How to Change iPhone Refresh Rate

Changing your iPhone’s refresh rate can help save battery life or reduce motion if you’re sensitive to smooth scrolling. On iPhone models with ProMotion (iPhone 13 Pro and later, except the standard iPhone 15 and 16), the display can run at 120Hz. Apple only lets you toggle a 60Hz limit, not choose a custom rate. Here’s exactly how to do it.

What You’ll Need

An iPhone with ProMotion (iPhone 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max, 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max, and the iPhone 13 mini? No, only Pro models). If you have a standard iPhone (e.g., iPhone 14, 15, 16), your screen is already 60Hz, and you won’t see the Limit Frame Rate option.
iOS 15 or later (the setting is present in all versions that support ProMotion).

Step-by-Step

Open Settings: Tap the gray gear icon on your home screen. If you can’t find it, swipe down and search for “Settings” in Spotlight.
Go to Accessibility: Scroll down and tap “Accessibility.” It’s in the third group of settings, below “Focus” and “Screen Time.”
Tap Motion: Inside Accessibility, scroll to the “Vision” section (near the top) and tap “Motion.” This is where you control animations and frame rate limits.
Toggle Limit Frame Rate: Find the switch labeled “Limit Frame Rate” and turn it on (green). This caps your display at 60Hz. To revert to 120Hz, turn it off. The change applies immediately—no restart needed.

That’s it. Your iPhone will now run at 60Hz, which can feel slightly less smooth but may extend battery life. Note that this setting also affects ProMotion’s adaptive refresh rate, so even when you’re not scrolling, the display won’t drop below 60Hz (it stays at 60Hz).

Common Mistakes

Looking in Display & Brightness: Many users search there first, but Apple placed the refresh rate limit under Accessibility > Motion, not Display & Brightness.
Expecting a custom rate: You can’t set 90Hz or 100Hz. The only choice is 120Hz (default) or 60Hz (limited).
Forgetting to check if your iPhone supports it: If you have a non-Pro model, the option won’t appear. Don’t waste time looking for it.
Turning it off and on repeatedly: The setting is instant, so no need to toggle it multiple times to “reset” anything.

Tips

Battery saving: If you’re trying to stretch battery life, turning on Limit Frame Rate can help, but the difference is modest. For bigger gains, also enable Low Power Mode (Settings > Battery).
Reduce motion sensitivity: If you feel dizzy or get headaches from fast scrolling, this setting helps. You can also turn on “Reduce Motion” in the same Motion menu to disable parallax effects.
Check if it’s working: After enabling, scroll through a long page (like Safari). It should feel slightly less fluid. You can also go to a website like testufo.com in Safari to see the refresh rate in action (it will show 60Hz).
Remember where it is: The path is Settings > Accessibility > Motion > Limit Frame Rate. Write it down if you need to switch back later.

Troubleshooting

I don’t see the Limit Frame Rate option: Your iPhone doesn’t have ProMotion. This includes all standard models (iPhone 13, 14, 15, 16, and all SE models). Only Pro and Pro Max models have the 120Hz display.
The setting doesn’t seem to change anything: Some apps (like games) may override the system setting and force 120Hz. The limit applies to the system UI and most apps, but not all. Try scrolling in Settings or Safari to see the difference.
I turned it on, but my battery still drains fast: The refresh rate is only one factor. Check Battery Usage in Settings > Battery to see which apps are consuming power.
I turned it off, but my screen still feels 60Hz: Make sure you turned off the switch (it should be gray). Also, if you have Low Power Mode enabled, that automatically caps the refresh rate to 60Hz, even with Limit Frame Rate off.
After updating iOS, the setting disappeared: Apple hasn’t removed it, but the location might change slightly. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Motion again. If it’s not there, restart your iPhone and check again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing the refresh rate damage my iPhone?

No. It’s a software setting that just tells the display to run at a lower frequency. It’s safe and reversible.

Will a lower refresh rate improve battery life significantly?

It can help, but the difference is usually small—maybe 10-15% less power for the display. For heavy users, it might add an hour of screen time, but it varies.

Can I set a custom refresh rate like 90Hz?

No. Apple only offers 120Hz (default) and 60Hz (limited). There’s no third-party way to set a custom rate without jailbreaking, which is not recommended.

Does the refresh rate affect gaming performance?

Yes. With Limit Frame Rate on, games that support 120fps will be capped at 60fps. This can make games feel less smooth but may reduce heat and battery drain.

Is the refresh rate the same as the frame rate?

Not exactly. Refresh rate is how often the screen updates (in Hz), while frame rate is how many frames your phone generates per second (fps). They often match, but the screen can refresh faster than the content. Limiting refresh rate to 60Hz doesn’t force apps to run at 60fps; it just caps the display’s update frequency.

Why doesn’t Apple let me turn off ProMotion completely?

Apple’s design choice. They want to keep the experience smooth, and the adaptive ProMotion already saves battery by dropping to as low as 10Hz when you’re still. The Limit Frame Rate option is a compromise for users who prefer consistency over smoothness.

Sources: Apple Support. Menus and buttons can differ slightly by version. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.