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Freedom251 › Blog › Android Tips

How to Change Display Resolution and Refresh Rate on a Samsung Galaxy Phone

By Freedom251 Team · · 8 min read

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On a supported Samsung Galaxy phone, change display resolution at Settings > Display > Screen resolution. Change refresh rate at Settings > Display > Motion smoothness, then tap Apply when that button appears. The two controls are independent: resolution changes the display’s pixel-detail setting, while refresh rate controls how often the image is updated.

The exact choices depend on your Galaxy model and its software version. You may see HD+, FHD+, and QHD+ for resolution, but Samsung does not offer all three on every phone. Motion smoothness may show Standard, Adaptive, or High, with different limits on different devices.

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What resolution and refresh rate control

Resolution controls pixel detail

Screen resolution is the display’s pixel-detail setting. Samsung support documentation uses labels such as HD+, FHD+, and QHD+ for the choices shown on some Galaxy phones. These labels describe available display modes, not a guarantee that every Galaxy model includes every mode.

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Changing resolution changes which display mode the phone uses. The setting is separate from text size, screen zoom, and the size of individual app controls. Those accessibility and layout controls can change how large content looks without changing the selected resolution.

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Refresh rate controls update frequency

Samsung defines refresh rate as “how often your mobile device’s screen updates its image each second, measured in Hertz (Hz).” A 60 Hz setting updates the image 60 times per second. A mode that can reach 120 Hz has a higher update ceiling, although the phone may not remain at that rate continuously.

On Galaxy phones, refresh-rate choices are grouped under Samsung’s Motion smoothness menu. Resolution and Motion smoothness are separate menus, so changing one does not automatically change the other in every situation. Certain combinations and power modes can impose limits, as explained below.

Check these details before changing anything

  • Model: Galaxy models differ in their available resolution and refresh-rate choices.
  • Software version: Samsung says menu names, settings, and layouts can vary by software version.
  • Current power mode: Power Saving Mode can force the display to Standard refresh rate.
  • Current resolution: Some devices do not support 120 Hz while set to WQHD+ and may automatically switch to Standard.

Because availability is model-dependent, use the options actually displayed on your phone rather than expecting a particular list. A missing option is not, by itself, evidence that the phone is malfunctioning.

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Change the screen resolution

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Tap Display.
  3. Tap Screen resolution.
  4. Choose one of the resolution options shown on your phone.
  5. Follow any on-screen confirmation prompt, if one appears.

Samsung’s US support guide illustrates HD+, FHD+, and QHD+ as possible choices. Your Galaxy may show fewer choices or use different available modes. The menu itself is the authoritative list for your model and software version.

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What to expect after selecting a mode

The setting applies the selected display resolution. If the screen does not visibly change in a particular app, that does not necessarily mean the setting failed; many interface elements can retain their layout size while the underlying display mode changes. Return to Settings > Display > Screen resolution to verify which option is selected.

Change the refresh rate with Motion smoothness

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap Display.
  3. Tap Motion smoothness.
  4. Select the preferred option that your phone offers.
  5. Tap Apply when that button is shown.

Samsung’s Canada guide describes Standard as 60 Hz and identifies it as the battery-conserving choice. Adaptive changes the refresh rate dynamically, up to 120 Hz on supported devices. On select models, High can lock the display at 120 Hz; Samsung’s US documentation notes that some devices instead offer a 90 Hz High option. The exact wording and ceiling are model-dependent.

If the Apply button does not appear

Some Galaxy software versions apply the Motion smoothness choice immediately, while Samsung’s Canada instructions show an Apply button. If no Apply button is present, select the desired option and leave the menu after the phone indicates that the change is active. Do not assume that every Galaxy uses the same confirmation screen.

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Resolution choices: how to decide

Choice shown by the phone What it represents Availability
HD+ A listed display-resolution mode with a lower pixel-detail setting than the higher modes shown on phones that offer them. Shown in Samsung’s example guide; not available on every Galaxy.
FHD+ A listed display-resolution mode between HD+ and QHD+ when all three are offered. Shown in Samsung’s example guide; model-dependent.
QHD+ A listed high pixel-detail mode on devices that support it. Shown in Samsung’s example guide; model-dependent.

The labels are choices, not performance ratings that apply across the entire Galaxy range. If your phone presents only two modes, choose between those two. If it presents one mode, there is no additional resolution control to enable through this menu.

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When a higher-detail mode makes sense

Choose the highest available resolution when display detail is your priority and the phone permits that mode with your other settings. This is a preference decision, not a universal recommendation: Samsung’s support material does not assign a guaranteed battery or performance percentage to any resolution choice.

When a lower-detail mode makes sense

A lower available resolution can be appropriate when you prefer the phone’s battery-oriented configuration or when a specific combination with Motion smoothness is unavailable. Select the mode from the list rather than trying to force a resolution through an unsupported method.

Motion smoothness choices: Standard, Adaptive and High

Motion smoothness option Samsung-described behavior What to consider
Standard 60 Hz; described by Samsung as battery conserving. Use when battery efficiency is more important than the highest available refresh rate.
Adaptive Changes the refresh rate dynamically, up to 120 Hz on supported devices. Use when you want the phone to vary the rate rather than lock it at one high value.
High On select models, can lock the rate at 120 Hz; some devices offer a 90 Hz High option instead. May use more battery; the actual ceiling depends on the model.

Samsung describes higher refresh-rate operation as potentially using more battery, but the support material does not establish a universal percentage of savings or additional consumption. Treat the modes as a trade-off between motion smoothness and battery efficiency, not as a promise of a measured runtime change.

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Choosing a mode without a universal “best” answer

  • Choose Standard when the battery-conserving setting is your priority.
  • Choose Adaptive when you want the phone to adjust the rate dynamically and your model supports that option.
  • Choose High when your model offers it and you specifically prefer its fixed 90 Hz or 120 Hz behavior, accepting that Samsung says it may use more battery.

Do not select a mode solely because its name appears on another Galaxy phone. “High” does not have one guaranteed frequency across the product range.

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How resolution, refresh rate and power mode interact

WQHD+ can limit 120 Hz

On some devices, 120 Hz is not supported while the display is set to WQHD+. Samsung says those phones may automatically switch Motion smoothness to Standard. If you select WQHD+ and later see Standard instead of your previous high-rate choice, check whether that compatibility rule applies to your model.

This behavior is a device constraint, not necessarily a failed setting change. The phone is keeping a combination that its software supports. To use a higher refresh rate, return to Settings > Display > Screen resolution and select a resolution that your model permits with that rate, if such an option is offered.

Power Saving Mode can force Standard

Power Saving Mode can force Motion smoothness to Standard. If Adaptive or High disappears, is unavailable, or changes back to Standard after power-saving controls are enabled, check the phone’s current power mode before changing other display settings.

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After power-saving behavior is no longer active, open Settings > Display > Motion smoothness again and review the available choices. The menu may still be limited by the model, software version, or selected resolution.

Troubleshoot a missing menu or option

“Screen resolution” is not listed

  1. Open Settings > Display and look for the exact label Screen resolution.
  2. Confirm the phone model in the device’s About-phone information.
  3. Check the software version, because Samsung says menus and layouts vary by version.
  4. If the menu remains absent, use the model’s documented display controls as the available configuration; do not assume that a software update will add a particular resolution option.

Samsung’s guidance does not promise that updating software will make a missing option appear. Availability is tied to the device and its software configuration.

“Motion smoothness” is not listed

  1. Open Settings > Display and search the page for Motion smoothness.
  2. Check whether the phone is using a model-specific display menu with fewer controls.
  3. Review Power Saving Mode, which can force Standard even when the menu is present.
  4. Check the selected resolution, since WQHD+ can prevent 120 Hz on some devices.

The phone will not stay at 120 Hz

First check the selected resolution and power mode. Some phones cannot use 120 Hz with WQHD+, and Power Saving Mode can force Standard. If neither condition applies, the model may simply have a lower maximum or a different Motion smoothness design. Samsung’s documentation describes “up to 120 Hz” for Adaptive, not a 120 Hz guarantee for every phone.

High shows 90 Hz instead of 120 Hz

That can be normal. Samsung’s US support material notes that some devices offer a 90 Hz High setting, while other select devices can lock High at 120 Hz. Use the frequency displayed in your own Motion smoothness menu as the applicable specification.

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A practical setup checklist

  • Open Settings > Display > Screen resolution and record the available choices before changing anything.
  • Choose the resolution that matches your priority for pixel detail and compatibility with Motion smoothness.
  • Open Settings > Display > Motion smoothness.
  • Compare Standard, Adaptive, or High only if your model lists them.
  • Check whether the selected resolution or Power Saving Mode restricts the desired rate.
  • Tap Apply if Samsung’s interface displays that button.
  • Reopen both menus to confirm the selections that remain active.

Keeping a note of the original selections makes it easy to return to the previous configuration if the new combination is not suitable.

Key points to remember

Resolution and refresh rate answer different questions: resolution sets pixel detail, while refresh rate sets how often the image updates. The controls are located under Settings > Display, but their names and choices vary by Galaxy model and software version. Standard is 60 Hz; Adaptive can reach up to 120 Hz on supported devices; High may be 90 Hz or 120 Hz depending on the phone. WQHD+ and Power Saving Mode can restrict high refresh rates, so evaluate the complete combination rather than one setting in isolation.

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Android Tipsdisplay settingsMotion smoothnessrefresh rateSamsung Galaxyscreen resolution

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