How to Get 60Hz on a 4K Monitor Stuck at 30Hz | Win 10 | Macbook Pro 4K@60FPS On External Monitor
1. Does your monitor support it?
Make sure that your monitor is rated for 4K 60Hz. Check the official specification for your model.
2. Does your graphics card support?
Most integrated graphics cards, i.e. Intel HD Graphics don’t support 4K at 60Hz. Typically dedicated graphics cards after 2016 support 4K@60Hz, but be sure to check your specifications.
3. Does your cable support 4K?
Not all HDMI or DisplayPort cables are the same. Ensure that your cable is rated for 4K@60FPS.
4. Does your port support 4K?
I have an old laptop with a dedicated graphics card, but the port is HDMI 1.4. You need a minimum of HDMI 2.0 in order to output 4k@60Hz, or else you will be locked in at 30Hz. Check your laptop/PC specification to be sure.
5. Update your monitor’s drivers
Most of the popular monitor brands have an update tool on the manufacture's website. Make sure you have the latest drivers.
NOTE: See this list of issues with M1 Macbook Monitor support.
6. Update your graphics card drivers
Download NVIDIA or AMD drivers as needed.
7. Set Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling
Search “Graphics Settings” in your start menu and make sure this switch is on:
8. Update your laptop manufacture’s drivers
Acer, HP, Dell, etc — all major laptop brands have a tool for updating your drivers. Find any drivers that are related to your graphics, display, ports, etc. Update them all.
9. Update DisplayLink Adapters (Mac)
See here for the latest drivers: https://www.displaylink.com/downloads/macos
10. Update your OS
This is the trick that did it for me. I updated my MBP to Big Sur, and it finally worked! I had to click “Default For Display” in the display settings first though.
Important
It is crucial to reboot your computer after each of these steps. Also, if you are on macOS, make sure you click “default for display” and then “scaled” in the settings to refresh the monitor settings.
