How to enable G-Sync on Windows 11, GPU, and monitor

On Windows 11, if you have a computer with an Nvidia graphics card, you can enable G-Sync or a compatible or certified monitor connected through a DisplayPort or HDMI 2.1 port, and in this guide, I’ll explain how.

What’s Nvidia G-Sync?

G-Sync is Nvidia’s Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) technology designed to eliminate screen tearing, stuttering, and input lag by synchronizing your monitor’s refresh rate with the frame rate of your graphics card.

It’s a proprietary hardware and software solution. “G-Sync Ultimate” monitors have a dedicated hardware module designed to work in perfect synchronization with Nvidia GPUs. On the other hand, “G-Sync Compatible” monitors use the VESA Adaptive-Sync standard (the same one FreeSync uses) but are tested and validated by Nvidia to ensure they meet a specific performance standard.

Windows 11 also has a built-in VRR feature, but this is a software layer within the operating system designed to bring the benefits to a broader range of apps, including many older games and windowed games that may not natively support G-Sync (or FreeSync).

The primary purpose of this setting is to act as a compatibility feature or a supplemental feature.

It’s important to note that the VRR feature on Windows 11 does not replace G-Sync. Instead, it complements it. When you enable G-Sync in the Nvidia app, it often automatically enables the built-in feature in the operating system as well. For the most part, G-Sync takes precedence in games that support it, but the VRR setting on Windows 11 can help with other scenarios, such as in windowed mode or with specific titles.

In this guide, I’ll outline the easy steps to configure G-Sync on your computer running Windows 11.

Enable G-Sync on Windows 11

The first step is to ensure that your monitor is G-Sync compatible. You can look for a G-Sync, G-Sync Ultimate, or G-Sync Compatible label on the monitor or its packaging. Nvidia also maintains an updated list of certified monitors on its website. As a side note, it’s also possible to use G-Sync on Nvidia cards on monitors compatible with AMD’s FreeSync or VESA Adaptive-Sync.

Then, you have to enable G-Sync on the monitor itself. Some monitors have a setting in their on-screen display (OSD) menu that you need to enable before you can turn on G-Sync on Windows 11. This setting might be labeled “Adaptive Sync” or “G-Sync.”

Once the feature is confirmed and turned on in the monitor, follow these steps to enable G-Sync on Windows 11:

1. Open Start on Windows 11.

2. Search for Nvidia and click the top result to open the app.

3. Click on System.

4. Click the Displays tab.

5. Select the display under the “Displays” section.

6. Click the “Display Properties” setting.

7. Turn on the G-Sync toggle switch.

   

Once you complete the steps, the G-Sync feature will be enabled on your computer, and this action will also turn on the Variable Refresh Rate feature available on Windows 11, specifically in the “Advanced graphics settings” section under Settings > System > Display > Graphics.