Modern smartphone users are increasingly paying attention not only to the resolution of the matrix, but also to its smoothness. Screen refresh rate (or hertz) directly affects visual comfort: the higher this indicator, the smoother interface animations, scrolling lists and movement in games seem. The 60 Hz standard, which dominated the market for many years, is now perceived by many as insufficient, especially after becoming familiar with 90 Hz, 120 Hz and higher technologies. However, not all manufacturers allow users to freely select this option in standard menus.
Increasing the frame rate can significantly change the experience of interacting with the device, making it more responsive and “alive”. In this article, we will take a closer look at how to check the current settings, where to look for hidden switches, and what advanced methods exist for unlocking the maximum capabilities of your display.
Understanding the principles of display and Hertzian operation
To properly configure the device, you need to understand the physical essence of the process. Hertz (Hz) shows how many times per second the image on the screen is completely redrawn. At 60 Hz, frame changes occur 60 times per second, and at 120 Hz - 120 times. This is a doubling of the amount of information that the eye perceives per unit of time, which creates the effect of incredible smoothness.
However, a high frequency requires more resources from GPU and consumes more charge Battery. Many modern smartphones use technology LTPO (Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide), which allows you to dynamically change the frequency from 1 Hz to 120 Hz depending on the content. If your device maintains a high rating but runs in Eco mode, you may not see its full potential.
It is important to differentiate between display refresh rate and frame rate (FPS) in games. Even if the screen is capable of displaying 120 frames, the game itself must be optimized to generate that many FPS. Otherwise, you will get a smooth interface, but the game will remain at 30 or 60 frames.
⚠️ Attention: Forcing the maximum frequency on older or budget models can lead to overheating of the case and unstable operation of the system, since the power controller may not be able to cope with the increased load.
Standard settings in the Android menu
First The next step should always be to check the standard capabilities of the operating system. Manufacturers often hide display settings deep in the menu or disguise them as energy saving modes. You need to go to the section Settings → Display → Refresh rate (the path may differ depending on the shell).
In some interfaces, for example in MIUI from Xiaomi or One UI from Samsung, the choice can be represented not by numbers, but by qualitative characteristics. You may see the options "Standard", "High" or "Automatic". Selecting the High mode usually locks the maximum available frequency, disabling dynamic reduction.
If you don't find an explicit switch, check your battery modes. Often the function energy saving forcefully limits the Hertz frequency to 60 Hz to extend battery life. Disabling power saving mode can automatically return high smoothness.
- 🔍 Go to settings and find the item related to smooth motion or frame rate.
- 🔋 Disable power saving mode to remove software restrictions.
- ⚙️ Check if the Reading or Eye Protection mode is activated, which sometimes blocks high settings.
- 📱 Reboot the device after changing the settings to apply the settings.
☑️ Checking the basic settings
Using the menu for developers
If the standard menu does not provide the necessary options, you can contact to the hidden section for developers. This is a powerful tool that allows you to intervene in the system more deeply than the average user. To activate this section, you need to go to Settings → About phone and quickly click 7 times on the item Build number.
After activation, a new item will appear in the main settings For developers. Inside it, you should look for options related to animation or simulation of secondary displays. However, it is worth remembering that a direct hertz switch is rarely found here. Most often you can find settings that affect the interface rendering speed, which can visually simulate a high frequency.
Be careful when changing the parameters in this section. Incorrectly setting the animation scale or disabling hardware acceleration can make the interface jerky, even if the physical screen frequency is high. Experiment only with those items whose purpose you understand.
⚠️ Attention: The developer menu interface may differ radically on different versions of Android. What is available on pure Android 14 may be missing or renamed in the manufacturer's shell.
How to reset developer settings?
If you are confused about the settings or the phone starts to work incorrectly, go to the “For Developers” menu and click the “Reset Settings” button at the top of the screen. This will return all system parameters to factory settings without deleting personal data.
Advanced methods via ADB and console
For enthusiasts who want to get the most out of their hardware, there is a method of using USB debugging and utilities ADB (Android Debug Bridge). This method allows you to send system commands directly, bypassing the GUI. It is especially relevant for devices where the manufacturer has blocked the frequency selection programmatically.
Before starting work, you must enable USB debugging in the developer menu and install drivers on your computer. After connecting your smartphone, run the command to check the current display settings. This will help you understand what modes the screen controller supports.
adb shell dumpsys SurfaceFlinger | grep "primary"To change the frequency, a command is used wm size in conjunction with pixel density, but directly changing the Hertz often requires specific flags that depend on the chipset Snapdragon or MediaTek. In some cases, the command to change the DPI density helps, which indirectly affects rendering.
| ADB command | Purpose | Risk |
|---|---|---|
adb shell settings put global animator_duration_scale 0.5 |
Acceleration of system animations | Low |
adb shell wm density 400 |
Changing interface density | Medium |
adb reboot |
Rebooting the device | Safe |
adb shell setprop debug.sf.enable_gl_tracing 1 |
Graphics tracing (for tests) | High |
Using the console requires precision. One syntax error can cause your phone to go into an endless bootloop. Always have at hand the ability to enter Recovery mode to reset data.
Before entering any commands via ADB, make a complete backup of important data to your computer or to the cloud. Working with system properties always carries the risk of losing information.
Third-party applications and root access
The most radical, but also the most effective way is to obtain root access (superuser rights). This gives full control over the file system and allows you to change kernel configuration files, where update frequency limits are specified. Without Root access, most third-party applications have only limited functionality.
There are special utilities, such as SetEdit or specialized tweakers for specific models (for example, for OnePlus or Xiaomi). They allow you to edit the settings database Settings.dbby finding the parameter responsible for peak_refresh_rate or min_refresh_rate.
If you decide to get root access, use proven tools like Magisk. Please remember that this action will void the device warranty and may make it impossible to operate banking applications and services with a high degree of security (Google Pay, Samsung Pay) unless you configure additional hiding modules.
- 📲 Install a superuser rights manager (for example, Magisk).
- 🛠 Download an application to edit system settings (SetEdit).
- 🔍 Find the parameter containing the word “refresh” or “hz”.
- 💾 Change the value to the desired one (for example, 120) and save.
⚠️ Attention: Modifying system files via Root can lead to bricking of the device. Do this only if you understand the consequences and know how to restore the firmware via Fastboot.
Obtaining root access opens access to hidden kernel settings, but voids the warranty and complicates the use of secure banking applications.
The impact of increased Hertz on autonomy
The main trade-off when increasing the refresh rate is power consumption. The display is one of the most power-hungry components of a smartphone. Increasing the number of redraws per second proportionally increases the load on the graphics subsystem and backlight.
In practice, switching from 60 Hz to 120 Hz can reduce battery life by 15-20% with active use. However, if you use the device primarily for reading text or viewing static content, the difference may be less noticeable thanks to adaptive frequency algorithms.
To balance between smoothness and runtime, it is recommended to use adaptive modeif available. In this case, the system itself lowers the hertz to 1 Hz or 10 Hz when you do not touch the screen, and instantly raises it when scrolling.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is it possible to raise the frequency to 144 Hz on a screen that physically only supports 60 Hz?
No, this is not possible in software. The refresh rate is a physical characteristic of the matrix. Software tweaks can only unlock hidden modes that are already built into the hardware by the manufacturer, but cannot force pixels to switch faster than their physical limits.
Why did the 90 Hz setting disappear after an Android update?
Manufacturers often release updates that optimize power consumption by forcibly blocking high frequencies in certain scenarios or removing manual selection in favor of automatic. This may also be a bug of a specific firmware version.
Does constant operation at 120 Hz harm the service life of the screen?
Modern OLED and IPS matrices are designed for long-term operation in maximum modes. The main degradation is caused not by the refresh rate, but by maximum brightness and static images (pixel burnout). Running at 120 Hz is safe for the panel.
How to check the real refresh rate right now?
You can use apps like "Device Info HW" or the built-in "Show refresh rate" option in the developer menu (if available). This can also be seen visually by the smooth movement of the cursor or indicators.
Does it make sense to enable high Hertz in games?
Yes, if the game supports high FPS. In shooters and racing games, this gives a competitive advantage and a smoother picture. If the game is limited to 30 or 60 frames, turning on 120 Hz on the screen will only increase battery consumption without visual benefit.