Screen Refresh Rate & Hz Test
Curious about your refresh rate? This free online Hz test quickly reads the frames per second (FPS) of your monitor, display, or mobile screen.
Understanding Your Results
- What is my refresh rate? This tool measures your browser’s frame rate and shows your monitor’s refresh rate in Hz.
- Stuck at 60Hz? Enable 120Hz or 144Hz in your system display settings and use a DisplayPort or HDMI 2.0/2.1 cable.
- Mobile supported? works on iPhone and Android devices with high-refresh-rate screens in any modern browser.
- Is this showing FPS or Hz? Your browser’s frame rate is usually limited by your display’s refresh rate, so FPS is roughly equal to Hz.
How to Use This Hz Test
- Prepare: For more accurate results: close any resource-heavy apps or browser tabs that may affect your computer’s performance.
- View Result: The test begins automatically when the page loads, and your screen’s estimated refresh rate is shown in real time in the box above.
- Check the visual bar: Watch the moving bar in the Visual Indicator to see a visual representation of your screen’s smoothness.
- Verify: After a few seconds, your screen’s final stable refresh rate will appear. Click “Test Again” to run the measurement once more.
What is Screen Refresh Rate?
The refresh rate of a screen, expressed in Hertz (Hz), indicates how many times per second the display updates its image. Whether you’re checking the Hz of a gaming monitor, evaluating the refresh rate of a new TV, or testing the frame rate of a mobile device, the idea remains the same: a higher refresh rate generally delivers smoother motion.
Smoother Motion:
A higher refresh rate allows motion to appear more fluid and stable. While the improvement is most obvious in fast-paced games, it also enhances everyday interactions such as scrolling through apps or web pages.
Reduced Motion Blur:
When more frames are displayed each second, moving elements retain greater sharpness and clarity — an important factor in achieving a clean, visually comfortable viewing experience.
Improved Responsiveness:
For gaming, a higher refresh rate can help reduce input lag and make on-screen actions respond more immediately to your controls.
Understanding Common Refresh Rates (60Hz vs 120Hz vs 144Hz)
Not every display performs identically. A refresh rate test allows you to confirm whether your screen is delivering the level of performance it should. Here’s a brief overview:
60Hz - The Standard
A 60Hz refresh rate has long been the baseline for office monitors, laptops, and many older televisions. It works well for everyday tasks such as web browsing or viewing standard video content.
90Hz & 120Hz - The New Mobile & Mid-Tier Standard
Many recent smartphones and mid-tier gaming monitors now support 90Hz or 120Hz refresh rates. Compared with 60Hz, a 120Hz refresh rate can deliver visibly smoother motion, particularly when scrolling through apps or playing mobile games.
144Hz & Higher - The Gaming Sweet Spot
For PC gaming, 144Hz is often viewed as a strong balance between performance and cost. If a 144Hz refresh rate test reports the full value, it indicates that your system can support competitive play with very smooth and clearly rendered motion.
Why is my 144Hz monitor showing 60Hz?
This is the most common issue for gamers. If you bought a high-refresh-rate screen but see "60 Hz" above, try these fixes:
1. Check OS Settings
Windows and macOS default to 60Hz. Go to Display Settings > Advanced Display and manually select the highest Refresh Rate.
2. Wrong Cable
Old HDMI cables are often capped at 60Hz. Switch to a DisplayPort (DP) cable or a certified HDMI 2.1 cable for 144Hz+.
3. Browser Limit
Some browsers throttle FPS to save battery. Plug in your laptop charger and ensure "Hardware Acceleration" is enabled in browser settings.
Hz vs. FPS: What's the difference?
- Hz (Hertz): The speed of your hardware (Monitor). It dictates the maximum frames your screen can physically redraw per second.
- FPS (Frames Per Second): The speed of your software (Game/GPU).
For the smoothest gaming experience, your FPS should match or exceed your monitor's Hz (e.g., 144 FPS on a 144Hz screen).
Refresh Rate FAQs
What does Hz mean for a monitor?
Hz (Hertz) is the unit of frequency. For a monitor or any display, it indicates the refresh rate – the number of times the screen updates its image every second. A 60Hz monitor refreshes 60 times per second, while a 144Hz monitor refreshes 144 times per second.
Does HDMI support 144Hz?
HDMI 2.0 can deliver 144Hz at 1080p, while HDMI 2.1 extends support to 144Hz at 4K. In contrast, HDMI 1.4 is restricted to 60Hz at 1080p. For consistent 144Hz performance, a DisplayPort 1.2 connection or newer is recommended.
How to enable 120Hz on iPhone or Android?
iPhone: Open Settings → Accessibility → Motion, then turn Limit Frame Rate off to allow 120Hz. Android: Open Settings → Display → Screen refresh rate, and choose 120Hz if your device supports it. Keep in mind that not all smartphones offer high-refresh-rate displays — 120Hz is available on iPhone 13 Pro and newer models, as well as on many flagship Android devices released from 2020 onward.
Do G-Sync or FreeSync change the refresh rate that gets measured?
G-Sync and FreeSync adjust the display’s refresh rate in real time to follow the GPU’s frame output. However, during this type of browser-based test, the refresh rate is normally measured at the monitor’s maximum capability, so you will generally see the peak Hz value even when adaptive sync is enabled.
Is this an FPS Test?
Yes, this tool can operate as an FPS test. It reports the number of frames your browser renders each second. On most setups, the browser’s frame rate is capped by the display’s refresh rate, which means the measured FPS closely reflects the monitor’s actual Hz.
My result is lower than expected. What can I do?
First, confirm that your monitor is set to its highest available refresh rate in your system’s display settings. Make sure your cable is appropriate for high-refresh-rate output — DisplayPort is recommended when supported. Update your graphics drivers, and close any resource-heavy applications while running the test. If your readings are still lower than expected, the limitation may come from your hardware or overall setup.
Does this test work on mobile phones?
Yes, this refresh rate test works on both smartphones and tablets through any modern mobile browser. It provides a straightforward way to check whether your device is actually operating at its intended 90Hz or 120Hz refresh rate.
Is 60Hz good enough?
For office work and movies, 60Hz is standard. For competitive gaming (CS:GO, Valorant), 144Hz or higher is recommended for lower input lag.
What is V-Sync?
V-Sync locks your game's FPS to your monitor's Hz to prevent "screen tearing". This test relies on V-Sync logic to measure your refresh rate.