All three move at the same speed. The top one moves on every frame, so it should look the smoothest.
Measuring… Keep this tab in front and wait two seconds.
Lower than you expected? The browser runs at the rate of the screen the window is on. Battery saver, a 60 Hz HDMI cable, your display settings or a second monitor can lower it. Full screen often shows the true rate.
About the refresh rate test
The refresh rate is how many times per second your screen shows a new picture. It is measured in hertz (Hz). A normal screen shows 60 pictures per second. Gaming monitors show 120, 144, 165, 240 or even 360 and more.
This test starts at once. Your browser draws one frame for every picture the screen shows, so the test times those frames and shows the result as a big number, like 144 Hz. After about two seconds the number is steady. You also see the exact value (for example 143.9 Hz), the time of one frame, and how many frames were skipped.
Features
- Instant result — the rate shows up in about two seconds, with no button to press
- Common rate and exact value — 60, 120, 144, 240 Hz and so on, plus the exact measured number
- Frame time — how many milliseconds one frame stays on the screen
- Skipped frames counter — counts frames that came late, shown as red dots on the live graph
- Motion test — three objects at full, half and a third of your rate, so you can see the difference
- Four speeds — stop, slow, medium or fast motion
- Full screen — measures again in full screen, which often shows the true rate
- Restarts by itself — when the tab is hidden or the page loses focus, it says so and measures again
How to use it
- Open the page and wait two seconds — the big number is your refresh rate
- Keep the browser window on the screen you want to test
- Press Full screen to measure without the rest of the desktop
- Watch the motion test: the top object should look the smoothest
- Change the speed to Fast to see the difference better
- Press Restart after you change a setting
Is my monitor 144 Hz?
Open this page on the monitor. If the big number says 144 Hz, the monitor is running at 144 Hz. If it says 60 Hz, the monitor may still support 144 Hz, but something holds it back. The most common reasons:
- Windows is set to 60 Hz (see below how to change it)
- The cable or port is too slow — an old HDMI cable or port often stops at 60 Hz. Use DisplayPort or a newer HDMI cable
- The browser window is on another, slower monitor
- A laptop on battery saver lowers the rate to save power
How to change your refresh rate
- Windows 11: Settings > System > Display > Advanced display > Choose a refresh rate
- macOS: System Settings > Displays > Refresh Rate (only shown when the display supports more than one rate)
- Android: Settings > Display > Smooth display on Pixel phones, or Settings > Display > Motion smoothness on Samsung phones
- iPhone and iPad: there is no rate setting. ProMotion models change the rate by themselves. Low Power Mode and Settings > Accessibility > Motion > Limit Frame Rate hold it at 60 Hz
Refresh rates and frame times
The frame time is one second divided by the refresh rate. A shorter frame time means smoother motion and less delay.
| Refresh rate | Frame time | Typical screen |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Hz | 33.3 ms | Some TVs and old 4K screens |
| 50 Hz | 20.0 ms | TVs in Europe |
| 60 Hz | 16.7 ms | Most screens and phones |
| 75 Hz | 13.3 ms | Office monitors |
| 90 Hz | 11.1 ms | Phones, VR headsets |
| 120 Hz | 8.33 ms | Phones, tablets, TVs |
| 144 Hz | 6.94 ms | Gaming monitors |
| 165 Hz | 6.06 ms | Gaming monitors and laptops |
| 240 Hz | 4.17 ms | Fast gaming monitors |
| 360 Hz | 2.78 ms | Esports monitors |
| 480 Hz | 2.08 ms | The fastest monitors |
Frequently asked questions
How do I check my refresh rate?
Open this page and wait two seconds. The big number is the refresh rate of the screen the browser window is on. On Windows you can also look in Settings > System > Display > Advanced display.
Why does the test show 60 Hz on my 120 Hz iPhone?
Safari on some iPhones and iPads holds web pages at 60 Hz, even on ProMotion (120 Hz) screens. Low Power Mode and the Limit Frame Rate setting do the same. The screen itself can still run at 120 Hz in other apps.
Is the refresh rate the same as FPS?
Not quite. The refresh rate is how often the screen can show a new picture. FPS (frames per second) is how many pictures a game or app makes. In the browser they are the same, because the browser makes one frame for each refresh, so this test is also a browser FPS test.
What are skipped frames?
A skipped frame is a frame that came too late, so the screen showed the old picture twice. A few skipped frames when the page loads are normal. Many skipped frames mean the computer is busy. Close other tabs and apps, plug in a laptop, and press Restart.
Why does the number change with variable refresh rate?
With G-Sync, FreeSync or "Variable refresh rate" on, the screen can follow the app instead of a fixed rate. The browser may then run lower than the monitor's top rate. Full screen often gives the true rate.
Good to know
- The browser runs at the rate of the screen the window is on — move the window to test another monitor
- Battery saver, power saving modes and some laptops in low-power mode cap the rate at 60 Hz
- A hidden tab gets no frames, so the test measures again when you come back
- Close heavy tabs and apps for the most exact result
- Nothing is recorded or sent anywhere
Related tools
- Screen Test — find dead and stuck pixels
- What Is My Screen Resolution — your screen size in pixels and scaling
- Mouse Test — buttons, double clicks and polling rate
- Reaction Time Test — how fast you react
- Click Speed Test — how many clicks per second
