How to Enable Dynamic Refresh Rate On Windows 11

The refresh rate of a display is the rate at which it constantly refreshes to give it an impression of motion. The number of times the display refreshes every second is measured in Hertz (Hz), which is the unit of measurement for refresh rates. More frames will display in one second with a faster refresh rate, and the action will be smoother. Refresh rates vary between displays, and gaming monitors provide greater refresh rates as a feature and avoid ghost monitoring. Furthermore, technology such as Nvidia DLSS is built towards delivering faster frame rates.

What Is Dynamic Refresh Rate In Windows 11?

Windows 11 introduces Dynamic Refresh Rate, a new feature aimed at monitors with a greater refresh rate. Windows has control over the refresh rate thanks to the DRR functionality, which allows it to set it dynamically. This implies that depending on what you’re doing, Windows 11 will bounce back and forth between a lower and higher refresh rate. Windows 11 includes the Dynamic Refresh Rate function, which reduces power usage and extends battery life.

Note: DRR is only accessible for laptop displays and not for other displays.

DRR will monitor your usage and modify the refresh rate if you have a display with a 120Hz refresh rate. To save battery life, the refresh rate will be 60Hz for common operations like email and documents that don’t demand a lot of smooth motion. Dynamic Refresh Rate will be set to 120Hz to be more responsive when scrolling and inking, both of which require smoother motion.

Why Do You Need Dynamic Refresh Rate Feature?

There is one thing that you need to understand and that is the faster the refresh rate, the more battery percentage it consumes. When not required, you must manually lower the frequency to 60Hz. It’s simply not possible to do that frequently as this manual process would consume time and effort.  DRR is system-dependent, therefore the entire procedure is automated and the user does not need to do anything. This will ensure that you always get the perfect combination of smoothness and battery life. For the time being, DRR is only available on Windows 11 for a few Adobe and Microsoft programs. However, additional apps are anticipated to get the capability in the future.

Does My Laptop Support Dynamic Refresh Rate?

You’ll need a laptop display that supports Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and has a refresh rate of at least 120Hz to use Dynamic Refresh Rate in Windows 11. Variable Refresh Rate is a feature built into some displays that helps them minimize screen tearing when gaming. For Dynamic Refresh Rate, VRR is significant since it allows it to modify the refresh rate back and forth. Follow the instructions below to see if your laptop display supports Variable Refresh Rate in Windows 11:

Step 1: Go to Settings and select System > Display to access the display options.

Step 2: Graphics is located in a section called Related Settings, which can be found by scrolling down.

Step 3: Select Default Graphic Settings.

Step 4: Look for a section that is labeled as Variable Refresh Rate. If you don’t see it, then your laptop does not have the VRR feature.

How Do I Turn On Dynamic Refresh Rate On Windows 11

Dynamic Refresh Rate is currently only available in the Dev Channel of the Windows Insider Program. If you’re a part of it and have the Windows 11 preview release, you can enable DRR on your laptop by following the steps below.

Step1: Press Windows + I to open Windows Settings and click on System followed by Display.

Step 2: Scroll down and click Advanced Display under Related Settings.

Step 3:  Select an option from the drop-down menu next to Select a refresh rate, and make sure it says Dynamic next to it.

Note: If you have the VRR option but cannot see the DDR selection then you will have to wait for some time and keep your PC updated. You will receive it soon within the next couple of updates.

The Final Word On Dynamic Refresh Rate Setting In Windows 11

That concludes our guide on understanding and utilizing DRR on Windows 11. Hopefully, you’ve enabled a dynamic refresh rate on your Windows 11 PC and are now enjoying a smoother, longer-lasting experience. Don’t panic if your PC doesn’t support dynamic refresh rates now; Microsoft is working with PC manufacturers to make the capability available on more laptops with high refresh rate screens.

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