Disabling "Enable automatic refresh rate switching" doesn't disable automatic refresh rate switching at 144hz

[kron0s 24]

Opening a new thread because the previously one was locked even though there's still an issue. 

Even after the new update with the setting disable it still switches my screen's refresh rate to 120hz.  This causes some issues for me because

1. I don't want my screen set to 120hz (actually 119.98hz) but rather at 144hz the native refresh rate. 

2. The only way to prevent this issue is by enabling Windows Dynamic Refresh Rate (DRR), which must be done manually and cannot be scripted. This creates a problem because I use my desktop for streaming games with Sunshine/Moonlight and disable my screens while streaming. However, when I re-enable them, Windows DRR does not automatically turn back on. As a result, when I play a video with Emby, it automatically switches the refresh rate back to 120Hz, whereas I want to keep it at 144Hz. This causes an endless loop of adjustments—frustrating!

Can we please fix the issue and let us disable the automatic frame rate switching?  @softworkz

[Fch11 3]

Having this issue with the new update that was released on wednesday. My 144hz monitor gets set to 120hz when playing a video. Emby theater 3.0.20 doesn't have this issue and monitor works at 144hz.

[Mazvydas 5]

This also negatively impacts other programs, such as the Nvidia and Microsoft overlays.

My Nvidia overlay is set to continuously record all the time and save the last 10 minutes of footage at my main monitors refresh rate at 165fps.
Once Emby sets the the refresh rate to 120 - so do the recording settings on both overlays get capped to 120.

Even with a "revert to previous refresh rate" it still will not help in this situation.
Even more so sometimes this refresh rate swap will corrupt video recordings.

Having Autodesk Fusion 360 or Netfabb running while Emby sets the monitor refresh rate bugs their UI out for whatever reason - it offsets the actual clickable target points by ~20px or something to that effect.
I cannot reproduce this by switching the refresh rate manually through Windows or Nvidia settings.

If I start to play a video on a secondary monitor that is capped to 120hz - I can just drag Emby over to my main screen and have it not switch frame rates.
It will only switch frame rate once the video stops and another begins on my main monitor.

Please revert this change, or make it so that the "Disable frame rate switching" actually works.
I'm using the web Emby interface for now and not using the Windows app as this is causing way too many issues.
I had to reinstall Windows and am regretting not backing up the old Emby version I had before.

This update has an "Apple-esk" quality to it - "we know better than you" and has clearly not been tested on non-media-pc environments and use cases.
Don't change my monitor settings.

Edit: This also resets any Overdrive monitor settings that I have set.

Edited April 1, 2025 by Mazvydas

[SikSlayer 249]

This sounds very similar to what I've been experiencing...

 

[partycat 5]

So if I have this right, Emby's stance is that no one who installs their app should ever want their monitors to run at over 120hz, for games or any other reason, so they're automatically forcing all monitors down to 120hz every time anyone plays anything in the app, with no option to return to them to normal afterward? And this is intentional?

I want to be clear that I'm not trying to be confrontational. I respect differing opinions. But I would strongly suggest you reconsider whatever train of thought led you to believe people would be okay with that. If you don't play games that's fine, if you don't see a difference in the way higher fps looks generally that's fine. But there's a whole world of things outside your (or any one) app, and doing something that affects the whole system in that way, with no alternative, is not ok.

For me I noticed when some of my games became unplayably glitchy because of the framerate mismatch. And yes, I could change their internal target to 120 instead of 180, but VA panels (which are common) look significantly worse in their brightness, color, and motion when working below their maximum refresh rate. It's why I personally never use Freesync. You don't really need to parse any of that, but I assure you my usage is quite common. And no one should have to justify being allowed to use a high refresh rate monitor to its fullest. It's a neat solution you guys have come up with. It should absolutely not be a requirement for using Emby.

[Luke 42077]

Hi, we’re looking into improving this. Thanks guys.

[MrRobotNZXT 6]

I mean I get everyone's frustration

My monitor's range from 165hz to 240hz and the one reason I built a $20k Media Server is now pretty much ruined

Sure I can live with HDR @120Hz but a lot of my movies have higher quality to offer and a full refresh rate would be nice to see

But lord and behold every single time opening the Emby for Windows app I feel like I wasted like $4000 on monitors

Why do this just because a few XBox customers complained? You made a separate version for them anyway right? So let Windows users enjoy full refresh rate

Emby Theatre is buggy for other reasons but at least it did not mess with my monitor settings ALL THE TIME

Don't make this the last month I use Emby, this would literally be the last straw leading me to Jellyfin

[DylanParham 14]

I see you all are working on it so thank you, just wanted to add that I have a couple of different monitors and each one of them gets forced down to 120hz (or lower) and not properly reverted. It also makes the monitors act like they've been unplugged & plugged back in, which likes to cause my sound settings to get all out of whack too for whatever reason. My G95SC properly gets set down from 240hz native to whatever the media fps is, but when I finish the stream it only gets kicked back up to 120hz. It's all just a little weird and wonky right now so hoping you all can get it situated, and perhaps a guide to what the recommended settings for Windows and Emby to play nicely together should be. 

[Fch11 3]

Anyone know if this issue has been fixed yet?

[Luke 42077]

11 hours ago, Fch11 said:

Anyone know if this issue has been fixed yet?

Hi, we are working on it. Thanks.

[softworkz 5065]

The new opt-out is in the new beta (https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/138418-new-windows-xbox-beta-222500-beta/)

If all goes well, the stable will follow in a few days.

Thanks

[mini5183 0]

Hi! i am facing this same issue on latest stable docker version of embyserver and MS store emby app.

 

Whenever i play something it switches to 120Hz from 144Hz

Edited May 2, 2025 by mini5183

[Kodijack 3]

Got this problem too. I already hated the new app since its release (it's sooo slooow), but this is so annoying now I have to use the Browser to watch without going nuts...

 

 

 

 

[softworkz 5065]

The latest version has an option to disable it: 

Thanks

[Mkilbride 86]

This is still broken for me on Windows. It's disabled but keeps switching anyways. 

[Luke 42077]

4 minutes ago, Mkilbride said:

This is still broken for me on Windows. It's disabled but keeps switching anyways. 

Hi, what version number of the app are you on now? What makes you think it is switching anyways?

[Mkilbride 86]

Because it says it's switching? And I can tell because it goes from 240HZ to 60HZ? 

 

 

Name:	Emby Windows
Version:	2.234.2.0

[softworkz 5065]

@Mkilbride

It is switching down due to your high refresh rate. 240Hz are not a good choice for video playback and it's unsupported by us.

That being said, when you look further down on this page, there's an option to disable switching entirely.

[Mkilbride 86]

I tried to disable it entirely. It's not working. 

[Luke 42077]

On 1/19/2026 at 5:40 AM, Mkilbride said:

I tried to disable it entirely. It's not working. 

Hi, can you give it another try?

[softworkz 5065]

On 1/19/2026 at 11:40 AM, Mkilbride said:

I tried to disable it entirely. It's not working. 

Please show a screenshot how you disabled it.

Thanks