A 144Hz or 165Hz monitor can arrive, connect successfully, and still run at 60Hz. That usually does not mean the panel is defective. Windows may be using its default mode, or one part of the connection may not support the resolution and refresh-rate combination you selected.
Start with the refresh-rate setting in Windows
Open Settings > System > Display > Advanced display. If you have multiple screens, select the new monitor first. Then open the refresh-rate menu and choose 120Hz, 144Hz, 165Hz, or the highest value the monitor officially supports.
Microsoft’s official refresh-rate guide uses this same path. Windows 11 may also show Dynamic Refresh Rate on supported hardware. That feature changes the rate automatically to balance smoothness and power use, so choose a fixed high rate while troubleshooting.
If the higher option appears and stays selected, the problem is solved. If it is missing or immediately returns to 60Hz, continue through the connection chain.
Check the resolution before changing hardware
A display connection has a limited data budget. A monitor may support 165Hz at 2560 × 1440 but only 60Hz at a higher resolution, with HDR, or at a higher color depth. Select the monitor’s native resolution first, then check the refresh-rate list again.
In NVIDIA Control Panel, open Change resolution and look for the resolution in the PC section rather than a TV-style Ultra HD, HD, or SD section. AMD Software and Intel Graphics provide similar display controls. Do not create a custom timing until you have verified the normal supported modes.
Make sure the cable and both ports support the target mode
A cable label alone does not prove the entire path can carry the requested signal. The graphics card or laptop port, cable, adapter or dock, and monitor input all have to support the same combination.
- Connect the monitor directly to the graphics card instead of a motherboard video port on a desktop.
- Try the cable included with the monitor, then another certified cable if available.
- Remove docks, KVM switches, capture devices, and adapters for one test.
- Try another DisplayPort or HDMI port on both the computer and monitor.
- Check the monitor manual for the maximum refresh rate supported by each input.
DisplayPort is often the simplest choice for a PC gaming monitor, but HDMI can also support high refresh rates when both devices expose the required mode. The connector name by itself is not enough.
Open the monitor’s on-screen menu
Some monitors ship with a compatibility mode that limits bandwidth. Use the buttons or joystick on the display and look for a DisplayPort version, HDMI mode, overclock, gaming mode, or maximum refresh-rate option. Select the mode recommended by the manufacturer, then power-cycle the monitor and reopen Advanced display.
Do not enable an advertised overclock unless the manual says it is supported for your exact model and input. A native 144Hz setting is different from pushing a panel beyond its normal specification.
Update the GPU driver and reconnect the display
Install the current driver from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel, restart the PC, and disconnect the monitor for about 30 seconds. Reconnect it after Windows loads. This forces the system to read the display’s supported modes again.
If the monitor worked at 144Hz before an update, use a clean driver installation only after testing another cable and port. A physical bandwidth limit will not be fixed by repeatedly reinstalling software.
Why HDR or multiple monitors can change the available rate
HDR and higher color depth require more bandwidth. On some combinations, enabling HDR can remove the highest refresh option. Test with HDR off, select the high refresh rate, and then enable HDR again. Our HDR10 versus DisplayHDR guide explains why an HDR label does not guarantee the same capabilities on every monitor.
Multiple high-resolution displays can also consume GPU display resources. NVIDIA documents cases where Display Stream Compression and multiple monitors affect which high-resolution modes are available. Disconnect the other displays temporarily to identify that limit.
Confirm the result inside games
After Windows shows the correct rate, check the game’s display menu. Select fullscreen or the recommended borderless mode, set the correct monitor, and remove any 60Hz or 60 FPS cap. Refresh rate and frame rate are related but different: a 165Hz display can still show a game capped at 60 FPS.
If you use adaptive sync, our VRR, G-Sync, FreeSync, and V-Sync guide covers the next settings. First make Windows report the monitor’s full rate. Then tune sync and frame caps without guessing which part of the signal chain is responsible.