How to enable 120 Hz on Android: all methods from the manufacturer to hidden settings

A ​​high screen refresh rate (120 Hz) turns even a budget smartphone into a device with smooth animation, a responsive interface and a competitive advantage in games. But not all manufacturers activate this mode by default - sometimes it has to be enabled manually through hidden menus, ADB-commands or even firmware modification. In this article we will analyze all working methods unlocking 120 Hz on Android, from official settings to engineering tricks, and also explain why this mode may not be available on some devices.

It is important to understand: the update frequency depends not only on the hardware, but also on the firmware. For example, Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra supports 1–120 Hz with adaptive adjustment, and POCO F5 only fixed 60/90/120 Hz. Even within the same model, settings may vary depending on the regional version (Global, China, India). Therefore, before experiments, check the specifications of your device on the official website or through applications like AIDA64.

If you are not sure whether your smartphone supports 120 Hz, try checking it programmatically:

1. Official settings: where to look for 120 Hz in the Android menu

On most flagship and gaming smartphones (ASUS ROG Phone, Black Shark, RedMagic), the enable option 120 Hz is included in the main display settings. Here's where to look for it on popular brands:

• 📱 Samsung (One UI 5/6): Settings → Display → Screen refresh rate. Here you can select Adaptive (1–120 Hz) or Maximum (120 Hz).
• 🔥 Xiaomi/POCO/Redmi (MIUI 14+): Settings → Screen → Refresh rate. On some models (POCO F4 GT) modes are available 60 Hz, 90 Hz, 120 Hz and Auto.
• ⚡ OnePlus (OxygenOS): Settings → Screen and brightness → Refresh rate. Flagships (OnePlus 11) support LTPO 1–120 Hz.
• 🤖 Google Pixel (Android 13+): Settings → Display → Refresh rate. On Pixel 7 Pro and newer, adaptive mode is available up to 120 Hz.

If your menu does not have such items, this may mean:

• 🔧 Your model hardware does not support 120 Hz (for example, Samsung Galaxy A53 limited 90 Hz).
• 🌍 The firmware for your region has blocked the option (often found on Xiaomi for the European market).
• 🔄 It is necessary to update the software: some manufacturers add high frequency support in new firmware versions.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with AMOLED screens (for example, Samsung Galaxy S23) constant work on 120 Hz can reduce battery life by 15-25%. Adaptive mode (1–120 Hz) helps save battery.

2. Hidden engineering menus: how to unlock 120 Hz without root

If there is no option in the standard settings, but you are sure that the hardware supports 120 Hz, try activating it through engineering menu or ADBThis method works on many devices Xiaomi, Realme and Oppo. where the manufacturer artificially limited the frequency to save battery.

The safest way is to use ADB (Android Debug Bridge). data-i="117">🖥️ Computer with installed

• 🖥️ Computer with installed Platform Tools (or terminal on the smartphone itself with the application Termux).
• 🔌 Enabled debugging USB (Settings → About phone → Build number (tap 7 times) → Settings → System → For developers → USB debugging).
• 📱 A smartphone connected to a PC with permission for debugging.

Next on the command line:

adb shell settings put global peak_refresh_rate 120
adb shell settings put global min_refresh_rate 120

For adaptive mode (if supported):

adb shell settings put global adaptive_refresh_rate_enabled 1

After reboot, check the frequency in Settings → Screen or through the app Refresh Rate Test from Play Market.

⚠️ Attention: On some devices (Redmi Note 11 Pro+), after ADB commands, the frequency is reset after a reboot. To fix the changes, you will need Magisk module or editing system files (required root).

What to do if ADB does not work?

If the commands do not apply, check:

1. The connection is correct (enter `adb devices` - yours should be displayed. device).

2. Firmware version (on some MIUI shells you must first enable developer mode via `##4636##`).

3. Alternative commands: for Samsung you may need `adb shell am broadcast -a com.samsung.display.refresh_rate --ei rate 120`.

3. Applications for forcing 120 Hz

If you don’t want to mess with ADB, you can try specialized utilities. They do not guarantee 100% results, but they often help unlock hidden options:

Application	Supported brands	Root required?	Link
SetEdit	Xiaomi, Realme, Oppo	No	Play Market
Refresh Rate Changer	Universal (partially)	Yes	XDA Developers
NS Tools	Samsung (Exynos/Snapdragon)	No	Play Market
QuickSwitch	OnePlus, Google Pixel	No	GitHub

For example, in SetEdit you need to:

1. Open the application and give it rights to change system settings.
2. Find parameters peak_refresh_rate and min_refresh_rate.
3. Change their values to 120 and save.
4. Reboot the device.

For Samsung is suitable NS Tools —it has a separate section Refresh Ratewhere you can force installation 120 Hz even on models where this option is hidden (for example, Galaxy S21 FE for some regions).

⚠️ Attention: Applications like Refresh Rate Changer require root-rights and may cause soft-brick (cyclic reboot) if an incompatible frequency is selected Before use, make a backup via TWRP.

4. Firmware modification: extreme measures for experienced

If none of the above the above methods did not work, two radical options remain:

1. Installing custom firmware (for example, LineageOS or Pixel Experience), where manufacturer restrictions are removed.
2. Editing a file build.prop for forced activation 120 Hz.

For the second method you will need:

1. Get root-rights (via Magisk or SuperSU).
2. Open the file /system/build.prop in a text editor (for example, BuildProp Editor).
3. Add lines:

   ro.vendor.display.refresh_rate=120
   persist.vendor.sys.display.refresh_rate=120

4. Save the file, set the rights 644 and reboot.

On some devices (POCO X3 Pro) this method allows you to unlock 120 Hz even if the standard settings have the maximum available 90 Hz. However, there are risks:

• 🔴 Violation of warranty (if the device is under warranty, it is better not to use root).
• 🔴 Possible bugs: unstable camera operation, display errors in some applications.
• 🔴 Blocking OTA updates (you will have to update manually).

5. Checking the actual screen refresh rate

Not all switching methods 120 Hz work correctly. To make sure that the screen really works at the declared frequency, use:

• 📊 Applications:
  • Refresh Rate Test (shows the current frequency in real time).
  • Display Tester (tests the smoothness of the animation).
  • AIDA64 (shows the maximum supported frequency).
• 🎥 Test with camera: Capture the screen in slow motion (240+ FPS If). frequency is really 120 Hz, you will see an even glow without flickering.
• 🖥️ ADB command:

  adb shell dumpsys display

  Look for the line in the output refresh rate.

For example, in Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra in adaptive mode, the frequency should automatically switch between 1–120 Hz depending on the content. If the application shows constant 60 Hz, it means:

• The option was not applied (try rebooting the device).
• The firmware blocks high frequency for a specific application (for example, in YouTube can be forced installed 60 Hz).
• The battery is discharged below 15% (many devices automatically reduce the frequency to save energy).

6. Why 120 Hz may not work: common problems

Even if you followed all the steps correctly, the high frequency may not activate. Here are the most common ones. reasons:

Problem	Possible solution
The option is grayed out and inactive	Check whether the performance mode is enabled in the battery settings On some Xiaomi need. disable Mi-battery saver.
After reboot it resets to 60 Hz	Use Magisk module Refresh Rate Enabler or configure the task in Tasker for automatic application ADB commands.
The screen flickers or stripes appear	Reset the screen settings to factory settings or return the standard frequency. Your model may not support 120 Hz on the current firmware.
In games. the frequency drops to 60 Hz	There may be a limitation in the game graphics settings. Try enabling the High performance in Game Turbo (on Xiaomi).
ADB commands mode) are applied	Check whether the bootloader is unlocked (OEM Unlock in the developer settings). On some devices you need to disable MIUI Optimization.

On devices with a processor Mediatek Dimensity (for example, Realme GT Neo 2) frequency 120 Hz may conflict with the technology MediaTek HyperEngine. In this case, disabling the option Improving gaming performance in the settings will help.

⚠️ Attention: On some smartphones (Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4) forced activation 120 Hz on the external screen may lead to overheating. The manufacturer limits the frequency specifically to protect the display.

7. Impact of 120 Hz on battery life and performance

High refresh rate of the screen is not only advantages, but also disadvantages. Here's what you need to know:

• ⚡ Battery consumption: Compared with 60 Hz, constant work on 120 Hz increases energy consumption by 20–30%. data-i="269">-screens, the difference is less than on AMOLED- on screens the difference is less than on LCD.
• 🔥 Heating: The processor and graphics chip work more intensively, especially in games. data-i="274">This can lead to throttling (reduced performance). Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 this can lead to throttling (reduced performance).
• 🎮 Games: Not all games support 120 FPSEven if the screen displays 120 Hz, the game itself may be blocked. data-i="279">(for example, 60 FPS (For example, Genshin Impact on most Android devices).
• 📱 Application compatibility: Some applications (for example, Netflix) forcefully reduce the frequency up to 60 Hz to save resources.

To minimize negative effects:

• Use adaptive mode (if supported).
• Disable 120 Hz manually when smoothness is not needed (for example, when reading or watching videos).
• Set Battery Saver so that it automatically reduces the frequency when the battery is low.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about 120 Hz on Android

❓ My smartphone supports 144 Hz, but in the settings the maximum is 120 Hz. How to enable the full frequency?

On most devices (ASUS ROG Phone 6, RedMagic 8 Pro) 144 Hz it is only enabled in games through special utilities of the manufacturer (for example, Armoury Crate for ASUS).In the normal Android interface, the frequency is limited 120 Hz for stability. To unlock 144 Hz you will need a custom kernel or modified firmware.

❓ After updating the firmware, the 120 Hz option disappeared. How to return?

This is a common problem on Xiaomi i Samsung. Try:

1. Reset settings via Settings → System → Reset settings → Reset screen settings.
2. Return to the old firmware version (if there was a beta version of the software).
3. Use ADB-commands (see section 2).

If all else fails, check the forums (for example, 4PDA) - there may already be a patch for your model.

❓ Is it possible to enable 120 Hz on a budget smartphone (for example, Redmi Note 10)?

Redmi Note 10 hardware supports only 60 Hz (model Pro — 120 Hz). If the characteristics of your device indicate the maximum frequency 60 Hz, then no manipulations with the settings or firmware will help. The exception is if the manufacturer has artificially blocked the frequency (for example, on POCO X3 NFC in European firmware), but this is rare for budget models.

❓ Does 120 Hz affect response time screen?

Indirectly - yes. A higher refresh rate is usually combined with a lower response time (for example, 1 ms instead of 5 ms), which is important for competitive games (PUBG Mobile, Call of DutyHowever, the increase in frequency itself is with 60 Hz to 120 Hz does not guarantee improved response time - it depends on the type of matrix (AMOLED usually faster LCD).

❓ Why is the screen frequency automatically reduced in benchmarks (AnTuTu, Geekbench)?

Many benchmarks are forced to install 60 Hz to unify tests. This is not a bug, but a software feature. To check real performance. on 120 Hz, use specialized tests like GFXBench or 3DMark with manual frequency control.