Windows 11 is about to get a lot better on multi-monitor setups

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Microsoft is testing a feature that improves how Windows 11 sets refresh rates across displays.

Image of the Alienware 34 Curved QD-OLED Gaming Monitor (AW3423DWF).
(Image credit: Windows Central | Zachary Boddy)

What you need to know

  • Microsoft released Windows 11 Build 25915 to Insiders in the Canary Channel recently.
  • The update is relatively small, but it includes a change that will improve the experience when using multiple monitors.
  • Following the update, Windows 11 supports having separate monitors set to different refresh rates depending on what appears on each screen.

Multi-monitor setups make it easier to multitask at your desk, and Microsoft is working to improve that experience. Last week, the company shipped Windows 11 Build 25915 to Insiders in the Canary Channel. That update brought a couple of changes, including the ability to have monitors run at different refresh rates depending on what appears on each screen.

The change seems ideal for people with a pair of the best gaming monitors or that do different types of tasks across their displays.

"We have improved refresh rate logic to allow different refresh rates on different monitors, depending on the refresh rate for each monitor and content shown on the screen. This will help most with refresh rate-dependent multitasking, like playing a game and watching a video at the same time," explained Microsoft.

The new functionality should free up system resources in certain situations. For example, if you're watching a video of a gaming tutorial on one screen and playing your game on another, Windows 11 could adjust the refresh rates of the respective displays accordingly. There's no need to match a video that's 30 FPS with gameplay that's at a higher figure.

The same Insider build includes a change to how Dynamic Refresh Rate works when Battery saver is turned on. The feature will keep your screen at a lower refresh rate to save battery life.

We covered the other changes and improvements in Windows 11 Build 25915 last week, including the new Outlook for Windows continuing to roll out to Insiders.

In the same blog post it announced the new build, Microsoft shared that a Bug Bash will kick off on August 2, 2023.

Sean Endicott
Sean Endicott
News Writer and apps editor

Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He's covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean's journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_. 

2 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Iamdumbguy
    Except that MS refuses to do anything about their god-awful scaling problems when it comes to multiple monitors. It is a problem that persists through EVERY one of their UI frameworks.
    Reply
  • GraniteStateColin
    I have 3 monitors on my main PC, all running at different refresh rates (and to lamdumbguy, they used to run at different scaling factors too). Is the new feature that Windows will automatically change refresh rates depending on what's running? Or, does MS believe there's a problem with running different refresh rates on different monitors now?

    It always seemed simple and intuitive to me: right click on Desktop -> select Display Settings -> choose monitor then Advanced display -> Choose refresh rate, then go back, and select for each additional monitor.

    Same with HDR and scaling factors -- all can easily be set per-monitor in current versions of Windows and have been for a long time. Dragging windows across monitors causes the content to auto-adjust to the settings for the destination monitor. All what you'd expect.

    My main issue with different monitors, and maybe this is what lamdumbguy was referring to, is that if you do set different scaling factors for different monitors, then there can be some weird effects in certain cases. For example, if you have Adobe Reader installed it doesn't scale the same way as Outlook, so if you try to read a PDF inside Outlook preview on a monitor with a lower scale factor from the main window, it will not display properly. But that's a pretty niche problem that probably doesn't affect a huge number of users.
    Reply