Windows 11 introduced several innovative features aimed at improving system performance, battery life, and user experience. One of these features is Dynamic Refresh Rate (DRR), which intelligently adjusts your display’s refresh rate based on what you’re doing on your PC. Understanding whether to enable or disable DRR can have a visible impact on your user experience, so it’s important to know what this setting does and how it can benefit — or hinder — your daily usage.

What is Dynamic Refresh Rate in Windows 11?

Dynamic Refresh Rate is a display-related feature first brought to Windows 11 that allows your screen to switch between different refresh rates on the fly. For example, your display might run at 60Hz while performing routine tasks such as typing emails or reading documents, and dynamically shift to 120Hz for smoother scrolling or inking when using a stylus.

This adaptive behavior can help extend battery life without sacrificing visual performance when it’s needed most. However, the feature is not universally useful and may not be compatible with all hardware or applications.

Advantages of Enabling DRR

If your hardware supports it, enabling DRR can provide the following benefits:

  • Improved Battery Efficiency: DRR helps in conserving battery by reducing the refresh rate when high performance is unnecessary.
  • Smoother Visuals: When required, the system automatically increases the refresh rate to provide smoother animations in supported apps.
  • Better Inking Experience: Especially useful with stylus-based input, where high refresh rates make writing and drawing feel more natural.

This feature is particularly helpful for users who use hybrid laptops or tablets that are often used both in performance and battery-saving modes.

When to Consider Disabling DRR

Despite its advantages, there are scenarios where disabling DRR might be the better option:

  • Software Incompatibility: Some applications may not function properly with variable refresh rates, especially older software not updated for Windows 11 features.
  • Gaming: DRR is not a substitute for technologies like G-SYNC or FreeSync. Gamers looking for consistent high-refresh performance might want to manually lock their display to a specific rate.
  • Lag or Flickering Issues: On certain displays, switching between refresh rates can briefly cause flicker or input lag, impacting overall usability.

For professional or legacy setups where consistency is crucial, sticking to a fixed refresh rate may provide a more stable environment.

How to Enable or Disable DRR in Windows 11

If you’re interested in managing this feature, here’s how to toggle DRR on or off:

  1. Open Settings from the Start Menu or by pressing Windows + I.
  2. Navigate to System > Display.
  3. Click Advanced display settings.
  4. Under Choose a refresh rate, if your system supports DRR, there will be a dynamic option like Dynamic (60Hz or 120Hz).
  5. Select this option to enable DRR, or choose a static refresh rate to disable it.

Please note: DRR requires a panel that supports variable refresh rates and updated display drivers from your GPU manufacturer (Intel, NVIDIA, or AMD).

Compatibility Requirements

Before you can take advantage of DRR, your system must meet certain criteria:

  • A compatible display that can operate at multiple refresh rates (typically 60Hz and 120Hz).
  • Windows 11 installed with the latest build and updates.
  • WDDM 3.0 driver support from your GPU vendor.
  • App compatibility — not all apps can utilize the benefits of DRR.

Conclusion

Dynamic Refresh Rate in Windows 11 is a forward-thinking feature aimed at balancing performance and power efficiency. Whether you should enable or disable it depends largely on your usage patterns and hardware capability.

For general users looking to get more battery life while still enjoying a responsive screen, enabling DRR is an excellent choice. However, for users relying on absolute consistency — such as competitive gamers or professionals working with legacy software — a stable, fixed refresh rate might be the better fit.

Always ensure your system meets the necessary compatibility requirements and that your drivers are up-to-date to take full advantage of what DRR has to offer.