Monitor Stuck at 60Hz? How to Enable 144Hz
Quick answer: If your monitor is stuck at 60Hz, the higher rate is usually just not selected in Windows, or your cable cannot carry it. Choose the higher rate in display settings, use DisplayPort or HDMI 2.0+, and update your graphics driver.
A refresh rate cap is a display running below its rated maximum because a display setting, the cable or the port cannot carry the required bandwidth. The link negotiates down silently, so there is no error message — only a lower maximum refresh rate than the panel supports.
Confirm what it is running now: open the refresh rate test.
The cable and bandwidth trap
Refresh rate, resolution and cable bandwidth are linked, and this trips up a lot of people. A cable that happily runs 1080p at 144 Hz might only manage 60 Hz at 4K, because higher resolutions eat into the available bandwidth. HDMI versions matter: HDMI 1.4 is limited, HDMI 2.0 handles 1080p and 1440p at high rates and 4K at 60 Hz, and HDMI 2.1 or DisplayPort are needed for 4K at 120 Hz and beyond. If you've selected the right rate and updated drivers but still can't get it, a better cable into a capable port is usually the missing piece.
Other causes
A few less common things keep a monitor at 60 Hz. The monitor may have a higher rate hidden behind an overclock or "OC" toggle in its on-screen menu that needs enabling. A faulty or very cheap cable can fail to report the monitor's full capability. And running through an adapter or a docking station can cap the rate, so connecting the monitor directly to the GPU is worth testing. After any change, re-check with the refresh rate test to confirm the display is genuinely running faster.
Laptops and external displays
Laptops add their own twists to the 60 Hz problem. An external monitor plugged into a laptop is often limited by how it's connected: a USB-C port has to support DisplayPort "alt mode" with enough bandwidth, and many docking stations and USB-C hubs cap the resolution and refresh they can pass through. Connecting the monitor directly to the laptop's video output, rather than through a dock, frequently unlocks the higher rate. On laptops with both integrated and discrete graphics, the external port is sometimes wired to one or the other, so the rate can depend on which GPU drives it. The laptop's own internal display has a fixed maximum set by its panel, which you can't exceed. As always, after connecting, select the rate in Advanced display settings and confirm it with the refresh rate test.
Sources: VESA — DisplayPort · Microsoft — View display settings in Windows
Frequently asked questions
Why is my monitor stuck at 60Hz?
The higher rate is usually blocked by the cable, a setting, or the driver. Select the rate in Settings → System → Display → Advanced display, use a DisplayPort or HDMI 2.0+ cable, enable it in your GPU control panel, and update the graphics driver.
What cable do I need for 144Hz?
Use DisplayPort or HDMI 2.0 or newer for 144 Hz at 1080p or 1440p. Old HDMI 1.4 cables and ports typically cap you at 60 Hz. For 4K at 120 Hz and above, you need HDMI 2.1 or DisplayPort and a cable rated for that bandwidth.
I selected 144Hz but it's still 60 — why?
Check the cable and port first, since HDMI 1.4 limits the rate, then enable the higher rate in your NVIDIA or AMD control panel and update the graphics driver. Connecting directly to the GPU instead of through a dock or adapter often helps too.
Does resolution affect the maximum refresh rate?
Yes. Higher resolutions use more cable bandwidth, so a cable that runs 1080p at 144 Hz may only manage 60 Hz at 4K. To run both high, use DisplayPort or HDMI 2.1, or lower one of the two settings slightly.
Why is my external monitor stuck at 60Hz on a laptop?
The connection is usually the limit — a USB-C port or dock that doesn't pass enough bandwidth for a higher rate. Connect the monitor directly to the laptop's video output instead of through a dock, then select the higher rate in Display settings.
Can a docking station limit refresh rate?
Yes. Many docks and USB-C hubs cap the resolution and refresh rate they can carry, leaving you stuck at 60 Hz. Connecting the display directly to the computer's video port usually unlocks the monitor's full rate.
Do I need to enable the refresh rate in my GPU control panel?
Sometimes, yes. The NVIDIA Control Panel ('Change resolution') and AMD Software ('Display') have their own refresh-rate setting that must be set to the higher value, in addition to selecting it in Windows Display settings.
Test it yourself: Refresh Rate Test · Ghosting Test
Cable certification in 2026
If you have worked through the settings above and are still capped, the cable is the next thing to check, and the specification to look for has changed. DisplayPort 2.1b carries UHBR20, which is 20Gbps per lane across four lanes for 80Gbps total, and adds the DP80LL low-loss cable specification so that full rate survives longer cable runs. HDMI 2.2 raises its ceiling to 96Gbps and requires the new Ultra96 cable to reach it, supporting 4K at up to 480Hz, 8K at up to 240Hz and 10K at 120Hz.
A cable that carries a picture is not evidence that it carries full bandwidth. Link training falls back silently, so an under-specified cable produces exactly the symptom this guide covers: a refresh rate ceiling with no error message. On DisplayPort look for DP80 or DP80LL printed on the cable or its packaging; on HDMI look for Ultra96.
Test before you buy. Confirm the rate your display is actually running at, change one variable, and measure again. Most 60Hz locks turn out to be a display setting rather than a cable, and measuring first is what tells you which one you have.