Refresh Rate Drops After Updates: What’s Happening?


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Refresh Rate Drops After Updates: What’s Happening?

After updating my AvNexo device in London, I noticed the screen felt less smooth during scrolling and gaming. Speaking with UK users in Manchester, Edinburgh, and Birmingham, it became clear that refresh rate drops following software updates are common. Understanding the causes can help maintain high-performance displays on modern smartphones.

Why Updates Affect Refresh Rate

Software updates often include changes that impact display performance:

  • New refresh rate management algorithms may prioritise battery over smoothness
  • Temporary bugs or conflicts with third-party apps can limit high refresh rates
  • System settings may be reset, defaulting to lower refresh rates like 60Hz

UK users in Brighton and Glasgow reported that scroll animations felt choppier after updating, even though the device supported 90Hz or 120Hz.

Common Symptoms

  • Scrolling feels less fluid in apps or menus
  • High-refresh-rate games appear stuttery or drop frames
  • Adaptive or high refresh rate options may be disabled or reset in settings

Causes Behind Refresh Rate Drops

1. Adaptive Refresh Rate Resets

Many phones automatically switch refresh rates based on content and battery life:

  • Updates may reset these adaptive settings to conservative defaults
  • UK users in London and Edinburgh found re-enabling 120Hz or 90Hz fixed smoothness issues

2. Battery-Saving Features

Low power or battery saver modes often override refresh rates to conserve energy:

  • Updates may enable these modes automatically to improve battery statistics
  • Disabling power-saving restored normal refresh rate behaviour in Manchester and Birmingham testers

3. App Compatibility Issues

Some apps may temporarily lose refresh rate optimisation after system updates:

  • Older or non-optimised apps may default to 60Hz
  • AvNexo testers in Glasgow observed smoother motion after updating apps post-system update

4. Software Bugs

Minor bugs following updates can interfere with refresh rate control:

  • Restarting the device often resolves temporary glitches
  • Checking for follow-up patches may fix persistent issues

Troubleshooting Steps

  1. Check Settings → Display → Refresh Rate and re-select your preferred option
  2. Disable battery saver or low power mode
  3. Restart your device to apply updates correctly
  4. Update apps to ensure compatibility with the new system version
  5. Test in multiple apps to identify if issues are app-specific

Additional Tips

  • Enable adaptive refresh rates for battery efficiency without sacrificing smoothness
  • Monitor refresh rate in GPU-intensive apps like games for automatic drops
  • UK users across London, Manchester, and Edinburgh found that clearing cache and background apps helped restore consistent 120Hz or 90Hz performance

Final Thoughts

Refresh rate drops after updates are often caused by setting resets, power-saving modes, app incompatibilities, or temporary software bugs. Simple troubleshooting steps like toggling settings, restarting, and updating apps usually restore smooth performance. For persistent issues, consider consulting your device manufacturer. Proper care ensures consistent high-refresh-rate experiences across UK cities like London, Manchester, and Edinburgh.

Meta description: Learn why refresh rates drop after software updates, with UK user insights, common causes, and step-by-step solutions to restore smooth smartphone display performance.

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