How to Fix a Monitor Not Hitting 144Hz, 165Hz, or 240Hz in Games

What Causes This?

A high-refresh-rate monitor will only run at 144Hz, 165Hz, or 240Hz if every part of the setup supports it. The most common causes are Windows being set to a lower refresh rate, the game using the wrong display mode, a cable or port that cannot carry the full bandwidth, or GPU settings like V-Sync, frame caps, or display scaling getting in the way. Outdated graphics drivers and using HDMI instead of DisplayPort on some monitors can also prevent the monitor from reaching its advertised refresh rate.

Common Symptoms

• Games feel capped at 60Hz or 120Hz even though the monitor supports more
• Windows shows a lower refresh rate than expected in display settings
• The monitor’s on-screen menu reports 60Hz instead of 144Hz, 165Hz, or 240Hz
• Motion looks blurry or less smooth than it should
• Some games hit high FPS, but the screen still does not feel smooth

How to Fix It Manually

1. Check the monitor’s refresh rate in Windows

   1. Right-click the desktop and select Display settings.
   2. Scroll down and click Advanced display.
   3. Under Choose a refresh rate, select 144Hz, 165Hz, or 240Hz if available.
   4. If you have multiple monitors, make sure you are changing the correct display.

2. Use the right cable and port

   1. Make sure the monitor is connected to the graphics card, not the motherboard video output.
   2. If possible, use a DisplayPort cable, since many high-refresh monitors need DisplayPort for full refresh rate at higher resolutions.
   3. If you are using HDMI, check that both the monitor port, GPU port, and cable support the refresh rate you want.
   4. If needed, swap to a certified high-bandwidth cable and test again.

3. Set the correct refresh rate in your GPU control panel

   1. For NVIDIA, right-click the desktop and open NVIDIA Control Panel.
   2. Go to Display > Change resolution and select the monitor.
   3. Choose the monitor’s native resolution and set the highest available refresh rate.
   4. For AMD, open AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition, go to Settings > Display, and confirm the refresh rate and display settings.
   5. For Intel graphics, open Intel Graphics Command Center and check the display mode there.

4. Check in-game display settings

   1. Open the game’s Video or Display settings.
   2. Set the game to the monitor’s native resolution.
   3. Use Fullscreen or Exclusive Fullscreen if available, since some games limit refresh rate in borderless mode.
   4. Disable any frame cap or raise it above your monitor refresh rate.
   5. Turn off V-Sync temporarily while testing.

5. Update your graphics driver

   1. Press Windows + X and click Device Manager.
   2. Expand Display adapters and note your GPU model.
   3. Download the latest driver from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel.
   4. Install it, then restart your PC.

6. Check the monitor’s own settings

   1. Open the monitor’s on-screen display menu using its physical buttons.
   2. Look for options like Refresh Rate, Overclock, Adaptive Sync, or Input Version.
   3. Some monitors require enabling a higher refresh mode manually before 165Hz or 240Hz appears in Windows.

7. Verify actual output

   1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager and close unnecessary background apps that may affect performance.
   2. Launch a game and enable its FPS counter or use your GPU overlay.
   3. If FPS is far below 144, 165, or 240, the monitor may be set correctly but your hardware is not rendering enough frames to match it.

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