Python script to change the display's refresh rate to 60 Hz for Windows 11 PC

set_refresh_rate.py

import ctypes
from ctypes import wintypes

# Constants
CDS_UPDATEREGISTRY = 0x01
DISP_CHANGE_SUCCESSFUL = 0
ENUM_CURRENT_SETTINGS = -1

class POINTL(ctypes.Structure):
    _fields_ = [("x", wintypes.LONG), ("y", wintypes.LONG)]

class DEVMODE(ctypes.Structure):
    _fields_ = [
        ("dmDeviceName", ctypes.c_wchar * 32),
        ("dmSpecVersion", wintypes.WORD),
        ("dmDriverVersion", wintypes.WORD),
        ("dmSize", wintypes.WORD),
        ("dmDriverExtra", wintypes.WORD),
        ("dmFields", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("dmPosition", POINTL),
        ("dmDisplayOrientation", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("dmDisplayFixedOutput", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("dmColor", wintypes.WORD),
        ("dmDuplex", wintypes.WORD),
        ("dmYResolution", wintypes.WORD),
        ("dmTTOption", wintypes.WORD),
        ("dmCollate", wintypes.WORD),
        ("dmFormName", ctypes.c_wchar * 32),
        ("dmLogPixels", wintypes.WORD),
        ("dmBitsPerPel", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("dmPelsWidth", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("dmPelsHeight", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("dmDisplayFlags", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("dmDisplayFrequency", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("dmICMMethod", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("dmICMIntent", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("dmMediaType", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("dmDitherType", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("dmReserved1", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("dmReserved2", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("dmPanningWidth", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("dmPanningHeight", wintypes.DWORD),
    ]

def set_refresh_rate(refresh_rate):
    devmode = DEVMODE()
    devmode.dmSize = ctypes.sizeof(DEVMODE)

    # Retrieve current settings
    if ctypes.windll.user32.EnumDisplaySettingsW(None, ENUM_CURRENT_SETTINGS, ctypes.byref(devmode)) != 0:
        # Set the refresh rate
        devmode.dmDisplayFrequency = refresh_rate
        devmode.dmFields = 0x400000  # DM_DISPLAYFREQUENCY

        # Apply the settings
        result = ctypes.windll.user32.ChangeDisplaySettingsW(ctypes.byref(devmode), CDS_UPDATEREGISTRY)
        if result == DISP_CHANGE_SUCCESSFUL:
            print(f"Refresh rate set to {refresh_rate} Hz successfully.")
        else:
            print(f"Failed to set refresh rate. Error code: {result}")
    else:
        print("Failed to retrieve current display settings.")

# Example usage
set_refresh_rate(60)

set_refresh_rate_multiple_monitors.py

import ctypes
from ctypes import wintypes

# Constants
CDS_UPDATEREGISTRY = 0x01
DISP_CHANGE_SUCCESSFUL = 0
ENUM_CURRENT_SETTINGS = -1

# Structures
class POINTL(ctypes.Structure):
    _fields_ = [("x", wintypes.LONG), ("y", wintypes.LONG)]

class DEVMODE(ctypes.Structure):
    _fields_ = [
        ("dmDeviceName", ctypes.c_wchar * 32),
        ("dmSpecVersion", wintypes.WORD),
        ("dmDriverVersion", wintypes.WORD),
        ("dmSize", wintypes.WORD),
        ("dmDriverExtra", wintypes.WORD),
        ("dmFields", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("dmPosition", POINTL),
        ("dmDisplayOrientation", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("dmDisplayFixedOutput", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("dmColor", wintypes.WORD),
        ("dmDuplex", wintypes.WORD),
        ("dmYResolution", wintypes.WORD),
        ("dmTTOption", wintypes.WORD),
        ("dmCollate", wintypes.WORD),
        ("dmFormName", ctypes.c_wchar * 32),
        ("dmLogPixels", wintypes.WORD),
        ("dmBitsPerPel", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("dmPelsWidth", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("dmPelsHeight", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("dmDisplayFlags", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("dmDisplayFrequency", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("dmICMMethod", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("dmICMIntent", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("dmMediaType", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("dmDitherType", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("dmReserved1", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("dmReserved2", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("dmPanningWidth", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("dmPanningHeight", wintypes.DWORD),
    ]

class DISPLAY_DEVICE(ctypes.Structure):
    _fields_ = [
        ("cb", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("DeviceName", ctypes.c_wchar * 32),
        ("DeviceString", ctypes.c_wchar * 128),
        ("StateFlags", wintypes.DWORD),
        ("DeviceID", ctypes.c_wchar * 128),
        ("DeviceKey", ctypes.c_wchar * 128),
    ]

def list_displays():
    """List all connected display devices."""
    displays = []
    i = 0
    display = DISPLAY_DEVICE()
    display.cb = ctypes.sizeof(display)
    while ctypes.windll.user32.EnumDisplayDevicesW(None, i, ctypes.byref(display), 0):
        if display.StateFlags & 0x1:  # DISPLAY_DEVICE_ACTIVE
            displays.append(display.DeviceName)
        i += 1
    return displays

def set_refresh_rate_for_display(device_name, refresh_rate):
    """Set refresh rate for a specific display."""
    devmode = DEVMODE()
    devmode.dmSize = ctypes.sizeof(DEVMODE)

    if ctypes.windll.user32.EnumDisplaySettingsW(device_name, ENUM_CURRENT_SETTINGS, ctypes.byref(devmode)) != 0:
        devmode.dmDisplayFrequency = refresh_rate
        devmode.dmFields = 0x400000  # DM_DISPLAYFREQUENCY

        result = ctypes.windll.user32.ChangeDisplaySettingsExW(device_name, ctypes.byref(devmode), None, CDS_UPDATEREGISTRY, None)
        if result == DISP_CHANGE_SUCCESSFUL:
            print(f"{device_name}: Refresh rate set to {refresh_rate} Hz successfully.")
        else:
            print(f"{device_name}: Failed to set refresh rate. Error code: {result}")
    else:
        print(f"{device_name}: Failed to retrieve display settings.")

def set_refresh_rate_all(refresh_rate):
    """Set refresh rate for all active displays."""
    for device_name in list_displays():
        set_refresh_rate_for_display(device_name, refresh_rate)

# Example usage
set_refresh_rate_all(60)

Thanks!

Thanks!

You might wanna set it to launch on startup. That's what I did and it works like a charm.

Stumbled onto this via Google, thanks, it worked perfectly!

@rajtilakjee - how will you handle multiple monitors?

@emesiace I have updated the GIST for multiple monitors. This code targets all available monitors even if they are inactive at the moment and then runs the code for those that are active.