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If your gaming monitor’s advertised refresh rate is missing in Windows—or a 240 Hz monitor is stuck at 120 Hz—the rate may depend on the selected resolution, the monitor input, or a setting specific to that model. Check the monitor’s supported modes first, then work through Windows, the full connection path, graphics settings, and the monitor’s on-screen menu.

1. Confirm the monitor supports the mode you want

Find the exact model number and check its official manual or support page for supported resolution and refresh-rate combinations. The headline maximum may be available only at certain resolutions or through a particular input. LG notes that supported modes vary by UltraGear model and directs users to the model-specific manual: LG monitor refresh-rate guidance.

Check the manual for any required input, monitor-menu setting, or overclock option. A mode listed for one connection or resolution is not necessarily available through every port or at every resolution.

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2. Choose the rate in Windows

  1. Open Settings > System > Display > Advanced display in Windows 11.
  2. If more than one display is connected, choose the gaming monitor in the display selector.
  3. Choose the highest listed refresh rate that matches your intended resolution and use.

Microsoft documents this selection path in its Windows refresh-rate instructions. If the rate you expect is missing, Windows is not being offered that mode by the current combination of computer, driver, connection, and monitor. Selecting the menu again will not make an unsupported mode appear.

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3. Check the entire cable and connection path

A high-refresh mode depends on the GPU output, cable, monitor input, and any device between them. Firmly reconnect both ends. If possible, compare with the cable supplied with the monitor, and check the manual or manufacturer specifications before choosing a replacement. There is no single cable version that can be recommended for every monitor and target resolution.

If a dock or adapter is in use, test a direct GPU-to-monitor connection where practical. This helps isolate the connection path; it does not mean every dock or adapter limits refresh rates. LG recommends an appropriate DisplayPort or HDMI cable for high-refresh use and notes that separately purchased cables can cause problems. Microsoft also recommends trying another cable, video output, or system when troubleshooting an external display: Microsoft external-monitor troubleshooting.

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4. Check the GPU output and display settings

Available display modes depend on the computer as well as the monitor. Intel explains that the modes offered depend on the computer and display configuration: Intel display-mode guidance.

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  • On a desktop with both motherboard and graphics-card ports, make sure the cable is connected to the intended GPU output.
  • Check the Windows mode list and the graphics card maker’s display control panel.
  • If several displays are connected, test with only the gaming monitor attached to see whether the available modes change.

NVIDIA provides refresh-rate selection steps in its Change Resolution instructions. NVIDIA also notes that a variable-refresh-rate display may automatically use its highest refresh rate when VRR is enabled. Treat the control panel as another place to check, not a guarantee that a rate unsupported by the connection will become available.

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5. Use monitor-menu options and driver changes selectively

Consult the exact monitor manual before changing its on-screen display (OSD) settings. Some models have input-version, refresh-rate, or overclock options that affect available modes. For example, ASUS says its overclocking procedure requires the signal port specified for that model; if no image appears, its guidance is to reduce the maximum refresh rate: ASUS monitor overclocking guidance.

Do not change DisplayPort compatibility settings as a general fix. Sony describes a particular DisplayPort 2.1 compatibility case and recommends changing the monitor’s DP version setting only for affected hardware and symptoms: Sony DisplayPort compatibility guidance.

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If the mode disappeared after a graphics-driver or monitor-firmware change, check the current instructions from the relevant manufacturer before updating, rolling back, or changing firmware. Use steps that match your model and the timing of the problem rather than changing several settings at once.

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6. Verify the display rate separately from game performance

After making a change, check the selected rate again in Windows Advanced display and, if available, the monitor’s own information screen. Then check the game’s display settings if it offers a separate refresh-rate option.

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A display refresh rate and a game’s rendered frames per second (FPS) are different measurements. Setting the monitor to its supported refresh rate does not guarantee that a game will render that many frames per second.

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