Adjusting the display refresh rate on a Mac requires a third-party tool or command line. 1. Use Display Menu to quickly switch resolution and refresh rate in the menu bar; 2. After installing displayplacer through Homebrew, run commands in the terminal to set the refresh rate; 3. Press and hold Option in the system settings and click "Zoom" to view the current refresh rate; 4. Pay attention to the compatibility of external monitors, cable support and chip type on the function. Incorrect settings may lead to black screen. It is recommended to back up the original settings in advance.
The refresh rate of the display on Mac is actually not as intuitive as Windows. The system does not provide a graphical interface by default for you to directly select. But it's not that it can't be adjusted, it just requires a little trick, especially if you're using an external monitor.

Use Terminal to switch refresh rate
macOS itself does not have a display settings menu like Windows to adjust the refresh rate, but you can do it by using a SwitchResX or using a command line tool. However, one of the easiest ways is to use a terminal (Terminal) with third-party tools.
- Install a widget called Display Menu (searching and downloadable), which will add an icon to the menu bar, allowing you to quickly switch resolution and refresh rate.
- If you prefer to use a terminal, you can try command-line tools such as cscreen or displayplacer . The installation method is usually using Homebrew:
-
brew tap jakehilborn/jakehilborn && brew install displayplacer
- Then run
displayplacer list
to view the current display information - Then use a command like this to set it:
displayplacer "id:A8CDD35D-4E7B-4F2B-9E4F-A15B82BD2355 res:3840x2160 hz:120"
-
Note: The refresh rates supported by different monitors are different, and not all monitors can be adjusted to 120Hz or higher.

Confirm the current refresh rate in macOS monitor settings
Although the refresh rate cannot be changed directly in macOS system preferences, you can check whether the current settings are in effect here:
- Open System Settings → Monitor
- Press and hold Option and click the "Zoom" button. A more detailed menu will appear, where you can see the refresh rate currently used (if the system recognizes it)
This method is suitable for built-in display and some external monitors, but if you are connecting to a high-flash monitor but don't see the options, you may need the third-party tool mentioned above to do so.

Frequently Asked Questions and Precautions
- Not all external monitors support high refresh rates : for example, 144Hz and 165Hz. Even if your monitor is nominal, it depends on whether your graphics card output and cable support (DP cables are usually more stable than HDMI).
- Refresh rate setting errors can cause black screen or unrecognized : it is recommended to keep the original settings window before attempting to modify, or remember the recovery command.
- M1/M2 chip Mac support is slightly different : some features may be limited by hardware output capabilities, especially when using multiple monitors.
Basically that's all. The operation is not too complicated, but it is easy to ignore details, such as driver support, wire type, monitor compatibility, etc. Just take it step by step and you should be able to successfully call up the refresh rate you want.
The above is the detailed content of How to change refresh rate of display on Mac. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

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