Refresh Rate Test: What Hz Is Your Monitor Actually Running At?
Test your monitor's actual refresh rate online in seconds. See detected Hz, compare it to your display spec, and fix it if Windows locked you at 60Hz. Free, no download.
REFRESH RATE TEST
Measure your monitor’s refresh rate
Detect your display’s actual refresh rate using browser timing. Run the test and compare the result with your monitor’s rated refresh rate.
Not sure how many Hz your screen supports? Run the test first, then compare the result to your monitor’s rated refresh rate.
Keep this page visible throughout the test. Switching tabs invalidates the measurement.
How accurate is this?
- Browser timing cannot verify panel hardware specifications.
- Power saving, graphics configuration and browser scheduling can lower the reading.
- With multiple displays, keep the entire browser window on the display you want to test. Mixed refresh rates can affect browser timing.
This test estimates the cadence of browser animation callbacks. Browser scheduling, power saving, background tabs, and display settings can affect the reading; it cannot independently verify a monitor’s hardware specification.
How to check your monitor's rated refresh rate
Compare the measured browser refresh timing with the refresh rate listed for your display. On Windows, open Settings, choose System, Display, then Advanced display. On macOS, open System Settings and choose Displays.
Why is my monitor stuck at 60Hz?
A display can run below its rated refresh rate when the operating system is set to 60Hz, a power-saving mode is active, a graphics driver needs attention, or the cable and port combination does not support the selected resolution and refresh rate.
Check the display settings first, then verify the cable and port specifications for your monitor and computer. HDMI 1.4, HDMI 2.0 and HDMI 2.1 have different capabilities; the exact supported rate also depends on resolution and device hardware.
How to change your refresh rate
- Windows： Open Settings → System → Display → Advanced display, then choose a supported refresh rate.
- macOS： Open System Settings → Displays and select an available refresh rate for the display.
- NVIDIA Control Panel： Open Change resolution, select the display, and choose a supported refresh rate. Apply only a mode listed for your display.
Refresh rate and frame interval reference
| Refresh rate | Frame interval |
|---|---|
| 60 Hz | 16.67 ms |
| 75 Hz | 13.33 ms |
| 100 Hz | 10.00 ms |
| 120 Hz | 8.33 ms |
| 144 Hz | 6.94 ms |
| 165 Hz | 6.06 ms |
| 180 Hz | 5.56 ms |
| 240 Hz | 4.17 ms |
| 360 Hz | 2.78 ms |
Check settings, connections and power
- Windows: Settings → System → Display → Advanced display → Choose a refresh rate. Select the correct monitor first.
- Graphics controls: check the display mode in NVIDIA Control Panel or AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition where available. Use a mode supported by your monitor.
- Cable and ports: verify the resolution and refresh rate supported by both devices and the cable. HDMI 1.4b lists 3840 × 2160 modes up to 30 Hz; a version label alone does not guarantee a particular mode.
- Laptop: connect the charger, review power-saving and dynamic refresh-rate settings, then test again. Battery operation does not impose the same limit on every laptop.
Compare 60 and 144 frame steps
This is a simulated motion comparison, not a refresh-rate measurement. Both objects move at the same speed. Your display and browser limit the frames you can actually see; a 60 Hz screen cannot show 144 distinct frames per second.
Does refresh rate affect FPS?
FPS is how many frames a device renders; refresh rate is how often a display updates. They describe different parts of motion on screen.
Run the FPS test →More display tests
FPS test · Ghosting Test (Planned) · Dead Pixel Test (Planned)
Refresh rate test FAQ
Why does my 144 Hz monitor show 60 Hz?
Check the active display mode, power settings, browser and connection limits. A lower browser timing estimate does not prove that your monitor is faulty.
How accurate is this browser Hz test?
It estimates animation callback timing over five seconds. It cannot independently verify panel hardware specifications, and browser scheduling can affect the result.
How do I test multiple monitors?
Move the entire browser window onto the display you want to test, keep it there and run a fresh test. Mixed refresh rates can influence browser timing.
Why does my laptop drop to 60 Hz?
Power-saving settings or a dynamic refresh-rate mode can reduce refresh rates on supported laptops. Connect power, check the active mode and test again.
What if I do not know my rated refresh rate?
Leave Not sure selected and run the test. Then check your monitor specifications and the operating system display settings before comparing.
Why does my test show 59.8 instead of 60?
A browser reports animation timing in measured intervals, so small timing differences can move the estimate just below or above a round number. A 59.8Hz estimate is close to a 60Hz refresh timing.
Can I test a 240Hz monitor?
You can run the test on a 240Hz display. The reading depends on the browser receiving animation callbacks at that refresh timing, so keep the tab visible and compare the result with your display settings.
Does this work over HDMI?
The browser test can run while your display is connected over HDMI. The refresh rate available to the display depends on the monitor, port, cable, resolution and operating-system settings.