What Is Screen Tearing And How Do You Fix It? [Simple Guide 2022]

Do you know what is Screen Tearing and how do you fix it? Read to know more.

In this guide, we will understand what screen tearing is, what causes it, and what you can do to avoid that on your computer. We will offer you detailed information on these topics along with some proven solutions for the problem. Thus, make sure you stick until the end of our guide to find out the best solution for your case.

Screen tearing is a common visual artifact that occurs on video game consoles, personal computers, and other electronic devices with a graphics processing unit (GPU). When a screen or display device displays an image frame, it must refresh the display of each pixel or sub-pixel in a specific pattern to produce the correct image. A GPU processes the display information for each frame and writes it to the screen at a certain speed.

Previously written information must be erased before new information can be displayed. Erasing a portion of the screen (or updating it with new information) takes time. This means that during the erasure process, the screen will appear “teary” or blurry. Screen tearing is created when a device attempts to display an image too quickly for the human eye to see it perfectly smooth. There are several ways you can get screen tearing in video games:

When your character walks across a rug and leaves a print. When you look up at the sun and your screen gets a little sunburn. Obviously, the best solution to screen tearing is to upgrade your graphics card. But if you cannot upgrade, then there are a few tricks you can use to minimize the issue.

What Are The Symptoms Of Screen Tearing?

When looking at a monitor, you may notice a slight blurriness around objects. This is called screen tearing. You can tell when you have screen tearing because the objects are not completely smooth. Here are some of the common causes of screen tearing: The display refresh rate is too slow. A standard refresh rate is 60 Hz (hertz). This means that each frame of a video game is displayed 60 times per second. If your video game uses a faster refresh rate, such as 144 Hz or 240 Hz, then your computer may experience screen tearing.

For example, if your video game uses 144 Hz and it takes your system 1/144th of a second (1/240th of a second) to refresh the screen, you may see screen tearing. This will create a jerky sensation when you move your character. When your character walks across a rug and leaves a print. When you look up at the sun and your screen gets a little sunburn.

Your graphics card cannot keep up with the demands of the system. Modern video games have become so advanced that they require powerful graphics cards. In fact, some modern games have created a virtual arms race among graphics card manufacturers. As a result, many people have multiple high-end graphics cards installed on their computers.

How Do You Fix It?

VSync

VSync is a method of reducing screen tearing by forcing your monitor to display only the portion of a frame that has changed since the last frame was displayed. Your computer sends a signal to your monitor to indicate how long it should wait before displaying the next frame. For example, let’s say you’re running a game at 240 frames per second (FPS). At this rate, the game will update the screen 60 times per second.

The first frame of a new game is displayed 60 times per second and the last frame of a game is displayed 60 times per second. Therefore, you get an overall refresh rate of 60 times per second. The game uses the 60 FPS refresh rate, but because there are other processes running on your computer, your monitor might not refresh each frame exactly 60 times per second.

Moreover, if your monitor’s refresh rate is different from the refresh rate of your video game, your monitor might not refresh the same frame as the video game.

How Do I Turn On VSync?

In most cases, you can turn on VSync in the game settings menu. In this example, we’ll use the “Doom 3” game that ships with Windows XP:

Open the Control Panel, double-click on Display, and then click on the Advanced tab. Click on the Settings button and scroll down to the Performance section. Click on the VSync option and select “On.” If your game doesn’t have a VSync setting, then you’ll need to adjust your monitor’s refresh rate.

NVIDIA Adaptive VSync

For instance, let’s say your monitor has a 60 Hz refresh rate, but you want to play games at 144 Hz. To get the most out of your graphics card, you should be able to play the game at 240 FPS, but with Adaptive VSync turned on. This way, when the game drops below 60 FPS, the game will continue to run at 144 Hz.

Then when the game recovers to higher FPS, Adaptive VSync will automatically switch back to 60Hz, thus eliminating screen tearing and stutter.

How Do I Turn On Adaptive VSync?

Adaptive VSync works only on NVIDIA graphics cards and can only be enabled by using the NVIDIA Control Panel. To open it, click on Start > All Programs > NVIDIA Control Panel.

NVIDIA Fast Sync & AMD Enhanced Sync

If you have a graphics card that supports fast or enhanced sync, then you’ll be able to use either one instead of VSync. With Fast or Enhanced Sync, your video game will always display the most recent frame without requiring your computer to wait before displaying the next frame. This means that your game will always show the most recently completed frame and not a frame from half a second ago.

How Do I Turn On Fast/Enhanced Sync?

To turn on fast or enhanced sync in the game, go to the game settings and select Display > Sync Type > Fast or Enhanced Sync.

How Do I Turn On VSync?

To turn on VSync in the game, go to the game settings and select Display > VSync > On.

To turn off VSync in the game, click on the VSync button and select Off.

How Do I Turn On Adaptive VSync?

To turn on Adaptive VSync in the game, go to the game settings and select Display > Adaptive VSync > On. To turn off Adaptive VSync in the game, click on the VSync button and select Off.

NVIDIA G-SYNC & AMD FreeSync

Technology Explained NVIDIA’s G-SYNC technology dynamically changes the refresh rate of your monitor according to your GPU’s frame rates, so that your screen will display a frame 60 times per second without stuttering. NVIDIA’s G-SYNC is completely compatible with the following video games: Battlefield 4, Battlelog, Batman: Arkham Origins, Call of Duty: Black Ops III, Crysis 3, Far Cry 3, Fallout 4, Halo 4, Halo 5, Metro:

Last Light Redux, Need for Speed Rivals, Need for Speed Payback, Project CARS, Titanfall, Titanfall 2, Titanfall X, World of Tanks, and Watch Dogs 2. G-SYNC requires the following hardware components: a GeForce GTX 970 or higher, GeForce GTX 980 Ti, GeForce GTX 980 or higher, GeForce GTX 970M, GeForce GTX 980M, GeForce GTX 1060, GeForce GTX 1070, or GeForce GTX 1080 GPU with Maxwell 2 architecture or later; or an AMD Radeon R9 Fury or higher graphics card with FreeSync technology.

Later, NVIDIA will also offer G-SYNC compatibility on Radeon RX graphics cards with RX 480, RX 570, and RX 580 GPUs. AMD’s FreeSync technology offers a similar feature set, but the technology is designed to work with both NVIDIA and AMD graphics cards. For more information on how G-SYNC works, please refer to the G-SYNC FAQ section. AMD FreeSync Technology FreeSync allows for seamless variable refresh rates in a gaming display without any tearing or stuttering.

Using AMD FreeSync technology, you can run a wide variety of games at various refresh rates. This means that if your monitor supports FreeSync, you’ll be able to play games in any of the following refresh rates: 50Hz, 60Hz, 75Hz, 80Hz, 100Hz, 120Hz, 144Hz, and 200Hz. Your game will automatically determine what its optimal refresh rate is based on the type of game that you are playing.

In this situation, you don’t have to change anything; just sit back and enjoy your gaming at all these new and exciting refreshing rates. Here we have mentioned some of the features of AMD’s FreeSync technology. AMD FreeSync requires a monitor that supports the following features:-

1. Support for at least one AMD graphics card with a DisplayPort 2.2 connection, HDMI 3.0a connection, or Dual-Link DVI connection;
2. A minimum horizontal resolution of 2560×1440 pixels;
3. A maximum refresh rate of 144Hz; and,
4. A screen color depth of 8-bit (256 colors), 10-bit (1,073,200 colors), 12-bit (4,096,256 colors), or 16-bit (65,536,256 colors).

FreeSync monitors are not limited to the aforementioned features, but they must support these features in order for the AMD FreeSync technology to work. In fact, many of today’s leading display panels already include many of the features needed for AMD FreeSync to function properly.

Conclusion- What Is Screen Tearing And How Do You Fix It?

In conclusion, we’d like to say that both technologies have their own benefits and drawbacks. In case you’re wondering which one to choose, it comes down to what your priorities are. If you want a stable, consistent, and fluid gaming experience, then NVIDIA’s G-SYNC technology is the way to go. On the other hand, if you just want a smooth and seamless gaming experience, then AMD’s FreeSync technology is definitely worth a try.

We have a few G-SYNC and FreeSync-capable displays to share with you that will make your life a lot easier. If you’re interested in learning more about the different aspects of both technologies, feel free to check out our dedicated pages for NVIDIA G-SYNC and AMD FreeSync, which you can find in the Resources section.

That’s it for now. Thanks for reading!