How to Fix Screen Tearing on Your Computer

Published 2026-10-16 · LuxuriousComputers Repair

Screen tearing is when your monitor displays parts of two or more frames at the same time, creating a visible horizontal line where the image appears split or offset. It is most noticeable during fast horizontal movement in games, video playback, or when scrolling. The cause is a mismatch between the rate your graphics card sends frames and the rate your monitor refreshes. Here is what causes it and every way to fix it.

Why screen tearing happens

Your monitor refreshes the screen at a fixed rate, typically 60 times per second (60Hz). Your graphics card renders frames and sends them to the monitor. When the GPU finishes a new frame in the middle of the monitor's refresh cycle, the monitor ends up displaying the top portion of the old frame and the bottom portion of the new frame. That visible seam is the tear.

Tearing is worse when:

• The GPU framerate is significantly higher or lower than the monitor refresh rate
• The framerate fluctuates rapidly (common during gaming when scenes change complexity)
• You are running a game or application in fullscreen borderless or windowed mode, where the desktop compositor adds latency

Enable VSync

VSync (vertical sync) is the most straightforward fix. It tells the GPU to wait until the monitor finishes its current refresh before sending the next frame. This eliminates tearing completely but has tradeoffs.

In-game VSync

Most games have a VSync toggle in their graphics or display settings. Enable it and the game will cap its framerate to your monitor's refresh rate. This works well when the GPU can consistently hit the target framerate (60 fps for a 60Hz monitor). If the GPU drops below that rate, VSync can cause stuttering because it drops to the next even divisor (30 fps on a 60Hz display), which feels noticeably choppy.

GPU driver VSync

You can force VSync globally or per-application through your GPU driver settings:

• NVIDIA: Right-click the desktop and open NVIDIA Control Panel. Go to Manage 3D Settings. Find Vertical sync in the list and set it to On (global) or add a per-application profile. The Adaptive option enables VSync only when the framerate exceeds the refresh rate and disables it below, which reduces the stutter problem
• AMD: Open AMD Software (Adrenalin). Go to Gaming, then Global Graphics or the specific game profile. Find Wait for Vertical Refresh and set it to Always On. AMD also offers Enhanced Sync, which works similarly to NVIDIA Adaptive VSync
• Intel: Open Intel Graphics Command Center, go to the game profile or global settings, and enable VSync

Use adaptive sync (FreeSync or G-Sync)

Adaptive sync is the best solution if your monitor supports it. Instead of the GPU waiting for the monitor, the monitor adjusts its refresh rate to match the GPU's framerate in real time. This eliminates tearing without the stutter and input lag that VSync introduces.

• AMD FreeSync: Works over DisplayPort and HDMI on AMD GPUs. The monitor must support FreeSync. Enable it in the monitor's OSD menu and in AMD Adrenalin (Gaming settings, AMD FreeSync toggle)
• NVIDIA G-Sync Compatible: NVIDIA GPUs can use G-Sync with native G-Sync monitors and with many FreeSync monitors labeled G-Sync Compatible. Enable it in NVIDIA Control Panel under Display, Set up G-SYNC. Select the monitor and check Enable G-SYNC, G-SYNC Compatible
• Adaptive sync range: Every adaptive sync monitor has a supported refresh rate range (for example, 48-144Hz). If your framerate drops below the bottom of the range, you may see tearing or stutter again. Some monitors support LFC (Low Framerate Compensation) which doubles or triples frames below the minimum to stay within range

Cap your framerate

If VSync introduces too much input lag (common in competitive gaming) and you do not have an adaptive sync monitor, capping the framerate just below the monitor's refresh rate can reduce tearing significantly:

• In-game frame limiter: Many games have a framerate cap option in settings
• NVIDIA Control Panel: Manage 3D Settings, Max Frame Rate. Set it to 2-3 fps below your monitor refresh rate (57 fps for a 60Hz monitor, 141 fps for a 144Hz monitor)
• AMD Adrenalin: Gaming settings, Frame Rate Target Control (FRTC). Same approach: set it slightly below refresh rate
• RTSS (RivaTuner Statistics Server): A third-party tool that provides very accurate framerate limiting. It comes bundled with MSI Afterburner

Capping slightly below the refresh rate prevents the GPU from getting ahead of the monitor while avoiding the VSync stutter penalty.

Check your display cable and connection

The cable between your GPU and monitor matters more than most people realize:

• HDMI vs DisplayPort: DisplayPort is generally preferred for gaming because it supports higher refresh rates and adaptive sync more reliably. HDMI 2.1 supports high refresh rates and VRR but older HDMI versions (1.4, 2.0) have lower bandwidth limits
• Cable quality: A damaged or low-quality cable can cause visual artifacts that look similar to tearing. Try a different cable, especially if you see tearing along with flickering, color artifacts, or signal dropouts
• Daisy-chained connections: Using adapters (DVI to HDMI, DisplayPort to HDMI) can sometimes limit refresh rates or disable adaptive sync. Use a direct connection when possible

Update your GPU drivers

Outdated or corrupt GPU drivers are a common cause of persistent tearing, especially after a Windows update that installs a generic driver over the manufacturer's version:

1. Check your current driver version: on Windows, open Device Manager, expand Display adapters, right-click your GPU, and select Properties. The Driver tab shows the version and date
2. Download the latest driver from your GPU manufacturer's website (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel)
3. For persistent issues, do a clean driver installation. NVIDIA's installer has a Clean Install checkbox. For AMD, use the Factory Reset option in the installer. For a more thorough cleanup, use DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) in Safe Mode before installing the new driver

Check your monitor refresh rate setting

Windows sometimes defaults to a lower refresh rate than your monitor supports, especially after driver updates or cable changes:

1. Right-click the desktop and select Display settings
2. Click Advanced display settings (or scroll down to find the refresh rate dropdown in Windows 11)
3. Make sure the refresh rate is set to the highest value your monitor supports. If your monitor is 144Hz but Windows shows 60Hz, you are getting unnecessary tearing during fast motion

Fullscreen vs borderless windowed

The display mode affects tearing behavior:

• Exclusive fullscreen gives the game direct control of the display output, which typically provides the best VSync and adaptive sync behavior and the lowest input lag
• Borderless windowed runs through the Windows desktop compositor (DWM). In Windows 10 and 11, the compositor applies its own form of VSync. This can introduce additional latency but usually prevents visible tearing. If you see tearing in borderless mode, the compositor may be having issues. Try exclusive fullscreen
• Windowed mode always runs through the compositor. Tearing in windowed mode is uncommon on modern Windows but can happen with certain GPU driver configurations

Hardware limitations

If you have tried everything above and still see tearing:

• Your monitor may not support adaptive sync. Check the specifications. A monitor with FreeSync or G-Sync support is the most effective long-term solution
• Your GPU may be too weak to maintain a stable framerate. If the GPU constantly fluctuates between 20 and 50 fps, no amount of sync settings will produce perfectly smooth output. Lowering the game's graphics settings to achieve a stable framerate helps more than any sync technology
• A failing GPU can produce tearing along with other artifacts (colored lines, flickering, driver crashes). If tearing appeared suddenly and is accompanied by other visual glitches, the GPU itself may be the problem

Screen tearing help in Marion

If screen tearing persists after updating drivers, adjusting sync settings, and checking cables, the issue may be hardware-related. Luxurious Computers in Marion diagnoses display and GPU problems, handles driver troubleshooting, and performs hardware testing and replacement for both desktops and laptops.