How to Enable Variable Refresh Rate in Windows 11

Why use VRR?

Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) makes your games look smoother by matching your monitor’s refresh speed to your computer’s graphics card speed.

What happens when done?

Once enabled, your games will run more fluidly, especially older games that do not have built-in support for VRR. You will notice less screen tearing and a more responsive feel during fast-paced gameplay.

Hardware Requirements

To use VRR, your system must meet specific hardware standards:

• A monitor that supports Adaptive Sync, G-Sync, or FreeSync.
• A DisplayPort 1.2 or HDMI 2.1 cable.
• A graphics card that supports WDDM 2.7 or higher.
• The latest GPU drivers installed from your manufacturer’s website.

Dynamic Refresh Rate (DRR) vs VRR

While VRR is for gaming, Dynamic Refresh Rate (DRR) is for general use. DRR automatically switches between a low and high refresh rate to save battery life on laptops. VRR is focused on matching the monitor to the game’s frame rate to prevent visual artifacts.

How to enable VRR via Settings

To enable Variable Refresh Rate using the Settings app in Windows 11, open Settings by pressing the Windows key + I, go to System, click Display, select Graphics, and then click Change default graphics settings to turn on Optimizations for windowed games.

1. Open the Windows Settings app by pressing the Windows key + I on your keyboard.
2. Click on the System button on the left menu.

   

3. Click on the Display tile.

   

4. Scroll down and click on Graphics.

   

5. Click on Advanced graphics settings at the bottom.
6. Toggle the switch for Variable refresh rate to On.

   

How to enable VRR via Registry Editor

To enable Variable Refresh Rate using the Registry Editor in Windows 11, press the Windows key + R, type regedit, and go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\DirectX to create or change the Dword value for variable refresh rate support.

1. Open the Windows Registry by pressing the Windows key + R, typing regedit, and pressing Enter.
2. Navigate to this path: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\DirectX\UserGpuPreferences
3. If the UserGpuPreferences folder is missing, right-click the DirectX folder, select New, and create a Key named UserGpuPreferences.

   

4. Right-click in the empty space on the right side. Select New, then String Value. Name it DirectXUserGlobalSettings.
5. Double-click DirectXUserGlobalSettings and set the Value data to 1 to turn it on, or 0 to turn it off.

   

Troubleshooting

Check that your monitor is connected via a compatible cable and that Adaptive Sync is enabled in your monitor's physical OSD menu.

Summary

Variable Refresh Rate makes your gaming experience much smoother by syncing your monitor to your game's performance. You can enable this easily through your Windows display settings or by adjusting the registry if you prefer a more technical approach. For more details, see the official Microsoft display settings documentation.