Display basics

What is monitor refresh rate (Hz)?

Refresh rate is how many times per second a display can refresh its image, measured in hertz (Hz).

QUICK EXPLANATION

Check the rate the display is actually using

A 144 Hz setting allows up to 144 refreshes each second. The monitor, connection, resolution and selected Windows mode all affect which rates are available.

Hz describes the display, not how many frames the game renders.

Result: Windows Advanced display shows the current refresh rate for the selected display.

How to check it

Open Settings → System → Display → Advanced display, select the correct monitor and review its refresh rate. Choose a supported rate; available options depend on the display and connection.

Check: Reopen Advanced display and confirm the selected monitor reports the intended rate.

Sources & page details

Microsoft: Change the refresh rate on your monitor in Windows ↗

Reviewed 2026-09-26

These are general explanations; available features and results vary by game, graphics hardware, driver and display.