Monitor Stuck at 60Hz? How to Set 144Hz (and 7 Reasons It Won't)

In this guide (9 sections)

• What exactly happens?
• 1. Windows is still set to 60 Hz
• 2. The monitor’s HDMI socket can’t carry the full refresh rate
• 3. The cable or adapter can’t carry enough data
• 4. The monitor is plugged into the motherboard
• 5. A setting in the monitor’s own menu is limiting it
• 6. The graphics driver is missing or outdated
• 7. The game is using its own refresh rate setting
• Real cases: what other users ran into

A monitor’s refresh rateRefresh rate (Hz): How many times per second the monitor updates the picture, for example 60 Hz or 144 Hz. More in our Graphics cards & display glossary →Close ✕ is how many times per second it updates the picture. Windows often leaves a new monitor at 60 Hz, and sometimes the higher refresh rates don’t appear at all. That’s almost never a faulty monitor: either a setting was never changed, or the cable, the port or the graphics driver can’t carry the full refresh rate.

What exactly happens?

What you see	Most likely cause	Where to look
The monitor is new, and you’ve never changed the refresh rate.	Windows is still set to 60 Hz	Cause 1
Higher refresh rates are missing, and the monitor is connected with HDMI.	The monitor’s HDMI socket can’t carry them	Cause 2
Higher refresh rates are missing, and you’re using an old cable or an adapter.	The cable or adapter is too basic	Cause 3
The monitor is plugged in higher up on the back of the PC, or the PC has no graphics card.	The motherboard’s ports or integrated graphicsIntegrated graphics: Graphics built into some processors, which let you use the motherboard's video ports without a graphics card. More in our Graphics cards & display glossary →Close ✕	Cause 4
The monitor’s box says 165 Hz or more, but the PC offers 144 Hz at most.	A setting in the monitor’s menu	Cause 5
The screen resolution looks wrong too, or Device Manager shows “Microsoft Basic Display Adapter”.	The graphics driver	Cause 6
Windows shows the right rate, but games still feel like 60 Hz.	A game setting or V-Sync	Cause 7

1. Windows is still set to 60 Hz

Windows doesn’t always pick the highest refresh rate for a new monitor. Often the faster setting is there, but nobody has selected it.

How to check and fix it in Windows 11:

1. Right-click the desktop and choose Display settings.
2. If you have more than one screen, click the right one at the top.
3. Open Advanced display.
4. Under Choose a refresh rate, pick the highest number (144 Hz, 165 Hz…).

In Windows 10: Display settings → Advanced display settings → Refresh rate.

The screen may flicker for a second as it switches. If the higher refresh rate isn’t in the list, keep reading: something is stopping Windows from offering it.

To confirm it worked: open a site that tests motion, such as the TestUFO page from Blur Busters, in your browser. It shows the refresh rate your screen is actually running at.

2. The monitor’s HDMI socket can’t carry the full refresh rate

This is the most common reason the higher refresh rates are missing. Many monitors, especially affordable ones, only reach their full refresh rate through DisplayPort. Over HDMI they may stop at 60, 100 or 120 Hz, because their HDMI socket is an older version.

How to check: look in the monitor’s manual or specifications page for the maximum refresh rate per input. It’s often listed as “HDMI: 1920x1080 @ 120 Hz, DisplayPort: 1920x1080 @ 165 Hz”, or similar.

Fix: connect with a DisplayPort cable from the graphics card to the monitor’s DisplayPort socket. Most gaming monitors include one in the box. Then set the refresh rate again (cause 1) and, if needed, switch the monitor’s input to DisplayPort with its buttons.

3. The cable or adapter can’t carry enough data

A high refresh rate at a high resolution needs a lot of data per second. An old or basic cable, a long cheap cable or an adapter (for example DisplayPort to HDMI, or a USB-C dock) can limit you to 60 Hz.

How to check: look at the cable’s packaging or the print on the cable itself. For HDMI, “Premium High Speed” or “Ultra High Speed” is what you want for high refresh rates. For DisplayPort, any certified cable rated DP 1.2 or newer handles most monitors up to 1440p.

Fix: use the cable that came with the monitor, plug it in directly without adapters, and avoid very long or very thin cables. If you need an adapter, check that it’s specified for the resolution and refresh rate you want.

4. The monitor is plugged into the motherboard

Desktop PCs often have video ports on the motherboard as well as on the graphics card. If the monitor is plugged into the motherboard, the processor’s integrated graphics drive it, and their ports may only support 60 Hz at your resolution. Games also run much slower that way: see FPS drops when the monitor is on the motherboard.

Where to plug in the monitor

Back of a desktop PC. With a graphics card installed, use the ports on the card.

• 1Motherboard ports (higher up)
  Usually disabled when a graphics card is installed, and useless if the CPU has no integrated graphics.
• 2Graphics card ports (the horizontal row lower down)
  Plug the monitor in here.

How to check: look at the back of the PC. If the cable goes into the ports higher up (next to the USB ports), it’s on the motherboard.

Fix: move the cable to one of the graphics card’s ports. If the PC has no graphics card, check the PC maker’s specifications for the video ports’ maximum refresh rate. Some can’t do more than 60 Hz, and then only a graphics card can fix it.

5. A setting in the monitor’s own menu is limiting it

Monitors have their own menu, opened with the buttons on the back or underneath. Some settings there limit the refresh rate:

• Overclock: some monitors sold as 165 Hz or 180 Hz reach that only with an “Overclock” or “OC” option switched on. Without it, they stop at 144 Hz.
• DisplayPort version: some monitors let you choose DisplayPort 1.1 or 1.2/1.4. The older setting limits the refresh rate.
• Input or compatibility modes, and on some monitors HDR or adaptive sync (FreeSync) settings, can also change which refresh rates are offered.

Fix: open the monitor’s menu, look for these options under settings such as “Gaming”, “System” or “Input”, and check the manual for what each one does. After changing them, set the refresh rate in Windows again.

6. The graphics driver is missing or outdated

Without the proper graphics driver, Windows uses a basic one that offers few resolutions and refresh rates.

How to check: right-click Start → Device Manager → Display adapters. If it says “Microsoft Basic Display Adapter” instead of your graphics card’s name, the driver is missing.

Fix: install the latest driver from the NVIDIA, AMD or Intel website, then restart and set the refresh rate again. On NVIDIA cards, you can also choose the refresh rate in the NVIDIA Control Panel → Display → Change resolution; pick your monitor’s native resolution from the PC list, not the “Ultra HD, HD, SD” (TV) list, which often only offers 60 Hz.

7. The game is using its own refresh rate setting

Some games have their own refresh rate or display mode setting, and some keep using 60 Hz in exclusive fullscreen even when Windows is set higher.

How to check: in the game’s display or graphics menu, look for “Refresh rate”, “Display mode” and “V-Sync”.

Fix:

• Set the game’s refresh rate to the highest value, or use “Borderless” or “Windowed fullscreen” mode, which follows the Windows setting.
• If V-Sync is on, the frame rate follows the refresh rate, so check that first. Our guide on FPS drops while gaming explains V-Sync and frame limits.

Real cases: what other users ran into

These are real reports from PC forums, summarized in our own words, with a link to each original thread.

Real caseBenQ XL2430T · RTX 2060Solved1080p 144 Hz only through a different cable and socketRead what happened

In June 2022, a 144 Hz monitor connected with an HDMI 2.0 cable offered only 60 Hz at 1080p in Windows and the NVIDIA Control Panel. Updating drivers, swapping cables, custom resolutions and a third-party resolution tool didn’t help. Replies on another forum explained that this monitor only reaches 1080p at 144 Hz through its dual-link DVI socket. The owner bought that cable and wrote that it “works great now”.

Takeaway: the monitor’s manual says which socket supports the full refresh rate. See cause 2.

Source: Microsoft Q&A

Real caseSamsung Odyssey G5 34-inch (LC34G55TWWPXEN)Solution not confirmed by the userA 165 Hz ultrawide offering only 60 or 100 HzRead what happened

In September 2024, this 165 Hz monitor offered only 60 Hz and 100 Hz. A reply explained that on this model HDMI can only handle 60 or 100 Hz, while DisplayPort supports 165 Hz, and asked which cable was being used. The owner didn’t report back, and another owner of the same model reported the same 100 Hz limit.

Takeaway: many monitors reach their full refresh rate only over DisplayPort. See cause 2.

Source: Samsung Community

Real caseSamsung S34C502 · HP Envy desktop with Intel UHD Graphics 770Not solved by the userA 100 Hz monitor stuck at 59 Hz on a PC without a graphics cardRead what happened

In December 2024, a new ultrawide monitor stayed at 59 Hz on a desktop that used the processor’s integrated graphics through HDMI, and 100 Hz never appeared, even with the monitor’s driver installed. Swapping the HDMI cable didn’t help. After a discussion in the thread, the owner concluded that the computer’s built-in graphics couldn’t drive the monitor at 100 Hz and that a graphics card would be needed.

Takeaway: integrated graphics and their ports can be the limit. See cause 4.

Source: Samsung Community

Frequently asked questions

How do I know my monitor is really running at 144 Hz?

Check Settings → System → Display → Advanced display, where Windows shows the current refresh rate. A motion test site such as TestUFO also shows the real rate in your browser. Many monitors also show it in their own menu’s information page.

Is HDMI or DisplayPort better for 144 Hz?

On most PC monitors, DisplayPort. It reaches high refresh rates on almost every gaming monitor, while HDMI support depends on the monitor’s HDMI version. Newer HDMI 2.1 monitors handle high refresh rates over HDMI too.

Can a 60 Hz monitor be set to 144 Hz?

No. The refresh rate is a limit of the panel itself. If the monitor’s specifications say 60 Hz, that’s the maximum.

Why does my monitor show 143.9 Hz or 59.94 Hz?

That’s normal. These slightly odd numbers come from video standards and make no visible difference.

Does a higher refresh rate improve FPS?

No. It lets the monitor show more frames per second, but the PC still has to make them. You’ll only see the benefit if your games run above 60 FPSFPS (frames per second): How many pictures per second the PC draws in a game. More is smoother; around 60 or more feels fluid. More in our Windows & performance glossary →Close ✕.