refresh rates quickly. So make sure to get a quality cable before changing the screen refresh rates.

Wrap Up

A higher refresh rate can play a huge role in improving the overall resolution quality of your monitor while gaming.

For everyday laptops and LCD monitors, the ideal refresh rate is around 60 to 75 Hz with 1080p resolution. While for gaming monitors, a 120 Hz refresh rate with 1440p resolution is tested to give the best results.

However, before setting any refresh rate, make sure to check the system’s compatibility with the monitor refresh rate to avoid problems like screen tearing.

Once you have checked its compatibility, you can change or improve monitor refresh rates using any of the above methods, so you never miss your targets because of the blurred-out visuals.

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