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To use a 180Hz monitor at its intended refresh rate, connect it through an input that supports your chosen resolution and refresh rate, select 180Hz in Windows, then enable variable refresh rate (VRR) on both the monitor and your graphics card. The exact port, cable, supported mode, and VRR range depend on your monitor and GPU, so check their specifications rather than assuming every connection supports 180Hz.

1. Connect the monitor using a supported input

Use a port and cable that both your monitor and graphics card support for the resolution and refresh rate you want. A monitor advertised as 180Hz may not offer that rate through every input or at every resolution. Check the monitor manual’s supported display modes for each input, and confirm that the GPU supports the same mode.

If you are setting up AMD FreeSync over DisplayPort, AMD’s setup guidance says to check that the monitor’s DisplayPort setting is 1.2 or higher. The setting’s name and availability vary by monitor, so consult its manual. AMD FreeSync setup guidance

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2. Enable adaptive sync on the monitor

Open the monitor’s on-screen display (OSD) and turn on its adaptive-sync feature. Depending on the model, the option may be called Adaptive-Sync, FreeSync, or another VRR name. Some monitor presets can disable FreeSync, so check the OSD if the option is missing or VRR does not appear to work. AMD’s monitor-side FreeSync instructions

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3. Select 180Hz in Windows

  1. Open Settings > System > Display > Advanced display.
  2. If more than one monitor is connected, select the 180Hz monitor.
  3. Choose the highest refresh rate available for the resolution you want. If 180Hz is listed, select it.
  4. Check the display information panel to verify both the active resolution and refresh rate.

Windows only lists modes supported by the display, and some rates may be marked with an asterisk because choosing them changes the current resolution. Make sure the resolution remains the one you intend to use. Microsoft: Change the refresh rate on your monitor in Windows

4. Turn on VRR in your graphics software

NVIDIA graphics cards

Open NVIDIA Control Panel > Display > Set up G-SYNC, enable G-SYNC or G-SYNC Compatible, and choose full-screen or windowed operation to match how you play. Then open Manage 3D Settings and check the Monitor Technology setting. NVIDIA notes that G-SYNC requires a G-SYNC or G-SYNC Compatible display and recommends using the highest available refresh rate. NVIDIA Control Panel Help: Use variable refresh rates

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AMD graphics cards

Open AMD Software and confirm that FreeSync is enabled in its Display settings, as well as in the monitor’s OSD. AMD describes FreeSync Premium as requiring at least a 120Hz refresh rate at minimum FHD resolution; that is a tier requirement, not a statement of the VRR range for every 180Hz monitor. Check your monitor’s specifications for its actual supported range. AMD FreeSync

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5. Manage frame rates that exceed 180 FPS

VRR synchronizes the display’s refresh with compatible GPU frame delivery and can reduce tearing and stutter on supported systems. It does not guarantee that every artifact disappears in every game. If a game regularly runs above the monitor’s refresh rate, AMD recommends enabling V-Sync or capping the game’s frame rate for a tear-free result. AMD FreeSync guidance

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6. Troubleshoot a lower-than-expected refresh rate

If Windows shows only 60Hz or another low rate

  • Confirm that the intended monitor is selected in Advanced display.
  • Check that Windows is using the desired resolution; refresh-rate options depend on the display’s supported modes.
  • Verify that the chosen monitor input, cable, and GPU support the resolution-and-refresh combination, using the monitor and GPU specifications.
  • Check the monitor OSD for an adaptive-sync setting or preset that may disable FreeSync.

If a Windows 11 game runs below the expected rate

Dynamic Refresh Rate (DRR) is separate from the monitor’s VRR setting. Microsoft says DRR requires VRR support and a display capable of at least 120Hz, and it may limit the maximum refresh rate of other games. If DRR is enabled and a game appears to run below its expected rate, turn DRR off and retest. Microsoft’s Windows refresh-rate and DRR guidance

Quick Recap

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