Run the refresh rate test It shows the rate your browser is actually getting, so you know whether the fix took.
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Plenty of 144Hz monitors spend their whole lives at 60Hz because nobody told Windows. That’s the easy case. When 144 isn’t even in the list, something in the chain (cable, port, adapter, driver or the monitor’s own menu) can’t carry it yet. Work down this page in order. The cheap checks come first.
How do I check what refresh rate my monitor is running?
Two places, and they can disagree.
- Windows: Start > Settings > System > Display > Advanced display. Microsoft’s refresh rate guide says the Display information panel there shows the current resolution and refresh rate for the selected display.
- Your browser: open the refresh rate test. It measures how often the browser draws a frame. If Windows says 144 and the test says 60, something between the setting and the screen is capping it.
Using more than one monitor? Pick the right one in the Advanced display dropdown first. Easy to miss.
Fix 1: set the refresh rate in Windows (or macOS)
- Go to Settings > System > Display > Advanced display and choose the highest rate next to “Choose a refresh rate.” Expected result: the screen blinks once and the new rate sticks.
- See an asterisk (*) next to a rate? Microsoft says that rate doesn’t support your current resolution, and picking it changes the resolution. Set your native resolution first.
- Rate keeps dropping in some apps? Microsoft notes Dynamic refresh rate (DRR) can limit the maximum rate in games not built for variable refresh. Turn DRR off in the same page to rule it out.
On a Mac, it’s Apple menu > System Settings > Displays, then the Refresh Rate menu, per Apple’s guide. Apple lists that menu for MacBook Pro 14 and 16-inch and its XDR displays; third-party monitors show the rates they report to macOS.
Fix 2: check the monitor’s own menu
Some monitors only offer their top rate after you switch it on in the on-screen menu. KTC’s refresh rate guide tells owners to look for an “Overclocking” or “OC” option, enable it, power-cycle the monitor and check the list again. BenQ’s 144Hz troubleshooting page starts with the same step: confirm the monitor’s menu shows the high rate.
Also check which input the monitor is set to. HDMI 1 and HDMI 2 on the same monitor don’t always support the same rates. The spec page or manual will say.
Fix 3: cable, port and adapters
The cable is always “definitely plugged in.” Check it anyway. This is the most common reason 144 never appears.
- Use DisplayPort if the monitor has it. BenQ warns that some monitors are limited to a lower refresh rate over HDMI.
- On HDMI, use the port and cable type the monitor’s manual lists for its top rate. BenQ recommends a Premium High Speed HDMI cable over a standard one.
- Plug into the graphics card, not the motherboard’s video port. On a desktop with a separate GPU, the motherboard port is the wrong one for gaming.
- Remove docks, KVM switches, adapters and extension cables while you test. KTC lists all of these as things that can cap the mode.
- Try lowering the resolution one step. If 144 suddenly appears, KTC says the path is hitting a bandwidth limit. That points at the cable or port.
Microsoft’s Q&A forum has a thread that fits this pattern: a 3440 x 1440 monitor on DisplayPort suddenly showed only 60Hz, while a 144Hz mode was still listed at a lower resolution. The suggested fixes there were a different DisplayPort cable and a clean driver install.
Fix 4: GPU driver and “List all modes”
- Update the graphics driver from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel. If the problem started right after an update, roll back to the last driver that worked.
- Still stuck? Do a clean reinstall of the driver. The Microsoft Q&A answer above suggests this when a normal update doesn’t help.
- Check the GPU control panel. In NVIDIA Control Panel, Change resolution has its own refresh rate list; AMD Software has display settings for the same thing.
- Rate missing from the main list? KTC suggests Display adapter properties > List all modes, where you can pick a resolution and refresh rate combination directly.
Laptops and consoles
Laptops add power settings to the mix. On battery, some laptops and browsers lower the rate to save power, so plug in before you test. Check the laptop maker’s control app too, since several brands put a refresh rate or panel mode switch there.
Consoles set their own output. A console connected to a 144Hz monitor only sends what the console supports, which may be lower than the monitor’s top rate. Check the console’s video output settings and its maker’s support page for supported modes.
Screen flickering instead? Quick triage
Flicker and a wrong refresh rate often share a cause, so the cable and driver checks above help with both. Microsoft’s flicker troubleshooter adds two quick tests:
- Press Windows logo key + Ctrl + Shift + B to reset the graphics driver. The screen goes black for a second.
- Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc). If Task Manager flickers with everything else, the display driver is probably the cause. If it doesn’t, an app probably is.
The refresh rate test also has a flicker check you can run. One honest limit: a browser can’t measure PWM backlight flicker, the kind some people notice as eye strain at low brightness. For the full flicker walk-through, see our monitor flickering fix guide.
Still stuck at 60Hz?
Try the monitor on another computer or another port with a known-good cable. If it reaches its top rate there, the problem is on the PC side (driver, GPU output, settings). If it won’t reach it anywhere, with the right cable, the monitor or its firmware is the problem, and that’s a support ticket. Once it’s running at full speed, our 144Hz settings guide covers overdrive and input lag, and the ghosting guide helps with smearing.
If it can’t be fixed
If the monitor can’t reach its advertised rate on any computer, with the cable and port its manual specifies, contact the retailer inside the return window or the maker’s support. Have the model number, the port and cable you used, and a screenshot of the refresh rate list ready.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my monitor say 60Hz when it’s 144Hz?
Windows often starts at 60Hz. Pick the higher rate in Settings > System > Display > Advanced display. If 144 isn’t offered, the cable, port, adapter or driver can’t carry it at your current resolution.
Does HDMI support 144Hz?
It depends on the monitor’s HDMI port and the cable. BenQ notes some monitors are limited to a lower refresh rate over HDMI, so check the manual for the rate each port supports, or use DisplayPort.
Why is 144Hz only available at a lower resolution?
That usually means a bandwidth limit somewhere in the chain, often the cable or port. KTC’s guide describes this exact sign.
Can a monitor flicker because of the refresh rate?
A wrong setting, a weak cable or a driver problem can all cause flicker. Microsoft suggests resetting the graphics driver with Windows + Ctrl + Shift + B and checking whether Task Manager flickers.
How do I know my monitor is really running at 144Hz?
Check the Display information panel under Advanced display, then run a refresh rate test in your browser to confirm the rate you’re actually getting.
Related fixes
- Refresh rate test (free tool)
- Monitor flickering fix guide
- Monitor ghosting fix guide
- Settings for budget 144Hz monitors
- All screen fix guides
Sources
- Microsoft: Change the refresh rate on your monitor in Windows, checked 2026-10-17.
- Microsoft: Troubleshoot screen flickering in Windows, checked 2026-10-17.
- Apple: Change the refresh rate on your MacBook Pro or Apple display, checked 2026-10-17.
- BenQ: How to make your monitor run at 144Hz / 165Hz / 240Hz, checked 2026-10-17.
- KTC: Monitor refresh rate and resolution guide, checked 2026-10-17.
- Microsoft Q&A: Suddenly unable to set monitor to anything other than 60hz, checked 2026-10-17.
