How to Fix Screen Tearing Without Turning On VSync

Published 2026-10-16 · LuxuriousComputers Repair

Screen tearing — those horizontal lines where the image splits — happens when the GPU sends frames to the monitor faster or slower than the monitor refreshes. VSync fixes tearing by forcing the GPU to wait for the monitor, but it introduces input lag and can cause stuttering when frame rates drop. For gaming and responsive work, VSync's downsides often outweigh the tearing fix. Fortunately, better solutions exist that eliminate tearing without the penalties VSync imposes.

Why not VSync

VSync synchronizes the GPU output to the monitor's fixed refresh rate. This eliminates tearing completely but creates two problems:

• Input lag: The GPU must wait for the monitor to finish its current refresh before displaying the next frame. This adds 10 to 50 milliseconds of delay between your input and seeing the result on screen. For competitive gaming, this delay is the difference between hitting and missing a shot. For general desktop use, most people do not notice it
• Stuttering at low FPS: When the GPU cannot maintain the monitor's refresh rate (dropping below 60 FPS on a 60 Hz monitor), VSync forces the frame rate to jump to the next even divisor — 30 FPS. This jump from 60 to 30 feels like severe stuttering and is worse than the tearing it prevents

The methods below eliminate tearing while avoiding these problems.

Variable Refresh Rate (the best solution)

Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) technology makes the monitor match its refresh rate to whatever the GPU is outputting, frame by frame. If the GPU renders a frame in 8 milliseconds (125 FPS), the monitor refreshes at 125 Hz. If the next frame takes 14 milliseconds (71 FPS), the monitor refreshes at 71 Hz. The result is zero tearing, zero added input lag, and no stuttering when frame rates fluctuate.

Types of VRR

• AMD FreeSync: Works with AMD GPUs natively and with NVIDIA GPUs (NVIDIA added FreeSync compatibility). Available on most gaming monitors made in the last several years. Works over DisplayPort and HDMI
• NVIDIA G-Sync Compatible: The G-Sync Compatible certification means NVIDIA has tested the FreeSync monitor and confirmed it works well with NVIDIA GPUs. Any FreeSync monitor can be used with NVIDIA GPUs, but G-Sync Compatible monitors are verified
• NVIDIA G-Sync (dedicated module): Older, more expensive monitors with a proprietary NVIDIA hardware module. Provides the same VRR functionality with slightly better performance at the very low end of the refresh range. Only works with NVIDIA GPUs
• HDMI 2.1 VRR: A standard VRR implementation built into HDMI 2.1. Works with any GPU and monitor supporting HDMI 2.1

Enable VRR

Monitor side

1. Open the monitor's on-screen display (OSD) menu using the physical buttons on the monitor
2. Look for FreeSync, Adaptive Sync, VRR, or Variable Refresh Rate in the gaming or display settings
3. Enable it. Some monitors have this disabled by default

NVIDIA GPU

1. Open NVIDIA Control Panel (right-click desktop)
2. Display, Set Up G-Sync
3. Check Enable G-Sync, G-Sync Compatible
4. Select the monitor and check Enable Settings for the Selected Display Model
5. Click Apply

AMD GPU

1. Open AMD Software (right-click desktop)
2. Gaming tab, Display
3. Enable AMD FreeSync

Windows

1. Settings, System, Display, Graphics, Change Default Graphics Settings
2. Enable Variable Refresh Rate

Once VRR is active, disable VSync in games — running both simultaneously can cause micro-stuttering on some configurations.

Frame rate cap (just below refresh rate)

If your monitor does not support VRR, capping the frame rate just below the monitor's refresh rate is an effective alternative. The idea is to prevent the GPU from ever producing frames faster than the monitor can display them, which eliminates most tearing while keeping input lag low.

How to cap frames

• NVIDIA Control Panel: Manage 3D Settings, Global Settings (or per-game), Max Frame Rate. Set it to 2 to 3 FPS below your monitor's refresh rate (for example, 57 FPS on a 60 Hz monitor, 141 FPS on a 144 Hz monitor)
• AMD Software: Gaming tab, Graphics, Frame Rate Target Control (FRTC). Set to 2 to 3 FPS below refresh rate
• In-game limiter: Many games have a built-in frame rate cap in their settings. Use this if available — in-game limiters often have the lowest latency
• RTSS (RivaTuner Statistics Server): A free tool that provides a precise frame rate limiter for any game. It is widely regarded as the best third-party frame limiter with the lowest added latency. Download it from the MSI Afterburner website (it is bundled with Afterburner)

Why just below and not exactly at the refresh rate

Frame times are never perfectly consistent. If you cap at exactly 60 FPS on a 60 Hz monitor, occasional frame time spikes cause one frame to arrive slightly late, which creates a tear. Capping 2 to 3 FPS below the refresh rate gives a small margin — the GPU always finishes the frame before the monitor needs it, preventing tearing without the waiting penalty of VSync.

Adaptive VSync and Enhanced Sync

These are GPU-driver features that provide VSync behavior only when it helps and disable it when it hurts:

• NVIDIA Adaptive VSync: VSync is active when the frame rate is at or above the refresh rate (preventing tearing) and automatically turns off when the frame rate drops below the refresh rate (preventing the stuttering that standard VSync causes at low FPS). Set in NVIDIA Control Panel, Manage 3D Settings, Vertical Sync, select Adaptive
• NVIDIA Fast Sync: A more advanced option available on GTX 900 series and newer. The GPU renders frames as fast as possible but only sends the most recently completed frame to the monitor. This reduces input lag compared to standard VSync while still preventing tearing. Best when frame rates are well above the refresh rate. Set Vertical Sync to Fast in NVIDIA Control Panel
• AMD Enhanced Sync: Similar to NVIDIA Adaptive VSync — VSync behavior above the refresh rate, uncapped below it. Prevents tearing when the GPU can keep up and avoids stuttering when it cannot. Enable in AMD Software, Gaming, Graphics

Higher refresh rate monitor

A monitor with a higher refresh rate reduces the visibility of tearing even without any sync technology:

• On a 60 Hz monitor, a tear is visible for up to 16.7 milliseconds (one full refresh cycle). Your eye tracks the tear as it moves down the screen
• On a 144 Hz monitor, a tear is visible for only 6.9 milliseconds — less than half as long. The tear moves through faster and is much harder to see
• On a 240 Hz monitor, tears last only 4.2 milliseconds and are nearly invisible during normal use

A higher refresh rate monitor does not eliminate tearing, but it makes tearing much less noticeable. Combined with a frame rate cap just below the refresh rate, a 144 Hz or higher monitor provides a nearly tear-free experience without any sync technology.

DisplayPort vs HDMI

Your display cable affects VRR compatibility:

• DisplayPort: All versions of DisplayPort support Adaptive Sync (FreeSync). DisplayPort 1.2 and later support VRR. This is the best connection for VRR
• HDMI: VRR support depends on the version. HDMI 2.0 supports FreeSync on some monitors. HDMI 2.1 supports VRR natively. Older HDMI versions (1.4) do not support VRR at all

If VRR is not working, check that you are using the right cable. A DisplayPort cable is almost always the better choice for gaming monitors with VRR.

Desktop and browser tearing

If tearing appears on the Windows desktop, while scrolling in a browser, or during video playback (not during gaming):

• Desktop Window Manager (DWM): Windows composites all desktop content through DWM, which normally prevents tearing. If you see tearing on the desktop, update your GPU driver — desktop tearing usually indicates a driver bug or a DWM malfunction
• Browser hardware acceleration: Chrome, Edge, and Firefox use GPU hardware acceleration for rendering. If browser scrolling tears, check that hardware acceleration is enabled in the browser settings. If it is enabled and tearing persists, the GPU driver may have a bug — update it or try disabling and re-enabling hardware acceleration
• Multiple monitors at different refresh rates: Running a 60 Hz and a 144 Hz monitor simultaneously can cause tearing on the lower-refresh monitor. This is a known Windows limitation. Setting both monitors to the same refresh rate eliminates this specific tearing

Screen tearing help in Marion

If screen tearing persists despite trying these solutions and you are not sure whether your monitor supports VRR or which settings to configure, LuxuriousComputers in Marion can check your hardware, enable VRR or the optimal sync settings, update drivers, and configure your system for tear-free gaming and desktop use.