Enable G-Sync or FreeSync on Windows 11

You bought a 144Hz gaming monitor, but if you skipped one setup step you are still staring at the screen tearing and stutter you paid to eliminate. Variable refresh rate, marketed as G-Sync (NVIDIA) or FreeSync (AMD), syncs your monitor's refresh to your GPU's frame rate to kill both at once. The catch nobody mentions: it has to be switched on in three separate places, and missing any one of them leaves the feature dead.

Key takeaways

• Enable variable refresh rate in the monitor's on-screen menu first; it is often off by default.
• Use the NVIDIA Control Panel for G-Sync or AMD Software for FreeSync.
• In 2026, NVIDIA GPUs work with FreeSync monitors via the G-Sync Compatible path.
• Set the monitor to its highest refresh rate (144Hz or more) in Windows.
• Cap your in-game frame rate a few frames below the refresh rate for the smoothest result.

Step 1: Turn it on in the monitor menu

This is the step people skip. Most monitors ship with variable refresh rate disabled, sometimes buried two menus deep under "Gaming" or "Picture." Use the physical buttons or joystick on the monitor to open its on-screen display (OSD) menu, find the FreeSync, G-Sync, Adaptive-Sync, or VRR option, and turn it on. If your panel offers "Standard" and "Ultimate" (or "Premium") FreeSync modes, pick the higher one for the widest refresh range. Nothing in Windows works until this is enabled.

Before you start, it helps to know which path you are on, because the labels differ by brand and certification tier:

Your setup	What to enable	Notes
NVIDIA GPU + native G-Sync monitor	G-Sync in NVIDIA Control Panel	Hardware module; full range, no caveats
NVIDIA GPU + FreeSync monitor	G-Sync Compatible	Works on most FreeSync panels since 2019
AMD GPU + FreeSync monitor	Radeon FreeSync in AMD Software	The standard, lowest-cost pairing
AMD GPU + G-Sync Compatible monitor	FreeSync (Adaptive-Sync)	Most modern panels support both
Either GPU over HDMI 2.1	VRR / HDMI VRR	Required for 4K 120Hz on TVs and newer panels

Step 2: Enable it in your GPU software

1. For NVIDIA, open the NVIDIA Control Panel, expand Display, and choose Set up G-SYNC.
2. Check Enable G-SYNC, G-SYNC Compatible and pick full-screen, or full-screen and windowed.
3. For AMD, right-click the desktop, open AMD Software, go to Gaming then Display, and toggle Radeon FreeSync on.
4. Apply the changes and confirm the monitor is selected as the target display.

NVIDIA GPUs now support Adaptive-Sync, so a FreeSync monitor works with an NVIDIA card through the G-Sync Compatible pathway even if it lacks an official G-Sync module. If your FreeSync panel is not on NVIDIA's verified list, the checkbox may not appear automatically; in that case, select the monitor in the G-SYNC setup pane and tick Enable settings for the selected display model to force it on. It usually works fine even when uncertified.

A note on cables: use DisplayPort for the most reliable VRR on a desktop monitor. HDMI variable refresh exists, but on older HDMI versions the supported refresh window is narrower, and some monitors only expose FreeSync over DisplayPort. If the option is missing entirely, swap the cable before assuming a hardware fault.

Step 3: Set the refresh rate and frame cap

In the NVIDIA Control Panel under Change resolution, or in Windows Settings then System then Display then Advanced display, set the refresh rate to the highest your monitor supports, such as 144Hz, 165Hz, or 240Hz. Windows frequently defaults a brand-new monitor to 60Hz, which silently wastes most of what you paid for.

Verify it is working

Turn on the G-SYNC Indicator in the NVIDIA Control Panel's Display menu (or AMD's performance overlay) to get an on-screen confirmation that VRR is active in a running game. The cleanest visual test is NVIDIA's Pendulum Demo or any "tearing test" pattern: with VRR working, the moving bar stays clean across the whole frame-rate range. If tearing persists, re-check that the monitor's OSD setting is on, that the game runs in full-screen or borderless as required, and that the correct high refresh rate is set in Windows.

For the genuinely smoothest result, pair VRR with low-latency settings. Here is the combination most competitive players run:

Setting	Where	Recommended value
Monitor refresh rate	Windows / GPU panel	Maximum (144/165/240 Hz)
In-game frame cap	Game or RivaTuner	~3 fps below max refresh
V-Sync	NVIDIA/AMD control panel	On (works with G-Sync, removes top-end tear)
Low Latency Mode	NVIDIA Control Panel	On or Ultra
Anti-Lag / Reflex	AMD Software / in-game	Enabled where supported

If games still stutter even with VRR on, the problem is elsewhere in the pipeline; our guides to fixing game stutter and frame-time spikes and fixing shader compilation stutter tackle the most common causes.

What to do right now

• Open your monitor's OSD and turn on FreeSync / G-Sync / VRR (check both "Gaming" and "Picture" menus).
• Enable G-Sync (NVIDIA) or Radeon FreeSync (AMD) in your GPU control panel.
• Set the monitor to its maximum refresh rate in Windows Advanced display settings.
• Cap your frame rate about three below that ceiling and turn on V-Sync in the driver.
• Confirm with the G-SYNC Indicator or a tearing-test pattern before declaring victory.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a G-Sync monitor for an NVIDIA card?

No longer. NVIDIA GPUs support Adaptive-Sync, so most FreeSync monitors work via the G-Sync Compatible path. A dedicated G-Sync module adds some features but is not required for tear-free gaming.

Why is my monitor still tearing after enabling G-Sync?

Most often the monitor's own OSD setting is still off, or the game is not running in the required display mode. Enable VRR in the monitor menu, run the game full-screen, and cap the frame rate below the refresh ceiling.

Why is my 144Hz monitor running at 60Hz?

Windows frequently defaults a new display to 60Hz. Set it to the full refresh rate in Advanced display settings or the GPU control panel; otherwise you lose most of the monitor's benefit.

Should I cap my frame rate with VRR on?

Yes. Capping a few frames below the monitor's maximum keeps frames inside the variable refresh window, which prevents tearing that can reappear when the GPU exceeds the panel's top refresh rate.