Guides
How to set the refresh rate for each monitor separately
Many desks combine a fast gaming monitor at 144 Hz or more with an older 60 Hz screen at the side. Windows can run each one at its own refresh rate, but it is easy to end up with the expensive monitor stuck at 60 Hz without noticing. This guide shows where to check and change the refresh rate per monitor, why a screen might not offer its full rate, and how to switch rates quickly with WindowLayout.
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Check and change the rate in Windows
On Windows 11, open Settings, System, Display, select the monitor, click Advanced display and pick a value under Choose a refresh rate. On Windows 10, open Settings, System, Display, Advanced display settings, choose the display and select its refresh rate. Each monitor has its own setting, so repeat this for every screen. Laptops with Windows 11 may also show Dynamic refresh rate, which lowers the rate when nothing moves to save battery.
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Find out why the full rate is missing
If a 144 Hz or 165 Hz option does not appear, the bottleneck is almost always the connection. Use DisplayPort, or an HDMI 2.0 or 2.1 port and certified cable for high rates at high resolutions. Adapters, older docks and KVM switches often cap at 60 Hz. Check the monitor's on-screen menu, as some models need overclock or a specific mode turned on. Install the latest graphics driver; the generic Microsoft display driver offers limited modes.
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Spot slow monitors with Diagnostics
WindowLayout's Diagnostics, on the AI page, run locally without the AI assistant and send nothing. Click Run checks and it lists any monitor that runs below the highest refresh rate it supports, for example Monitor 2 runs at 60 Hz but supports 144 Hz. Click the Set 144 Hz button next to the finding to fix it. The same checks flag mixed scaling, monitors without DDC/CI brightness control and monitors whose edges do not line up.
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Change the rate from WindowLayout
On the Monitors page, select a monitor, pick a value on its Refresh rate slider and press Apply. WindowLayout asks you to keep the change and undoes it on its own after 15 seconds if you do not, so a rate the monitor cannot show fixes itself. This is quicker than the Advanced display page when you switch rates often, for example running the TV at 120 Hz for games and 60 Hz for films.
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Mind cables when you switch rates
If a screen goes black after you choose a higher rate, wait: the change reverts after 15 seconds without your confirmation. Then check the cable and port before trying again, because a rate the monitor advertises may still be too much for the link. Variable refresh technologies such as G-SYNC and FreeSync are set in the graphics driver's control panel and the monitor menu, not in Windows' refresh rate list.
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Save refresh rates in display profiles
Once every monitor runs at the rate you want, open Profiles and click Save current under Display profiles. The profile remembers resolution and refresh rate for each screen, along with orientation, position and the main monitor. Save a second profile with different rates, for example lower rates on battery or for a capture setup, and switch between them from the tray, the command palette or a trigger such as An app starts with your game's program name.
Frequently asked questions
Does running monitors at different refresh rates cause problems?
Modern Windows 10 and 11 handle mixed refresh rates well. Older versions could make a video on the slower screen stutter the faster one; keeping Windows and graphics drivers up to date avoids most issues.
Why does my monitor go back to 60 Hz after sleep or docking?
Some docks and drivers restore a safe mode after reconnecting. A display profile applied by an A monitor is connected trigger sets the right rate again automatically.
Is a higher refresh rate always better?
For games and smooth scrolling, yes. It uses slightly more power, which matters on laptops, so a lower-rate profile on battery can make sense.