Troubleshooting

Stuck at 60Hz? Let's fix that.

If the test isn't showing your display's rated refresh rate, work through the fixes for your setup below, then re-run the test.

Back to the test

Windows 11 / 10

  1. 01Open Settings → System → Display → Advanced display.
  2. 02Under 'Choose a refresh rate', pick your panel's highest value.
  3. 03If only 60Hz is listed, update your GPU driver (NVIDIA/AMD/Intel) and reconnect.
  4. 04For laptops, set the power mode to 'Best performance' while plugged in.

macOS

  1. 01Open System Settings → Displays.
  2. 02Hold Option and click 'Refresh Rate' to reveal all available rates.
  3. 03Select the highest supported rate for your external display.
  4. 04On ProMotion MacBooks, ensure 'ProMotion' (not a fixed 60Hz) is selected.

Cables & ports

  1. 01HDMI 1.4 caps 1080p at ~120Hz and 4K at only 30Hz — use HDMI 2.0/2.1 or DisplayPort.
  2. 02Use the cable that shipped with the monitor, or a certified high-bandwidth one.
  3. 03Plug into the GPU's ports, not the motherboard, on desktops with a dedicated card.
  4. 04Avoid cheap adapters/splitters — they silently cap bandwidth and cause frame skipping.

Laptops

  1. 01Keep the charger connected — battery-saver modes drop the panel to 60Hz.
  2. 02Set the OS power/graphics mode to high performance.
  3. 03On hybrid-GPU laptops, make sure the display is driven by the discrete GPU.
  4. 04Check the manufacturer's utility (e.g. gaming center) for a refresh-rate toggle.

Phones & tablets

  1. 01iPhone (ProMotion): Settings → Accessibility → Motion → turn OFF 'Limit Frame Rate'.
  2. 02Android: Settings → Display → 'Smooth display' / 'Motion smoothness' → High.
  3. 03Disable battery saver, which forces 60Hz on most devices.
  4. 04Some devices only run high-Hz at certain brightness or thermal levels.

Troubleshooting FAQ

The test shows my full rate but games feel choppy — why?

Your display may be receiving the signal correctly while the GPU can't sustain that many frames in-game. Lower in-game settings, or confirm VSYNC/G-Sync/FreeSync is configured as you expect.

My number keeps jumping around. Is my monitor broken?

If you have VRR (G-Sync/FreeSync) enabled, a fluctuating rate is normal — it tracks on-screen activity. A steady reading with occasional dropped-frame spikes usually points to a cable or background CPU load.

I enabled 144Hz but still see dropped frames here.

That's often a bandwidth problem: a borderline cable or adapter accepts the mode but can't carry every frame. Swap to a certified DisplayPort/HDMI 2.1 cable and retest.