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How to Check Whether Apps and Games Support Your Phone’s Maximum Refresh Rate

A 120 Hz screen does not mean every app runs at 120 FPS. Learn how to check active refresh rate and game FPS separately on Android and Apple devices.
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Check the screen’s active refresh rate while the app is open, then check the app’s own frames per second (FPS) separately. A phone’s advertised peak—such as 120 Hz—is the display’s capability, not proof that every app renders 120 frames per second or that the system will select its top refresh mode.

Refresh rate and FPS measure different things

Refresh rate, measured in hertz (Hz), is how often the display updates. FPS is how many frames an app or game produces each second. They can differ: a display running at 120 Hz can show a game producing about 60 FPS, with some display refreshes repeating the same frame. That game is not running at 120 FPS.

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It helps to separate four values: the phone’s maximum display capability, the display’s current refresh rate, the game’s selected frame-rate cap, and the FPS the game is actually producing. System policy and current device conditions can affect the selected display mode even when the hardware and app support higher rates. Android’s frame-rate guidance explains that a requested rate is not a guarantee that the display will switch to it.

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Check an Android phone or tablet

1. Confirm high refresh is enabled

Check the device specifications for its maximum refresh rate. Then look in the manufacturer’s display settings for an option such as High refresh rate, Adaptive refresh rate, or Smooth display, and enable it if appropriate. Names and menu locations vary by manufacturer and model; there is no single Settings path that applies to all Android devices.

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2. Show the display’s current refresh rate

On Android builds that provide the documented developer option, open Settings > System > Developer options > Show refresh rate. If Developer options is hidden or this setting is absent, consult the device maker’s instructions; manufacturer builds can differ. The overlay reports the display’s current refresh rate, not the game’s FPS. Android’s multiple-refresh-rate documentation describes this overlay and the system’s refresh-rate selection policy.

3. Check the game’s frame-rate setting and counter

Open the game’s graphics, performance, or display settings. Look for a named FPS limit or a high-frame-rate mode, and select the highest option the game offers if you want to test it. If available, turn on the game’s own FPS counter or the phone’s gaming overlay. Not every game or phone exposes a counter, and the setting alone does not confirm the FPS being delivered during play.

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4. Compare the two readings

Keep the refresh-rate overlay visible while playing and compare it with the game’s FPS counter. For example, a 120 Hz display reading alongside a game counter near 60 FPS means the display is refreshing more often than the game is producing unique frames. If the display reports 60 Hz and the game reports 60 FPS, that still does not establish that the game supports 120 FPS; check the game’s available cap and settings.

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5. If the rate is lower than expected

  • Check whether battery saver or another power-saving setting is enabled. Android’s refresh-rate policy can restrict mode changes in some conditions.
  • Check the game’s FPS cap and any manufacturer gaming-mode settings.
  • Allow the device to cool if it is hot. Android’s game guidance notes that power limits and thermal throttling can affect refresh rate and performance.
  • Recheck the readings after changing one condition at a time. A high-rate request from an app does not require Android to honor it.

Android’s game guidance says Android 15 uses a 60 Hz default for games; higher rates such as 120 FPS require an explicit request through the Frame Rate API or Swappy, and system limits may still keep the display at 60 Hz. This is platform guidance, not a claim that every Android 15 phone or game behaves identically. See Android’s guidance on optimizing refresh rates.

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Check an iPhone or iPad

Confirm the model has ProMotion

Only supported Apple devices have ProMotion. Apple’s developer documentation describes supported iPhone and iPad families, including iPhone 13 Pro and later Pro models and supported iPad Pro models; check Apple’s current specifications for the exact model rather than assuming every iPhone or iPad supports it.

Understand what the system controls

Apple describes ProMotion as system-managed. Supported ProMotion devices can present content across a range—10 to 120 Hz on supported iPhones and 24 to 120 Hz on supported iPad Pro models—rather than operating at a fixed 120 Hz. Apps can supply preferred frame-rate ranges, but they cannot force the display to show content at one precise rate. System frameworks can manage frame pacing for their animations; games and custom-rendered apps depend on their own implementations.

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Apple’s developer documentation does not describe a universal consumer setting or system-wide FPS meter that forces every app to the maximum rate. For a particular game, check its own performance settings and any in-game counter it provides. Apple’s explanation of ProMotion support for apps covers the system’s role and the timing preferences apps can provide.

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What a counter can—and cannot—prove

A live display overlay answers “What refresh rate is the screen using now?” An FPS counter answers “How quickly is this app producing frames?” Neither reading alone proves that an app supports every refresh mode the phone offers. If there is no trustworthy in-game counter, the display overlay can confirm the active screen mode, but it cannot by itself establish the game’s FPS.

Google Play’s Android vitals documentation describes game frame-rate metrics as session-level timing derived from frames on app-owned surfaces and defines slow sessions using thresholds around 30 FPS or 20 FPS. Those are developer quality-telemetry measures, not an end-user compatibility list or a live counter for an individual player. See Google Play’s Android vitals documentation.

Why there is no universal app compatibility list

Whether a specific app or game reaches a phone’s peak rate depends on the device, operating-system policy, app implementation, game settings, power state, and thermal conditions. The documented guidance does not establish an app-by-app list that applies across devices. The most useful check is therefore on the phone and in the app you actually use: confirm the device option, observe the active display mode, and inspect the game’s FPS setting and counter separately.

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