Fix Monitor Not Detecting 144Hz: 8 Solutions (2026)

A monitor not detecting 144Hz is almost always a cable problem – about 40% of cases are fixed by switching from HDMI to DisplayPort. The second most common cause is Windows defaulting to 60Hz in display settings, which takes 30 seconds to fix. This guide walks through all 8 solutions from simplest to most advanced so you can get your full refresh rate working. For a broader overview, see the full PC gaming troubleshooting guide.

Solution 1: Use DisplayPort Instead of HDMI (Fixes 40% of Cases)

This is the single most common fix. Many 144Hz monitors ship with an HDMI 1.4 cable in the box. HDMI 1.4 supports 144Hz only at 1080p – at 1440p, it caps at 60Hz. Your monitor is not broken; it is receiving a 60Hz signal because the cable cannot carry more.

Fix: Connect your monitor using a DisplayPort cable instead. DisplayPort 1.2 and newer supports 144Hz at both 1080p and 1440p. If your monitor only has HDMI ports (rare for gaming monitors), ensure you are using an HDMI 2.0 or 2.1 cable.

Cable Bandwidth Reference

Key takeaway: If you are running 1440p, you need at minimum DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 2.0, or newer. If you are running 4K, you need DisplayPort 1.4 or HDMI 2.1. Anything less will cap your refresh rate below 144Hz.

Solution 2: Set 144Hz in Windows Display Settings

Windows sometimes defaults to 60Hz even when the cable and monitor support higher. Checking takes 30 seconds:

1. Right-click your desktop and select Display settings.
2. Scroll down and click Advanced display.
3. Under “Choose a refresh rate,” click the dropdown and select 144Hz.

If 144Hz does not appear in the dropdown, the cable, port, or driver is limiting the signal. Move to the next solution.

Alternative: Nvidia or AMD Control Panel

• Nvidia: Right-click desktop > Nvidia Control Panel > Display > Change Resolution > Select 144Hz from the Refresh rate dropdown.
• AMD: Right-click desktop > AMD Software > Display > Custom Resolution > Set refresh rate to 144Hz.

The GPU control panel sometimes shows refresh rate options that the Windows settings page does not. If 144Hz is missing from Windows but appears in the Nvidia/AMD panel, set it there.

Solution 3: Update GPU Drivers (Clean Install)

Outdated or corrupted GPU drivers can prevent Windows from recognizing your monitor’s full refresh rate capability.

1. Download Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) from guru3d.com.
2. Boot into Safe Mode (Settings > Recovery > Advanced startup > Restart now > Troubleshoot > Startup Settings > Safe Mode).
3. Run DDU and select “Clean and restart.”
4. After restart, install the latest driver from nvidia.com/drivers or amd.com/support.
5. Check Windows display settings again for 144Hz.

A clean driver install removes all remnants of previous drivers that may be conflicting with your current setup. This is more effective than simply updating through GeForce Experience or AMD Software.

Solution 4: Check Monitor OSD Settings

Some monitors have internal settings that limit refresh rate. Use the physical buttons on your monitor to navigate the OSD (On-Screen Display) menu and check for:

• Overclock / OC setting – Some monitors require you to enable an “Overclock” option before they accept signals above 120Hz. Without this enabled, the monitor reports a max of 60Hz or 120Hz to Windows.
• Power Saving mode – Energy-saving modes sometimes cap refresh rate at 60Hz to reduce power consumption. Disable this for gaming.
• Input source – Ensure the monitor’s input is set to the correct port (DisplayPort vs HDMI). Auto-detect can sometimes select the wrong input.
• FreeSync/G-Sync – On some monitors, enabling adaptive sync also unlocks the full refresh rate range. Check if enabling this reveals the 144Hz option.

Solution 5: Check GPU Output Port

Not all ports on your graphics card are equal:

• Older GPUs may have one DisplayPort 1.4 port and one DisplayPort 1.2 port – only the 1.4 port supports higher refresh rates at higher resolutions.
• Some GPUs have a mix of HDMI 2.0 and HDMI 2.1 ports. Only the 2.1 port supports 144Hz at 4K.
• If you are using an adapter (HDMI to DisplayPort or vice versa), the adapter may be limiting bandwidth. Active adapters are needed for some conversions – passive adapters often cap at 60Hz.

Try a different port on your GPU. If you have multiple DisplayPort outputs, try each one.

Solution 6: Disable Display Stream Compression Issues

At very high resolutions and refresh rates (4K 144Hz), DisplayPort 1.4 relies on Display Stream Compression (DSC) to fit the signal through the cable’s bandwidth. If DSC is not functioning correctly, Windows may fall back to a lower refresh rate.

Check your GPU control panel for DSC-related settings. Nvidia Control Panel shows DSC status under Display > View HDCP status. If DSC is required but not activating, try a different cable – some cheap DisplayPort cables do not support DSC properly.

Solution 7: Create a Custom Resolution

If 144Hz does not appear in any settings panel, you can force it through a custom resolution:

Nvidia:

1. Open Nvidia Control Panel > Display > Change Resolution.
2. Click Customize > Create Custom Resolution.
3. Set the refresh rate to 144Hz.
4. Click Test to verify it works.
5. If the screen goes black or looks wrong, wait 15 seconds and it will revert automatically.

AMD:

1. Open AMD Software > Display.
2. Click Custom Resolutions > Create New.
3. Enter your resolution and 144Hz refresh rate.
4. Save and apply.

Solution 8: Factory Reset the Monitor

If nothing else works, reset the monitor to factory defaults through the OSD menu. This clears any accidental settings changes that may be limiting refresh rate. After resetting, reconnect the cable and check Windows settings again.

How to Verify 144Hz Is Actually Working

After applying fixes, verify your monitor is actually running at 144Hz:

1. Windows confirmation: Settings > Display > Advanced display should show “144 Hz” next to your refresh rate.
2. TestUFO: Visit testufo.com – the top of the page shows your detected refresh rate. Run the frame skipping test to confirm every frame is being displayed.
3. Visual test: Move your mouse cursor quickly across the screen. At 144Hz, the cursor trail should appear smooth with closely spaced cursor images. At 60Hz, the cursor images are spaced further apart with visible gaps.

Related: fix stuttering, fix crashes, speed up PC, clean GPU drivers.

2026 update: Most gaming issues in 2026 trace to GPU drivers or Windows updates. Start with a clean GPU driver install and check our Windows optimization guide before hardware troubleshooting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my 144Hz monitor only showing 60Hz?

The most common cause is using an HDMI 1.4 cable, which caps at 60Hz for resolutions above 1080p. Switch to a DisplayPort cable or HDMI 2.0+ cable. Other causes include outdated GPU drivers, incorrect Windows display settings, or a monitor OSD setting limiting the refresh rate. Check all three before assuming hardware failure.

Can HDMI run 144Hz?

HDMI 1.4 supports 144Hz only at 1080p. For 1440p at 144Hz, you need HDMI 2.0 or newer. For 4K at 144Hz, you need HDMI 2.1. Many monitors ship with HDMI 1.4 cables that cannot carry 144Hz at higher resolutions. DisplayPort 1.2+ handles 144Hz at 1080p and 1440p without issue, making it the safer choice.

How do I check what refresh rate my monitor is running at?

Right-click your desktop, select Display settings, then Advanced display. Your current refresh rate is shown next to “Choose a refresh rate.” Alternatively, visit testufo.com – it displays your detected refresh rate at the top of the page and shows a visual frame rate test to confirm your monitor is actually refreshing at the detected rate.

Does the cable that came with my monitor support 144Hz?

Not always. Many monitors ship with HDMI 1.4 cables that only support 60Hz at 1440p, even though the monitor supports 144Hz. Check if a DisplayPort cable was included – that is usually the one designed for high refresh rates. If only an HDMI cable was included, buy a DisplayPort 1.4 cable separately.

I set 144Hz in Windows but my games still feel like 60Hz. Why?

Check three things: (1) The game’s own graphics settings may have a separate refresh rate or frame rate cap set to 60. (2) V-Sync may be enabled, capping frames to 60 if your GPU cannot maintain 144 FPS. (3) The game may be running in borderless windowed mode, which sometimes locks to 60Hz. Switch to exclusive fullscreen.

My 144Hz monitor drops to 60Hz when I plug in a second monitor. Why?

This is a common dual-monitor issue. When Windows detects a second display, it sometimes forces both monitors to the lower refresh rate. Fix it by going to Display settings > Advanced display and setting each monitor’s refresh rate individually. If the issue persists, check that both monitors use the same GPU output type (both DisplayPort, not one HDMI and one DP). Some GPUs allocate bandwidth differently across mixed output types. Also verify that your GPU has enough bandwidth to drive both monitors at full refresh – running a 4K 60Hz secondary alongside a 1440p 144Hz primary can exceed the GPU’s DisplayPort bandwidth on older cards.

Nothing else worked. What now?

Try a full hardware reset: power off your PC completely, unplug the monitor’s power cable and display cable, wait 30 seconds, then reconnect everything and power on. Some monitors and GPUs get stuck in a bad handshake state that persists through normal restarts but clears with a full power cycle. If this still doesn’t work, try the monitor on a different PC to confirm whether the issue is with the monitor itself or your PC’s configuration.