Monitor Refresh Rate and Display Calibration
How to set your monitor's refresh rate, enable variable refresh rate, and calibrate basic display settings
Your monitor's refresh rate is how many times per second it updates the image. A 60 Hz monitor refreshes 60 times per second. A 144 Hz monitor refreshes 144 times — and the difference is immediately noticeable in desktop mouse movement, scrolling, and especially gaming. Higher refresh rates make everything feel smoother and more responsive.
The most common issue people run into: they buy a high refresh rate monitor, plug it in, and it still runs at 60 Hz because the OS defaults to that. You have to manually set the refresh rate in your display settings.
You can test your display capabilities at thetest.com/display.
Setting your refresh rate
- Click the Apple menu and open System Settings
- Click Displays in the left sidebar
- If you have multiple displays, click the one you want to adjust
- Find the Refresh Rate dropdown and select the highest available option
- The change applies immediately — no confirmation needed
If you do not see a refresh rate option, your display either only supports 60 Hz or the cable/connection does not support higher rates. MacBooks with ProMotion displays (14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro) automatically adjust between 24 Hz and 120 Hz — there is no manual setting for the built-in display.
Variable refresh rate on Mac
ProMotion on MacBook Pro automatically varies the refresh rate. For external displays, macOS supports variable refresh rate on Apple Silicon Macs connected via Thunderbolt or USB-C. There is no manual toggle to enable — it works automatically if the display supports it.
Basic display calibration
- Open System Settings > Displays
- Click Color Profile and select the profile that matches your display (usually the default or your monitor's name)
- For custom calibration, scroll down and click Customize to open the Display Calibrator Assistant, which walks you through adjusting gamma and white point
For serious color work, a hardware calibration device (like a Datacolor SpyderX or Calibrite ColorChecker) is the only way to get accurate colors. The built-in tool gets you close but cannot account for your specific panel's characteristics.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my 144 Hz monitor showing 60 Hz?▾
Almost always a cable issue. HDMI cables included with monitors often only support 60 Hz at higher resolutions. Switch to a DisplayPort cable or a higher-spec HDMI cable, then set the refresh rate in your display settings. Also confirm the refresh rate is set correctly in your OS — it does not change automatically when you plug in a new cable.
Does refresh rate matter if my game only runs at 60 FPS?▾
Yes, but less than you might think. A 144 Hz monitor still makes the desktop, mouse cursor, and scrolling smoother. In games at 60 FPS, you will not get the full benefit of 144 Hz, but you also will not see tearing if you enable V-Sync or VRR. The real benefit comes when your GPU can push FPS close to your refresh rate.
Should I use G-Sync/FreeSync or V-Sync?▾
G-Sync and FreeSync are better in every way. They prevent screen tearing like V-Sync does, but without the input lag penalty. If your monitor supports one of these, turn it on and turn V-Sync off in games. Only fall back to V-Sync if your monitor does not support variable refresh rate.
Do I need a hardware calibrator for my monitor?▾
For gaming: no. The built-in calibration tools in each OS get you close enough. For photo editing, video production, or print design where color accuracy matters professionally, yes — a hardware calibrator (Datacolor SpyderX, Calibrite ColorChecker) is worth the investment because no software-only method can measure your actual panel output.
What is the difference between G-Sync, G-Sync Compatible, and FreeSync?▾
G-Sync is NVIDIA's proprietary standard with a dedicated hardware module in the monitor. G-Sync Compatible means NVIDIA has validated a FreeSync monitor to work with G-Sync through the NVIDIA drivers — it uses the same Adaptive Sync technology as FreeSync. FreeSync is AMD's open standard based on VESA Adaptive Sync. In practice, G-Sync Compatible and FreeSync work the same way. Full G-Sync monitors cost more but have a wider VRR range.