How to Enable Variable Refresh Rate in Windows 11

Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) helps your monitor match its speed to your game. This makes your games look smoother and stops the screen from tearing. It works best with monitors that support technologies like G-SYNC or FreeSync.

Why use VRR?

Games often have different frame rates. If your screen refresh rate is stuck at one speed, you might see glitches or stuttering. VRR fixes this by syncing the two together.

What happens when done?

Once enabled, your games will run more fluidly, especially older games that do not have built-in support for VRR.

How to enable VRR via Settings

This is the easiest way to turn the feature on or off.

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

Note: This method requires administrative privileges. Be careful, as changing registry settings can affect your system.

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.

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 information here: Microsoft.com