Change the Refresh Rate on Your Mac (Including ProMotion)

You want to set your Mac’s display to a specific refresh rate — to get smooth 120Hz ProMotion, match a video’s frame rate, or troubleshoot motion that looks off.

Why: macOS picks a refresh rate automatically, but 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with Apple silicon (and certain Apple displays) support higher and adaptive rates. The Refresh Rate menu in Displays lets you choose ProMotion, Adaptive, or a fixed Hz value.

Fix 1: Set the refresh rate

1. Choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Displays in the sidebar.
2. Select the display you want to change at the top.
3. Click the Refresh Rate pop-up menu and choose a rate.

14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with Apple silicon offer ProMotion up to 120Hz. Studio Display XDR offers Adaptive (47–120 Hertz) when the connected Mac supports it. The ordinary Studio Display has a 60Hz refresh rate. Pro Display XDR offers fixed rates up to 60Hz, such as 59.94Hz, 50Hz, 48Hz, and 47.95Hz; it does not offer the Studio Display XDR adaptive mode. Check the options available for the selected display and Mac.

Fix 2: Keep ProMotion (or pick a fixed rate)

On a display that offers it, ProMotion or Adaptive is a good default for everyday use. On a fixed-rate display, use its default supported rate.

• Choose a fixed rate only for a specific reason: for video editing, pick a rate that divides evenly into your footage’s frame rate (for example 48Hz for 24fps) so motion stays smooth and judder-free.
• After finishing that work, set the menu back to ProMotion / Adaptive for normal use.

Fix 3: No Refresh Rate option, or only one value?

Not every Mac or display offers a choice.

1. Check the display and connected Mac, rather than assuming every non-ProMotion Mac has one fixed rate. Apple also documents selectable fixed rates on the 16-inch MacBook Pro (2019) and Pro Display XDR. External-monitor options depend on the display, Mac, cable and connection; not every combination supports the same rates.
2. Make sure you’ve selected the right display at the top of Displays settings; an external monitor may expose different rates than the built-in screen.
3. Install the latest System Settings > General > Software Update, which can add display options and firmware.

FAQ

What is ProMotion? Apple’s adaptive refresh that scales the display up to 120Hz for smoother motion and back down to save power, on supported MacBook Pro models (Fix 1).

Should I lock it at 60Hz? If your display supports ProMotion or Adaptive, those are useful everyday defaults. A fixed rate can help a specific workflow, such as matching a video frame rate. Displays limited to 60Hz cannot enable a 120Hz adaptive mode.

I don’t see a Refresh Rate menu. It may be a fixed-rate display, or the selected display/connection may not expose other rates. Check the model and connection in Fix 3; absence of the menu alone does not identify which limitation applies.

Sources: Apple Support — Change the refresh rate on your MacBook Pro or Apple display