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Windows 11 Dynamic Refresh Rate (DRR) automatically uses a lower refresh rate for mostly static work and a higher rate when scrolling, inking, or other motion benefits from smoother updates. It requires Windows 11, a display with variable refresh rate (VRR), and a maximum refresh rate of at least 120 Hz. It is a built-in Settings feature, not a separate app.
For compatible laptops and tablets, DRR is a sensible starting point. Use a fixed high refresh rate when a game needs consistent maximum speed, or fixed 60 Hz when battery runtime matters most.
What refresh rate and DRR mean
Refresh rate is how many times a display updates its image each second. A 60 Hz panel refreshes 60 times per second; a 120 Hz panel can refresh twice as often. Higher rates can make scrolling, window movement, pen input, and compatible games feel smoother, but they can also increase display power use.
DRR lets Windows choose between lower and higher refresh-rate behavior according to activity. Microsoft uses a 60/120 Hz switch as a representative example: email and documents may use roughly 60 Hz, while scrolling or inking can use up to 120 Hz. The actual states and switching rules depend on the panel, firmware, graphics driver, and device maker; DRR is not guaranteed to be a continuously adjustable 1–120 Hz mode.
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DRR does not create extra game frames. A 120 Hz setting only describes how often the panel can update; the game and GPU still determine frame rate.
See Microsoft’s explanation and requirements in Windows display refresh-rate support and the DirectX DRR overview.
DRR, VRR, and related display features
| Feature | What it does | What it does not do |
|---|---|---|
| Refresh rate | Sets the display’s update frequency, such as 60 or 120 Hz. | Does not make the GPU render more frames. |
| VRR (variable refresh rate) | Synchronizes display updates with the frames being rendered, helping reduce tearing and judder. | Is not Windows’ activity-based DRR policy. |
| DRR | Windows chooses lower or higher refresh behavior based on activity and device policy. | Is not a guarantee of the panel’s maximum rate in every application. |
| Panel self-refresh | A separate panel or graphics power-saving technique that can keep a static image without constant GPU updates. | Is not the same setting as DRR. |
A display can support VRR without exposing the Windows DRR option. Conversely, DRR is not a replacement for a game’s own VRR or adaptive-sync operation.
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What you need before the option appears
- Windows 11: Windows 10 does not support DRR.
- VRR-capable display: Microsoft lists VRR as a requirement.
- At least 120 Hz maximum refresh rate: A 120 Hz label alone is not enough if the panel lacks VRR.
- Compatible implementation: The manufacturer, firmware, graphics driver, connection, and dock must expose the capability to Windows.
Requirements are evaluated per display. A built-in laptop panel may support DRR while an attached monitor does not, and a dock or adapter can change what Windows detects.
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How to turn Dynamic Refresh Rate on
- Open Start and select Settings.
- Choose System, then Display.
- Select Advanced display.
- If several screens are connected, select the display you want to configure.
- Open the Dynamic refresh rate control and turn it on.
Windows only enables the control when the selected hardware supports DRR. The same page shows the current resolution, refresh rate, and whether Windows detects VRR.
How to disable DRR or choose a fixed rate
- Go to Settings > System > Display > Advanced display.
- Select the intended display.
- Turn Dynamic refresh rate off.
- In the refresh-rate menu, choose a fixed value such as 60 Hz, 120 Hz, or the highest stable rate offered.
Options marked with an asterisk may not support the current resolution. Selecting one can make Windows change resolution to obtain that refresh rate.
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When DRR is the best choice
Battery-focused laptop and tablet use
DRR can reduce display-related power consumption compared with leaving a compatible panel permanently at its highest rate. The battery result is not a universal percentage or number: brightness, resolution, processor and GPU activity, applications, wireless radios, power mode, and panel design all matter. Compare repeatable workloads on the same device rather than expecting a guaranteed number of extra hours.
Office work, browsing, touch, and pen input
DRR is useful when you want smoother scrolling and inking but do not need the panel running at maximum refresh during static documents or reading. The transition may be subtle and is not necessarily shown as a live overlay.
Mixed productivity and casual gaming
Start with DRR if your games behave correctly and you value battery efficiency away from a charger. Check each game’s own display mode, frame-rate limit, and VRR settings.
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Gaming: why a fixed high rate can be better
Microsoft says DRR should not affect the VRR behavior of games designed to use VRR. It also warns that DRR can limit the maximum refresh rate of games that are not designed for VRR. A game may therefore run below the rate you expected even though the panel is capable of 120 Hz or more.
If that happens:
- Turn off DRR.
- Select a fixed high refresh rate in Advanced display.
- Restart the game.
- Check the game’s display mode and frame-rate settings.
- If needed, test VRR separately in the graphics-driver and monitor controls.
DRR is not primarily an anti-tearing feature. VRR and synchronization settings address tearing more directly, and many games enable VRR automatically when the display and driver support it.
Why the Dynamic refresh rate option is missing
- Verify Windows version: DRR requires Windows 11.
- Check the panel’s maximum rate: A 60 or 90 Hz display does not meet Microsoft’s documented 120 Hz minimum.
- Confirm VRR in the exact model specification: “120 Hz” by itself is insufficient.
- Select the correct screen: In a multi-monitor setup, choose each display separately in Advanced display.
- Update drivers and firmware: Install Windows Update and the computer manufacturer’s graphics, display, chipset, and firmware updates.
- Test without a dock or adapter: The intermediate hardware or cable may not expose the required capabilities.
- Check OEM restrictions: Some manufacturers do not expose DRR even when a panel has high refresh and VRR characteristics.
If the control remains absent, treat that display and connection as unsupported. Registry edits and third-party refresh-rate utilities may change a fixed rate, but they do not reliably add Microsoft’s hardware-aware DRR policy.
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If DRR appears but seems ineffective
- Compare ordinary Windows scrolling with DRR enabled and with fixed 60 Hz.
- Test pen or touch input if the device supports it; a game may follow different VRR rules.
- Use Advanced display to confirm the selected display and reported capabilities.
- Compare battery behavior across repeatable tasks and similar brightness, power mode, and wireless conditions.
- Do not expect Windows to provide a continuously visible refresh-rate overlay.
Flicker, brightness shifts, or stutter
Panels can make refresh transitions look different. DRR is not universally responsible for flicker; drivers, firmware, brightness controls, panel behavior, and power-management software can contribute.
- Disable DRR temporarily.
- Test fixed 60 Hz.
- Test fixed 120 Hz or the highest stable rate.
- Install display and graphics updates from Windows Update and the PC maker.
- Check the manufacturer’s display and power-management utilities.
- If the problem occurs in every mode, contact the OEM.
External monitors and multiple displays
Microsoft does not promise DRR for every external monitor, dock, cable, GPU, or connection type. Select the external display in Advanced display and look for the Dynamic refresh rate control. If it is absent, do not assume that an adaptive-sync specification automatically means Windows DRR is available.
Should you buy a device for DRR?
Use DRR as one display criterion, not as a substitute for evaluating the whole device. Confirm the exact screen configuration has:
- Windows 11 support
- VRR
- At least 120 Hz maximum refresh rate
- Explicit DRR support where the maker documents it
- Reliable graphics-driver and firmware support
- Suitable brightness, resolution, color, battery capacity, and warranty
For example, Microsoft’s current listings identify 13.8-inch and 15-inch Surface Laptop models with dynamic refresh rates up to 120 Hz, while a smaller 13-inch Surface Laptop listing is specified at up to 60 Hz; verify the exact configuration on the Surface Laptop buying page and Surface Laptop specifications.
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Microsoft lists a 13-inch Surface Pro with a dynamic 120 Hz display and a 12-inch Surface Pro with a 90 Hz display. The retrieved product page showed starting MSRPs of $1,499.99 for the 13-inch model and $849.99 for the 12-inch model; prices and bundles change, and keyboard or pen accessories may cost extra. Check Surface Pro specifications and the Surface Pro store page before buying.
A Microsoft Certified Refurbished Surface Laptop listing showed dynamic refresh up to 120 Hz and a starting price of $900 when retrieved. Refurbished inventory and prices change frequently; see the certified-refurbished listing.
Quick Recap
Practical choice guide
| Your priority | Recommended setting | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Battery runtime and mostly static work | Fixed 60 Hz | Prioritizes the lowest refresh activity; useful if DRR causes instability. |
| Mixed work, scrolling, inking, and occasional games | DRR | Balances smooth interaction and potentially lower display power use. |
| Consistent desktop motion or games with DRR limits | Fixed 120 Hz or highest stable rate | Avoids activity-policy caps where a game does not use VRR correctly. |
| Tearing reduction in supported games | VRR configured separately | VRR synchronizes display updates with rendered frames; DRR is not its replacement. |
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