How to Turn On G-SYNC to Get a Smooth & Stutter-Free Gaming Experience

A straightforward guide to getting the smoothest experience on your monitor with G-SYNC

Co-authored by Darlene Antonelli, MA Reviewed by Stan Kats

Last Updated: November 25, 2023 Fact Checked

Are you wondering how to enable G-Sync on your monitor? Only specific monitors and graphic cards support Nvidia's G-Sync, and you can see if your monitor is listed here. You need a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST or higher GPU (or Kepler-class or later Quadro GPU) to use G-Sync.^{[1]
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Research source} If your computer does not have an Nvidia graphics card or Nvidia Control Center, you can't use G-Sync. This wikiHow article teaches you how to enable G-Sync if you have a compatible monitor.

Things You Should Know

You can use G-Sync if you have a supported Nvidia graphics card and compatible monitor.
To turn on G-Sync, open Nvidia Control Panel and go to "Display > Set up G-Sync" then check the box next to "Enable."
In video games, you should match the FPS to the refresh rate on your monitor so you don't experience screen-tearing or flickering.

Steps

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1
Open Nvidia Control Panel. You can right-click any blank space on your computer to open a menu that has "Nvidia Control Panel" as an option.
- If you're using Windows 11, you may need to click See More first to see this option.
You'll see these options in the menu on the left side of the window. Clicking "Display" twice will expand that section so you'll be able to click "Set up G-Sync."

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3
Click the box next to "Enable G-Sync, G-Sync Compatible" to check it. After you enable G-Sync, decide if you want to enable it in "Full Screen" or "Windowed and full screen mode."
- Select "Enable for full screen mode" if you don't want to use G-Sync for windows that aren't full-screen and you only want it to work for programs, like games, in full screen mode.
- Select "Enable for windowed and full screen mode" if you want G-Sync to work on every window you have open, whether they are full-screen or not.
4
Choose display-specific settings. The wording here will vary if you have a G-Sync compatible monitor or a VRR display that Nvidia has not validated as G-Sync compatible.
- If prompted, select a display to use G-Sync with.
- Click the box next to "Enable settings for the selected display model" to check it.^{[2]
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5
Connect with a DP cable (if you're using an external monitor). G-Sync only works with DP cables, not HDMI or other cables. It looks like a USB cable that's rectangular and has a tongue inside.^{[3]
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- Skip this step if you're not using dual monitors.

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Tips

To know if G-Sync is on, double-click the Display tab in Nvidia Control Center and select "Show indicator." The wording will vary depending on your monitor, but you'll see an indicator on your screen that tells you if G-Sync is active or not.^{[4]
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In video games, you should match the FPS to the refresh rate on your monitor so you don't experience screen-tearing or flickering.

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