iPhone refresh rate settings are in Display & Brightness
To change your iPhone's refresh rate, open Settings, tap Display & Brightness, then look for Motion or 120 Hz depending on your model. Not all iPhones have this setting — only iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max support variable refresh rates. If you don't see the option, your phone doesn't have the feature.
The setting controls how many times per second your screen refreshes the image. A higher refresh rate (120 Hz) makes scrolling and animations feel smoother but uses more battery. A lower refresh rate (60 Hz) saves battery but feels less fluid. Your Pro iPhone can switch between them automatically, or you can lock it to 60 Hz if you want to extend battery life.
Key Takeaways
- Only iPhone 13 Pro and later Pro models have adjustable refresh rates; standard iPhones are locked at 60 Hz.
- The setting is in Settings > Display & Brightness > Motion, where you can choose between 60 Hz and 120 Hz or let the phone switch automatically.
- Locking your refresh rate to 60 Hz will noticeably extend battery life, especially if you scroll frequently.
- Automatic mode (the default) balances smoothness and battery by using 120 Hz when you're actively using the phone and dropping to 60 Hz when you're not.
What the refresh rate setting actually does
Refresh rate is how many times per second your screen redraws the image. At 60 Hz, the screen refreshes 60 times per second. At 120 Hz, it refreshes 120 times per second. The higher the number, the smoother motion looks — scrolling through a feed, swiping between apps, and panning across a map all feel more fluid at 120 Hz because there are more intermediate frames between each position.
You won't see a dramatic difference in static content like reading text or looking at a photo. The difference is most noticeable when you're moving your finger across the screen or the content is moving on its own. Many people describe 120 Hz as "buttery smooth" compared to 60 Hz, but whether that matters to you depends on how much scrolling you do and how sensitive you are to motion.
How to lock your refresh rate to 60 Hz to save battery
Open Settings, go to Display & Brightness, and tap Motion. You'll see two options: Standard (60 Hz) and ProMotion (120 Hz). Tap Standard to lock your phone at 60 Hz. Your screen will feel less smooth, but your battery will last longer — how much longer depends on how much you use your phone, but most people see a noticeable difference if they scroll a lot.
If you switch to Standard and later want to go back, return to the same menu and tap ProMotion. The phone will return to automatic switching, using 120 Hz when you need it and dropping to 60 Hz when you don't.
How automatic refresh rate switching works
By default, your Pro iPhone is set to ProMotion, which means it automatically switches between 60 Hz and 120 Hz depending on what you're doing. When you're actively scrolling, swiping, or using an app, the phone runs at 120 Hz. When you're reading static content or the screen is idle, it drops to 60 Hz to save battery.
This automatic mode is the best balance for most people — you get the smooth feel when it matters and the battery savings when it doesn't. You don't have to do anything; the phone handles the switching in the background. If you find yourself constantly switching between Standard and ProMotion, automatic mode is probably the right choice for you.
Why your iPhone might not have this setting
Apple only added variable refresh rates to the Pro models starting with iPhone 13 Pro. If you have an iPhone 13, iPhone 14, iPhone 15, or any standard model, your screen is locked at 60 Hz and there's no setting to change it. The hardware doesn't support 120 Hz, so the option won't appear in Display & Brightness no matter what you do.
This is a hardware limitation, not a software one, so updating your iOS won't add the feature. If you want a 120 Hz iPhone, you'll need to upgrade to a Pro model.
What apps actually use 120 Hz
Not every app takes advantage of 120 Hz, even on a Pro iPhone. Games, maps, and Apple's built-in apps like Safari and Mail are optimized for it. Third-party apps vary — some developers have updated their apps to support 120 Hz, and others haven't. When an app doesn't support it, your phone will still run at 120 Hz if you're in ProMotion mode, but the app itself won't look any smoother because the developer didn't design it to take advantage of the higher refresh rate.
In practice, this doesn't matter much. Scrolling through any app feels smoother at 120 Hz because the system itself is running at 120 Hz, even if the app's content isn't optimized for it. The difference is most obvious in games and apps with lots of animation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 120 Hz drain my battery significantly?
It uses more power than 60 Hz, but the difference depends on how much you use your phone. If you scroll heavily throughout the day, you might see 5 to 10 percent less battery life. If you mostly read static content, the difference is minimal. Automatic mode (ProMotion) minimizes the drain by using 120 Hz only when you're actively using the phone.
Can I set different refresh rates for different apps?
No. The refresh rate setting applies to your entire phone. You can only choose between Standard (60 Hz) and ProMotion (automatic switching), not per-app settings. If you want 60 Hz all the time, you have to lock it in Display & Brightness.
Will switching to 60 Hz make my iPhone feel slow?
It won't be slow — your phone will still respond when ready to taps and open apps at the same speed. It will just feel less smooth when you're scrolling or swiping. Whether you notice the difference depends on how sensitive you are to motion. Some people don't mind it at all; others find it jarring after using 120 Hz.
Is there a way to get 120 Hz on a non-Pro iPhone?
No. The hardware in non-Pro iPhones doesn't support 120 Hz, and no setting or software update can change that. Only iPhone 13 Pro and later Pro models have the necessary display hardware.