Fix VRR Stuttering on a 240 Hz OLED Panel After 24H2 in Windows 11

If you own a 240 Hz OLED monitor and upgraded to Windows 11 version 24H2, you may notice stuttering during gaming or video playback. Variable Refresh Rate VRR is supposed to eliminate screen tearing and judder, but the 24H2 update introduced a timing conflict that causes microstutters on high-refresh-rate OLED panels. This article explains the root cause and provides three tested fixes to restore smooth motion on your display.

Why VRR Stuttering Occurs on 240 Hz OLED After 24H2

Windows 11 version 24H2 changed how the Desktop Window Manager DWM communicates with the GPU driver during VRR operation. On standard 60 Hz or 144 Hz LCD panels, the change is barely noticeable. On 240 Hz OLED panels, the combination of near-instant pixel response and high refresh rate exposes a timing mismatch.

OLED pixels switch colors in under 0.1 ms, much faster than LCD. When the DWM sends a frame at an irregular interval — even a 0.5 ms variance — the OLED panel displays that variance as a visible stutter. The 24H2 update reduced the DWM polling rate for VRR state checks, causing the GPU to occasionally miss the V-Sync window. The result: repeated frames or dropped frames that feel like microstutters.

The issue is most pronounced in games that run below 200 FPS, where the VRR range of a 240 Hz OLED panel is 48–240 Hz. At mid-range frame rates, the DWM timing error becomes a larger percentage of the frame time. A 1 ms jitter at 120 FPS 8.3 ms per frame is a 12% variation — easily visible on OLED.

Steps to Fix VRR Stuttering on a 240 Hz OLED Panel

Apply these fixes in order. Test after each step before moving to the next.

Fix 1: Reset VRR in Windows Settings

1. Open Windows Settings
   Press Win + I to open Settings. Go to System > Display > Graphics.
2. Open Default graphics settings
   Click the link labeled "Change default graphics settings." This opens the Graphics settings page.
3. Toggle Variable refresh rate off
   Under "Variable refresh rate," set the dropdown to Off. Wait 10 seconds.
4. Toggle Variable refresh rate back on
   Set the dropdown back to On. This forces the GPU driver to renegotiate the VRR handshake with the monitor.
5. Restart the app or game
   Close and reopen the application that exhibited stuttering. Test for smooth playback.

Fix 2: Switch to Fixed Refresh Rate in the GPU Control Panel

If toggling VRR does not help, disable VRR entirely for the problem application. This forces a fixed refresh rate, eliminating the DWM timing issue.

1. Open the NVIDIA Control Panel
   Right-click the desktop and select "NVIDIA Control Panel." If you have an AMD GPU, open AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition.
2. Navigate to Manage 3D settings
   Under "3D Settings" in the left pane, click "Manage 3D settings."
3. Select the Program Settings tab
   Click the "Program Settings" tab. In the dropdown, select the game or application that stutters.
4. Set Monitor Technology to Fixed Refresh
   Scroll to "Monitor Technology." Change it from "G-Sync Compatible" to "Fixed Refresh." Click Apply.
5. Set the refresh rate to 240 Hz
   In Windows Settings > System > Display > Advanced display, confirm the refresh rate is set to 240 Hz. If VRR is off, the monitor runs at a constant 240 Hz.

Fix 3: Adjust Vertical Total with CRU

Custom Resolution Utility CRU modifies the monitor's EDID data to change the Vertical Total VT value. A higher VT value reduces the frame-time variance caused by the DWM polling change. This fix is advanced but permanent.

1. Download and run CRU
   Download Custom Resolution Utility from the official site. Extract and run CRU.exe as Administrator.
2. Select your monitor
   In the top dropdown, select your 240 Hz OLED monitor. It appears as a separate entry from the generic display.
3. Edit the 240 Hz resolution block
   Under "Detailed resolutions," select the 240 Hz entry. Click Edit.
4. Change the Vertical Total value
   In the Edit window, locate "Vertical Total." Change the value from the default 1125 to 2250. Leave all other values unchanged.
5. Apply and restart
   Click OK and then OK again to close CRU. Run restart64.exe from the CRU folder. Your monitor will flash once. The new VT value is active after reboot.

If VRR Stuttering Persists After the Main Fix

"Stuttering still occurs after resetting VRR in Settings"

The toggle may not trigger a full handshake if the monitor is in a power-save state. Unplug the DisplayPort or HDMI cable from the monitor, wait 30 seconds, and reconnect. Then repeat Fix 1. This forces the GPU to re-enumerate the display and renegotiate VRR.

"Fixed refresh rate causes screen tearing"

Enable V-Sync in the application or in the GPU control panel. With a fixed 240 Hz refresh rate and V-Sync on, the GPU delivers frames in sync with the monitor. Tearing disappears without the VRR timing jitter.

"CRU settings reset after a driver update"

NVIDIA and AMD driver updates often overwrite EDID overrides. After updating your graphics driver, run restart64.exe from the CRU folder again. The VT value you set remains in the registry but needs reapplication. To make this automatic, create a scheduled task that runs restart64.exe at logon.

VRR Stuttering on 240 Hz OLED vs Fixed Refresh on 240 Hz OLED

Item	VRR 24H2 with 240 Hz OLED	Fixed Refresh 240 Hz OLED
Frame delivery	Variable, GPU-driven	Fixed 240 Hz, V-Sync driven
Stutter severity	Microstutters at 60–200 FPS	None, but tearing without V-Sync
Power consumption	Lower at low frame rates	Constant 240 Hz power draw
Input lag	Low, frame-time dependent	Low with V-Sync Fast Sync
Best use case	Competitive shooters under 200 FPS	Desktop, video, capped 240 FPS games

VRR on 240 Hz OLED after 24H2 introduces microstutters at mid-range frame rates. Fixed refresh eliminates stutter but requires V-Sync to prevent tearing. Choose based on whether you prioritize tear-free motion or absolute lowest input lag.

You can now resolve VRR stuttering on your 240 Hz OLED panel after the Windows 11 24H2 update by toggling the VRR setting, switching to fixed refresh in the GPU control panel, or adjusting the Vertical Total with CRU. Start with the simplest fix — the Settings toggle — and move to CRU only if needed. For competitive gaming, consider using fixed refresh with V-Sync Fast Sync to combine low latency with smooth motion.