Screen tearing on a PC makes games, full-screen apps, windowed apps, and video look broken even when the computer is running normally. The fix is usually a refresh-rate mismatch, a VSync or VRR setting, or a graphics driver setting that needs attention. Start with Windows, then move into the game and GPU controls.
1. Set your monitor to its highest stable refresh rate
Start in Windows before changing game or GPU settings.
Go to Start > Settings > System > Display > Advanced display, choose the affected display, then open Choose a refresh rate and select the highest stable refresh rate your monitor supports.
The refresh-rate choices depend on the display, cable, GPU, and driver.
2. Turn on VSync in the game first
- 1.Open the affected game or 3D app.
- 2.Go to Settings, Options, Video, Display, or Graphics.
- 3.Find VSync, Vertical Sync, Sync Every Frame, or the game’s equivalent sync setting.
- 4.Set it to On.
- 5.Select Apply or Save, then restart the game when prompted.
3. Enable variable refresh rate in Windows
Open Settings.
Select System > Display > Graphics > Default graphics settings.
Turn on Variable refresh rate.
This Windows setting mainly helps eligible DirectX 11 full-screen games that do not support VRR natively.
4. Use Windows 11 optimizations for windowed games
Select Start > Settings > System > Display > Graphics.
Under Default settings, turn on Optimizations for windowed games.
Restart the game.
For one game, stay on Graphics, select the app under Custom options for apps, choose Options, change the Optimizations for windowed games switch, select Save, then restart the game or app.
5. Check Dynamic Refresh Rate on Windows 11
Dynamic Refresh Rate is for Windows 11 systems with a VRR-capable display and at least 120 Hz hardware.
Go to Start > Settings > System > Display > Advanced display, then use Dynamic refresh rate to turn it on or off.
When a game runs at a lower refresh rate with Dynamic refresh rate enabled, turn it off.
6. Update or repair the display driver
Open Start > Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options.
Turn Receive updates for other Microsoft products on.
Select Optional updates.
Select the listed display or graphics driver update, choose Download and install, then restart the PC.
To check through Device Manager, right-click Start, select Device Manager, expand Display adapters, right-click the GPU or display adapter, select Update driver, then choose Search automatically for updated driver software.
When tearing started after a driver update, return to Device Manager > Display adapters, open the adapter Properties, select the Driver tab, choose Roll Back Driver, choose a reason, select Yes, then restart when prompted.
You must be signed in with administrator permissions to roll back drivers.
To reinstall a corrupted display driver, save your work, close apps, open Device Manager > Display adapters, right-click the adapter, select Uninstall device, confirm with Uninstall, then restart the PC so Windows attempts to reinstall it.
For GPU-specific updates, use the official NVIDIA App, AMD Drivers and Support, or Intel Download Drivers and Software page.
7. Fix NVIDIA tearing settings
For NVIDIA GPUs, undo the common bad global VSync tweak first.
Open NVIDIA Control Panel > Manage 3D Settings, find Vertical sync, choose Use the 3D application setting or On, then select Apply.
For G-SYNC or G-SYNC Compatible displays, enable VRR in the monitor’s physical menu, then use NVIDIA Control Panel > Set up G-SYNC or NVIDIA App > System > Displays > G-SYNC.
8. Adjust AMD FreeSync and sync options
This fixes tearing on compatible AMD Radeon systems by enabling FreeSync, Enhanced Sync, VSync, or an FPS cap.
Open Start, type AMD Software, and open the app.
Search for Display, then select Display Settings.
Choose the affected display and confirm AMD FreeSync is enabled under Global Display.
For one game, go to Gaming > Games, select the game profile, open the AMD FreeSync drop-down, then choose AMD Optimized, On, or Off.
For AMD’s alternative VSync mode, go to Global Graphics and enable Radeon Enhanced Sync.
To force VSync for OpenGL 3D applications, open Global Graphics > Advanced and set Wait for Vertical Refresh to Always On.
To cap frame rate, open Global Graphics > Advanced, enable Frame Rate Target Control, then move the Max FPS slider to a value at or slightly below the monitor refresh or VRR range.
AMD documents Frame Rate Target Control for applications running in full screen mode, with targets in the 30 to 200 FPS range, and changes have to be made outside the game, so exit the game completely, set the target, then start the game again.
For windowed or borderless games, use the game’s own frame limiter instead.
When tearing started after graphics profile changes, search for Factory Reset, select Factory Reset - System Settings, choose Perform Reset, then select Proceed.
9. Use Intel graphics sync controls
Open Start, search for Intel Graphics Command Center, and open it.
On the Home tab, select the game or application under My Games.
Select Custom.
Find Vertical Sync and choose Always On or Application Controlled.
On Intel Arc and Intel Xe Plus Graphics v11 systems, use Intel Graphics Software, the app Intel installs with graphics driver 32.0.101.6325 and later and the only one still getting feature updates.
Intel Arc Control is End of Life, so the Intel Arc Control > Frame Delivery choices Application Choice, Smart VSync, and Smooth Sync apply only if that older app is still installed on an older driver.
When a driver-level VSync option affects full-screen apps only, open the game’s video or display settings and set Display Mode to Fullscreen.
Skip older Intel Graphics Control Panel tutorials for DirectX VSync, because that panel has no option to enable or disable VSync for DirectX games.
Use the game setting, Intel Graphics Software on current Arc and Xe Plus Graphics v11 systems, or Intel Graphics Command Center on older integrated graphics that Intel Graphics Software does not cover.
Intel Graphics Command Center now receives critical legacy fixes only, and Intel Arc Control is End of Life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I turn VSync on or off to stop screen tearing?
Turn VSync on in the game first. On NVIDIA systems, keep global Vertical sync on the application setting or On instead of forcing it off globally.
Why does screen tearing happen after a driver update?
A graphics driver update can change display behavior. Use Device Manager to roll back the display adapter driver when tearing starts right after an update and Windows has a previous driver available.
Does variable refresh rate fix screen tearing in every game?
No. Windows Variable refresh rate mainly helps eligible DirectX 11 full-screen games that do not support VRR natively, and it requires the right display drivers plus a VRR-capable monitor.
What should I do on a work or school PC?
Use the Windows and graphics settings available to your account. For browser video tearing in Microsoft Edge on a managed device, an administrator controls graphics acceleration through Edge policy.