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Fix Screen Tearing With VRR and a Frame Cap

A visible tear line means the frames and the panel are out of step. The fix is either variable refresh or a frame cap, and mixing the two badly makes it worse.

by@guidox updated:10/31/26 time:20 min level:Intermediate tested on:Windows 11 24H2 works on:Windows 10, Windows 11 tools:Compatible display
TL;DR

Enable **variable refresh rate** for the display, cap the frame rate a few frames **below** the refresh rate, and disable the driver's own sync override. Tearing with VRR on is usually a windowed-mode problem.

Before you start

Requirements

  • A compatible display
  • A GPU driver panel
  • Twenty minutes
Step by step

Instructions

01

Confirm the panel and the cable

Variable refresh needs a display that supports it and a cable with the bandwidth. A 144 Hz panel over an old HDMI cable can drop the feature without any error.

Settings > System > Display > Advanced display
02

Turn on the feature in Windows

Windows 11 has its own toggle for variable refresh. It must be on for the driver's mode to apply to windowed and borderless applications.

Settings > System > Display > Graphics > Default graphics settings
tipWindowed mode needs the Windows toggle; fullscreen exclusive can work with the driver setting alone.
03

Cap below the maximum refresh rate

A frame rate at or above the panel maximum leaves the variable range and tearing returns at the top edge. Three to five frames below keeps the display inside the range.

⚠ warningA cap far below the maximum adds latency. Three frames is enough; thirty is a different trade.
04

Pick one sync method

Driver vertical sync plus a variable refresh display plus a game-level limiter is three controls arguing. Use variable refresh and a cap; leave vertical sync off or set to the driver-managed option.

05

Test a windowed game

Borderless windowed goes through the desktop compositor, which is where a missing Windows toggle shows up. If only windowed mode tears, that toggle is the answer.

06

Check the monitor's own mode

Some panels have an overdrive or a sync setting in their menu that overrides the driver. A menu entry named Adaptive Sync or FreeSync must be on as well.

Troubleshooting

Common issues

The option is missing

The display or the cable does not report support. Try a certified cable and a different port.

It tears only at the top of the screen

The frame rate exceeded the range. Lower the cap.

It flickers instead of tearing

A known panel issue in a low frame range. Raise the minimum or limit the frame rate.

Latency feels worse with the cap

The cap is too far below the refresh rate. Move it closer to the maximum.

FAQ

Frequently asked

Is vertical sync ever right?

For a locked 60 Hz panel with a stable frame rate it is fine. With variable refresh it adds latency.

Does this work on a laptop?

Only if the internal panel supports variable refresh and the GPU is driving it directly.

How to undo this

Turn off the variable refresh toggle in Windows, remove the frame cap and restore the driver's previous sync mode. Tearing returns to its earlier behaviour.

Changelog · 1 entry
  1. 2026-10-31
    First version
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