Windows 11 allows you to change the refresh rate of the screen in a simple and fast way. In this article I will explain how you can do it, but first you need to see What is refresh rate and why is it important?because it will give us the basis we need to understand why we should change it.

Screen refresh rate refers to how many times the image can change per second. For example, if we have a refresh rate of 60 Hz, the image can change 60 times in one second, and if we have a refresh rate of 144 Hz, it will change 144 times in one second. This can be fixed or variable.

The higher the refresh rate the better the viewing experiencewe will have a greater sense of fluidity and less sense of eye fatigue. With a lower rate, the opposite will happen and we will have a worse experience. In extreme cases, for example, when using a frequency of 30 Hz, the experience will not be good. Therefore, we should avoid screens that do not have a refresh rate of at least 60 Hz.

Why is it important?

Well, because it affects the viewing experience and because it is deeply connected to frames per second. Ideally, both rates match because that way we will have the best possible experience. I’ll explain it to you with an exampleImagine that you can move the game at 144 FPS and your monitor is limited to 75 Hz, and another case where we have this FPS and a 144 Hz monitor.

In the first case, 144 different frames are generated per second, but the screen only changes 75 times, so we “lost” information because not all frames were displayed. In the second example, 144 frames were generated and the image changed 144 times in one second, which means we visualized all the information and enjoyed a greater sense of fluidity.

How you can change the refresh rate in Windows 11

It’s very easy, just enter “Settings” and follow the route “System > Screen > Advanced Screen.” Once there, you need to select the refresh rate you want to use. Depending on the capabilities of your monitor, different options will appear, in my case the maximum is 144 Hz, which is the optimal level for gaming at 1440p.

Normally, games use the value you configured by default in Windows 11, although they usually have a menu where you can easily change it. Using a higher refresh rate may ultimately affect device consumption, but the difference is marginal, and the improvement it offers at the visualization level is so great that it really pays to use a high value.

If you want to delve deeper into this topic and its relationship to frames per second, I invite you check out this article.