What you need to know
- Microsoft is testing a feature for Edge that boosts a PC's refresh rate when scrolling on the web.
- The feature requires a display that supports Variable Refresh Rate, which is available on many gaming monitors.
- When enabled, the feature should smooth the scrolling experience within the browser.
Microsoft has a feature in testing that allows the Edge browser to boost the refresh rate of a PC's display. The option improves the smoothness of scrolling within the browser. To use the feature, a PC needs to have a display that supports Variable Refresh Rate, which is available on many of the best gaming monitors.
First spotted by Leo Varela, the choice to "boost screen refresh rate when scrolling" is currently available in Edge Canary through a flag.
The description for the option reads:
Boost screen refresh rate when scrolling.Allows Windows to temporarily boost the refresh rate up when scrolling (provided the machine has a VRR panel and a supporting driver). This provides an overall smoother scrolling experience.
In addition to improving how scrolling appears within the browser, the feature could reduce how much energy Edge needs. The description doesn't specifically mention battery life but keeping a PC's refresh rate down when inactive and then boosting it when needed would use power more efficiently than locking a computer's refresh rate.
A related feature for Windows 11 called Dynamic Refresh Rate lets supported PCs jump between 60 and 120Hz automatically. Dynamic Refresh Rate is only available on a short list of PCs, including the Surface Pro 8 and Surface Laptop Studio.
Microsoft Edge is a popular browser that's available on a wide range of devices. Microsoft is working on a feature that will let the browser boost the refresh rate of a PC to improve scrolling.
