TenSecondCheck

Refresh rate test

Keep this tab in front and press Measure. It takes a few seconds, and the value is approximate.

Runs in your browser only

Refresh rate —
Time per frame — ms
Even frames — %
Late frames —

The value is approximate. Browsers can lower the rate to save power, and some keep it at 60 frames per second on purpose.

How the measurement works

A screen redraws its picture many times a second. That number is the refresh rate, measured in hertz. Before each redraw, the browser gives the page a chance to update, and the page can ask to be told when that happens. This test asks for a few seconds, notes the time of every redraw and looks at the gaps between them.

The typical gap is the time of one frame. At 60 Hz a frame lasts about 16.7 milliseconds; at 120 Hz, about 8.3. The test uses the median gap, which ignores the odd slow frame, and turns it into hertz. If the value is close to a rate that screens commonly use, the test names that rate too.

Because the browser sits between the screen and the page, the result is approximate. It tells you what the browser is actually delivering, which is often exactly what you want to know.

Reading the numbers

  • Refresh rate — the estimated number of frames per second.
  • Time per frame — the typical gap between two frames, in milliseconds.
  • Even frames — the share of frames that arrived close to the typical gap. A high share means smooth motion.
  • Late frames — frames that took much longer than usual. A few are normal; many of them mean stutter.

The graph under the numbers shows every gap during the measurement. A flat row of bars is smooth. Tall spikes are moments when the browser was late, for example because another tab or program was busy.

Why the browser can show less than the screen

The system setting. Many screens can run at a higher rate but start at 60 Hz. Check the display settings first (see below).

The cable and the port. Older cables and some ports cannot carry high rates at high resolutions. If the higher rate is missing from the settings, try the cable that came with the monitor or a different port on the computer.

Power saving. Laptops on battery and phones in power-saving mode often lower the rate. Plug the laptop in or switch power saving off and measure again.

The browser itself. Some browsers, especially on phones and tablets, keep animation at 60 frames per second to save battery, even when the screen can do more. A background tab is slowed down even more, which is why the test stops if you switch away.

Several monitors. When the window moves between screens with different rates, the browser may take a moment to adapt, and some browsers follow the main screen. Put the window on the screen you want to check and measure again.

Where to set the refresh rate

Windows. Open Settings → System → Display → Advanced display and choose the refresh rate for the right monitor.

macOS. Open System Settings → Displays. Screens that support several rates show a refresh rate option there.

Android. Look in the display settings for an option about smoothness or refresh rate. Names differ between makers, and many phones switch rates automatically.

iPhone and iPad. Models with a high-refresh screen adjust the rate automatically. The accessibility settings for motion include an option that limits the frame rate; if it is on, the screen stays at 60.

Late frames and stutter

If the rate is right but the even-frames share is low, motion will look jerky even on a fast screen. Close heavy tabs and programs, plug the laptop in and measure again. If spikes remain, the computer may be too busy or overheating.

The rate is only one part of a healthy screen. For dead pixels and colour banding use the screen test, and to see how the screen resolution and pixel density are reported, open My device. Smooth motion also helps in the aim trainer.

If it does not work

On your system

  1. Restart the computer before deciding a pixel is dead — a stuck pixel sometimes clears on its own.
  2. Check the display cable at both ends if you see stripes, flicker or wrong colours on an external screen.
  3. Open Settings → System → Display → Advanced display to see the refresh rate the system is actually using.
  4. If the dark marks move when you change the image, they are content, not a screen fault.
  1. Open System Settings → Displays to check the resolution and refresh rate in use.
  2. Restart before judging a stuck pixel, and look at the spot on several different colours.
  3. For an external display, try another cable and another port before blaming the panel.
  1. Look at the same spot on black, white and each colour — a mark that stays on all of them is a pixel fault.
  2. Turn the brightness up to the maximum, because a dark room hides faint marks.
  3. Check display settings for a refresh rate option, which some phones lower to save battery.
  1. Turn the brightness up and turn off True Tone and Night Shift in Settings → Display & Brightness, because both tint the whole screen.
  2. Look at the same spot on several colours before deciding a pixel is faulty.
  3. A pressure mark that spreads when you push the screen is a damaged panel, not a stuck pixel.

Questions and answers

My monitor is 144 Hz, but the test shows 60. Is it broken?
Usually not. The most common reasons are a system setting still at 60 Hz, a cable or port that cannot carry the higher rate, or a browser that limits animation. Check them in that order before suspecting the monitor.
Why does it show 59 or 61 instead of exactly 60?
Screens do not run at perfectly round rates, and the browser's timing has small errors. A value within a hertz or two of a common rate means the screen runs at that rate.
Is this value exact?
No, it is an estimate. It is measured through the browser, which can slow down or skip frames on its own. Your system's display settings show the rate the screen is actually set to.
Does a higher refresh rate matter outside games?
It makes scrolling, dragging windows and moving the pointer look smoother. It does not make text sharper, and for reading or office work a standard rate is perfectly fine.