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Windows 11’s Dynamic Refresh Rate (DRR) can automatically lower and raise a compatible laptop display’s refresh rate as your activity changes. It offers a way to balance smoother scrolling and inking with lower display power use, without leaving the screen fixed at a lower rate. It is not available on every 120Hz laptop, and it can limit the maximum refresh rate of some games.
What Dynamic Refresh Rate does
DRR adjusts the display’s refresh rate according to what you are doing. Microsoft describes it as lowering refresh during less demanding, static tasks to save power and allowing a smoother experience when higher refresh is useful. A lower refresh rate uses less display power, but Microsoft does not give a guaranteed battery-life increase for a particular laptop or workload.
DRR is an automatic Windows 11 setting. It differs from manually selecting a lower fixed refresh rate, which keeps the display at that rate rather than adjusting it to activity.
How to turn on Dynamic Refresh Rate
- Open Settings > System > Display > Advanced display.
- Find Dynamic refresh rate and turn it on if the option is available.
- If the option is missing or unavailable, check whether the display and hardware meet Microsoft’s compatibility requirements.
Menu labels can vary with Windows version and hardware. DRR requires Windows 11; Microsoft says Windows 10 does not support it. Microsoft’s setup instructions are in its guide to changing a monitor’s refresh rate in Windows.
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Why a 120Hz laptop may not show the toggle
A 120Hz specification alone does not guarantee DRR support. Microsoft specifies two conditions for DRR: the display must support variable refresh rate (VRR), and its refresh rate must be at least 120Hz. If either condition is not met, the toggle may not appear. Check the laptop maker’s display specifications if Windows does not offer the setting.
Choose between DRR and a fixed refresh rate
| Choice | How it behaves | When it may suit you |
|---|---|---|
| Dynamic Refresh Rate | Automatically adjusts refresh rate with activity on a compatible Windows 11 display. | You want the display to adapt rather than stay at one manually selected rate. |
| Fixed lower refresh rate | Stays at the rate selected under Choose a refresh rate on the Advanced display page. Microsoft says a lower rate can save display power. | Battery priority matters more than the smoother motion of a higher refresh rate. |
| Current setting unchanged | Keeps the existing refresh-rate choice. | You are satisfied with the current balance of smoothness and power use. |
Microsoft does not quantify the power or battery-life savings from DRR or from choosing a lower fixed rate, so the actual effect depends on the laptop and how you use it.
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What to do if a game feels capped
Microsoft says DRR should not affect games designed for VRR, but it may limit the maximum refresh rate of other games. If a game appears capped and you want its highest refresh rate, return to Settings > System > Display > Advanced display and turn off Dynamic refresh rate. You can then use Choose a refresh rate to select a fixed rate.
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