How to check your monitor's refresh rate
The fastest way to know your monitor's refresh rate isn't digging through settings menus — it's measuring what actually renders, because the OS setting and the real number don't always match. Below is the quickest check, plus where the setting lives on every major OS if you want to confirm or change it.
Step-by-step fix
- Fastest method: open the CheckMyMic refresh rate test in a foreground tab and let it run for a few seconds. It measures the actual interval between rendered frames in your browser — the number your eyes get, not just the number the OS reports.
- Test in a focused, foreground tab. Browsers throttle background tabs and some laptops cap refresh rate under battery saver, so a backgrounded or power-saving test will read low even on a perfectly good 144Hz panel.
- On Windows 11, check the OS-reported value at Settings → System → Display → Advanced display — pick your monitor from the dropdown and read the Choose a refresh rate field.
- On macOS, go to System Settings → Displays, select the display, and open the Refresh Rate menu — it only appears once a compatible resolution is selected.
- On a Chromebook, open Settings → Device → Displays and check the refresh rate option under the selected display (only shown if the panel or an external monitor supports more than one rate).
- Don't be alarmed by 59.94Hz instead of a clean 60, or 143.98 instead of 144 — that's standard rounding baked into video timing decades ago, and it behaves identically to the whole number.
- If the measured number is lower than what your monitor is rated for, work through the monitor stuck at 60Hz guide — cable, per-monitor setting and GPU driver are the usual causes.
Frequently asked questions
What's the fastest way to check my refresh rate?
Run the CheckMyMic refresh rate test in a foreground browser tab for a few seconds. It measures how fast frames are actually being rendered, which is more reliable than reading a settings menu because it catches throttling, cable limits and stuck settings that the OS won't necessarily report accurately.
Why does my refresh rate show as 59.94Hz instead of 60?
That fractional number comes from video timing standards set decades ago for broadcast compatibility, and it carries over to modern displays as 59.94, 119.88 or 143.98 instead of a clean whole number. It's completely normal and performs identically to the rounded figure — no fix needed.
Does it matter if I test on battery power?
Yes. Many laptops enforce a lower refresh rate under battery saver or even by default on battery to extend runtime, so a test on battery can read 60Hz on a screen that hits 90 or 120Hz when plugged in. Plug in and disable battery saver before measuring if you want the panel's true maximum.
I've tried everything and I still can't tell my real refresh rate — what now?
Close other tabs and background apps, plug in your laptop if it has one, then run the CheckMyMic refresh rate test again in a fresh foreground tab — inconsistent readings usually mean something else is stealing frames. If the measured number stays capped below your monitor's rating, see our monitor stuck at 60Hz guide for the setting, cable and driver checks.