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How to Fix a Monitor Stuck at 30Hz/60Hz (STEPS)

Why is my monitor stuck at 30Hz?

Your monitor is stuck at 30Hz because of using a incompatible cable, an incompatible HDMI port, incorrect drivers, or a non supported graphics card. 

  • Non-supporting cable
  • Incompatible HDMI port
  • Non-compatible graphics card
  • Incorrect drivers installation

 

Non-supporting cable

The cable that you are using may not be rated to support a higher refresh rate. The highest refresh rate supported by the cable is likely to be 30Hz.

 

Incompatible HDMI port

The monitor may be getting stuck at 30Hz because it’s connected to an incompatible HDMI port. The port may not be able to render a higher refresh rate.

 

Non-compatible graphics card

If the graphics card is incompatible with the monitor, this could stop the refresh rate from rising more than 30Hz. This is mainly the case with integrated graphics cards.

 

Incorrect drivers installation

The monitor’s drivers that are currently installed may be incorrect. This can cause the monitor to get stuck at 30Hz.

 

How to fix a monitor stuck at 30Hz?

You can fix a monitor stuck at 30Hz by checking the cable rating, checking HDMI port incompatibility and using a compatible graphics driver. You should also consider installing the correct drivers.

  • Check the cable rating
  • Check HDMI port incompatibility
  • Use compatible graphics card
  • Install correct drivers

 

  1. Check your cable specifications to see the refresh rate supported. You may have to opt for a cable with a different rating.
  2. Check if your monitor is currently connected to an HDMI 1.4 port and change the connection to an HDMI 2.0 port. This is likely to solve the problem.
  3. Check the specifications of the graphics card and do a replacement if needed. Many integrated cards don’t support a refresh rate of more than 30Hz.
  4. Look out for correct driver versions of the monitor as well as the graphics card and perform the pending updates if there are any. This may resolve the issue.

 

Why is my monitor stuck at 60Hz?

Your monitor is stuck at 60Hz due to a default refresh rate setting, an unsuitable DisplayPort or HDMI port, an outdated graphics driver or incorrectly plugged cables. Sometimes, monitor or console incompatibility can also trigger this problem.

  • Default refresh rate setting
  • Unsuitable DisplayPort or HDMI port
  • Outdated graphics driver
  • Incorrectly plugged cables
  • Monitor or console incompatibility

 

Almost all the above problems can be fixed by following a few simple steps that you can work on yourself. In most cases, a simple substitute or replacement should fix the problem. You may have to restart your monitor after working on the fix for the changes to take effect.

 

monitor stuck at 30Hz to 60Hz

 

How to fix a monitor stuck at 60Hz?

You can fix a monitor stuck at 60Hz by adjusting the refresh rate, using a different HDMI port, updating the graphics driver and plugging the cables correctly. You must also consider checking if the monitor supports a higher refresh rate.

The steps outlined below will guide you in resolving the problem of your monitor getting stuck at 60Hz.

  1. Check the default refresh rate set on your monitor. If it’s set at 60Hz, consider setting it to the desired value. To do this, select Settings followed by System and then Display. Click Advanced Display Settings and then Display Adapter Properties. Click the Monitor Choose the desired refresh rate from the dropdown list.
  2. Check if you have plugged the cable into the right DisplayPort or HDMI port and change the cable connection if needed. If you’re using an HDMI port, make sure that you use at least an HDMI 2.0 cable. Most monitors often come along with this cable.
  3. Watch out for a pending update of your graphics driver and update it at the earliest. In some cases, the update can work as a solution.
  4. Make sure that the cables are plugged in properly in the intended ports because if they are inserted in the wrong ports, the monitor may get stuck at 60Hz. Often, one end of the cable has to be plugged into the HDMI 2.0 port while the other end is to be inserted into the GPU port. This is also a good chance to look out for loose cable connections and tighten them.
  5. Check the monitor specifications to see if it allows a refresh rate higher than 60Hz. You can do this in one of two ways. One way is to click the Monitor tab as mentioned in Step 1 and see the highest refresh rate specified in the list. Alternatively, you can look up the model of your monitor online and check out its specs on the manufacturer’s website or the websites of online retailers. If the highest rate doesn’t exceed 60Hz, you will most likely have to change your monitor.

 

It’s equally important to ensure that your console supports a higher than 60Hz refresh rate if you’re using one of them. You may have to change the console if your monitor has a refresh rate of more than 60Hz but the highest refresh rate of the console is 60Hz.

 

How to set a monitor to 30Hz?

You can set a monitor to 30Hz by changing its Display properties using a few simple steps. These steps mentioned here assist you in opting for this setting in a monitor used with a computer featuring Windows 10 operating system.

  1. Click the Settings icon to open the Settings
  2. Click the System
  3. Select Display in the System pane on the left side.
  4. Click the Advanced display settings link in the Display pane on the right side.
  5. Click the display adapter properties link under the Display information subsection in the Advanced display settings
  6. Click the Monitor
  7. Select 30Hz from the options provided in the Screen refresh rate: dropdown list in the Monitor Settings
  8. Click Apply followed by OK.

 

You can also perform Steps 1 and 2 mentioned above as a single step by doing a right-click on your desktop and clicking Display settings from the menu.

However, you may not be able to do the 30Hz setting if your monitor, screen resolution and/or graphics driver don’t support it. So, you may want to check on these aspects first before attempting to set the monitor to 30Hz.

 

Is a 30Hz monitor better than 60Hz?

A 30Hz monitor is better than a 60Hz monitor if power consumption is your prime concern. The monitor is ideal if you want to save on power and you plan to use your monitor for normal activities like browsing.

However, there are chances of a slightly high flicker rate than 60Hz with lesser picture quality when it is used for motion-related tasks such as playing games or watching movies.

 

A 60Hz monitor is better than a 30Hz monitor at ensuring smoother motion because of less flickering and improved picture quality. 

 

Power consumption tends to increase and you’ll have to charge your laptop more frequently. The lag is also considerably less.

However, for normal tasks, you may or may not experience any difference when compared to a 30Hz monitor.

 

Why is my 4K monitor stuck at 30Hz?

Your 4K monitor is stuck at 30Hz because of monitor incompatibility, unsupported cables, incompatible graphics card or a non-supporting port. Outdated drivers and a non-activated graphics setting may also pose this problem.

  • Monitor incompatibility
  • Unsupported cables
  • Incompatible graphics card
  • Non-supporting port
  • Outdated drivers
  • Non-activated graphics setting

 

You can try the steps given below to get 60Hz on a 4K monitor that is stuck at 30Hz.

  1. Go through the specifications of the monitor to check if it’s rated for this. You will find these details in the manual that came with the monitor or on the manufacturer’s website. If your monitor doesn’t feature this compatibility, you will have to get it changed if you want a higher refresh rate.
  2. Make sure that the cable you’re using to connect the monitor is designed for a 4K @ 60FPS rating. If it’s not so, do a cable replacement. You might want to go in for an HDMI 2.0 cable if an HDMI 1.2 cable is currently in use.
  3. Check the specifications of the graphics card that comes integrated with your PC/laptop to confirm if it supports 60Hz. The graphics card manufacturer’s website is a good source to look up for this information. If the card doesn’t support, you must change it to get rid of the getting stuck problem. However, make sure that the new card is compatible with the rest of the system as well.
  4. Watch out for outdated graphics card as well as monitor drivers and update them to their latest versions available on their website. Sometimes, you may have to update the driver of your laptop’s manufacturer as well.
  5. Open the Graphics settings of your laptop through the Settings menu and slide the Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling toggle button to the ON position.

 

How to fix Acer monitor stuck at 30Hz?

You can fix an Acer monitor stuck at 30Hz by updating the outdated drivers, changing the graphics card and/or checking for and correcting port mismatch.

  • Update outdated drivers
  • Different graphics card
  • Correct port mismatch

 

  1. Check if the driver of the graphics card is outdated and update it to the most recent version from its manufacturer’s website. Uninstall the existing driver and do a fresh download and installation if needed. You may also want to update the driver of the display.
  2. Use a different graphics card and check if there is a solution to the getting stuck at 30Hz issue. If so, you will have to change your present card as the existing card doesn’t support a refresh rate higher than 30Hz.
  3. Check if you’re using an HDMI 1.4 port and cable instead of HDMI 2.0. To get a higher refresh rate like 60Hz, you will require at least an HDMI 2.0 port and corresponding cable for the change to be reflected. If you don’t have HDMI 2.0 support, consider opting for a DisplayPort connection with the appropriate cable.

 

How to fix Dell monitor stuck at 30Hz?

You can fix a Dell monitor stuck at 30Hz by using a different graphics card, opting for another HDMI cable and/or changing the resolution.

  • Different graphics card
  • Another HDMI cable
  • Display resolution change

 

  1. Replace the integrated graphics card with a card of higher configuration and check if the problem persists. It’s possible that the old card doesn’t support HDMI 2.0 needed for 60Hz and higher refresh rates.
  2. Change the HDMI cable if you’re using an HDMI 1.4 or lower version cable. If your system doesn’t support HDMI 2.0, you can use a USB-C to DisplayPort cable. However, you must first make sure that your system has a USB Type C port.
  3. Change the existing resolution to another setting and revert to the original resolution once again through the Display Some users have found that changing the setting from High Resolution to High Data Speed and then back to High Resolution solved the problem for them.

 

How to fix LG monitor stuck at 30Hz?

You can fix an LG monitor stuck at 30Hz by using a DisplayPort adapter, changing a defective cable, turning ON the deep color setting and/or changing the monitor settings.

  • Use DisplayPort adapter
  • Change defective cable
  • Activate deep color setting
  • Different monitor setting

 

  1. Check if your GPU renders less than HDMI 2.0 support and if this is the case, get a DisplayPort to HDMI 2.0 adapter. If you already have the port, you need just a DisplayPort cable for connecting the monitor to your port.
  2. Inspect the HDMI 2.0 cable to check for signs of defect and do a replacement if needed. To do this check, use another cable of the same type and see if it works. If you have an HDMI cable that doesn’t support 60Hz, try following the fix mentioned above.
  3. Check if there is an HDMI Ultra HD Deep Color setting or a similar setting that has been turned OFF and turn it ON. The maximum refresh rate will be 30Hz if this setting is turned OFF.
  4. Change the refresh rate settings in the monitor of your system if it supports HDMI 2.0 but doesn’t allow you to alter the refresh rate.

Ernie Lo

Ernie Lo is a qualified web designer and web developer. He works as an IT support technician and website manager at Benleigh Vending, and he also fixes vending machines.

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