Your iPhone's Safari: Unlocking the 120Hz Secret for a Smoother Experience
The iPhone's display capabilities have evolved, but not all features are enabled by default.
Apple introduced 120Hz displays with the iPhone 13 Pro in 2021, and later brought it to the iPhone 17. However, many users have noticed that certain animations and experiences still feel less than seamless.
Here's the twist: Safari, the default browser on iPhones, doesn't utilize the 120Hz refresh rate by default. This means that even with a capable device, your browsing experience might not be as smooth as it could be. But don't worry, there's a simple fix.
When Apple added 120Hz support to iPhones, Safari's default rendering was set to 60fps, which can result in a slightly jittery experience, especially on content-rich websites. But you can easily verify your iPhone's refresh rate by visiting a test page (https://testufo.com/) and checking the live frame rate.
The difference between 60Hz and 120Hz is significant. At 60Hz, your iPhone refreshes the display every 16.7 milliseconds, while at 120Hz, it's a lightning-fast 8.3 milliseconds, doubling the screen's update speed and creating a much smoother scrolling experience.
Here's how to unlock the full potential of your iPhone's display:
To enable 120Hz browsing in Safari, you'll need an iPhone with a ProMotion display, such as the iPhone 13 Pro or any model from the iPhone 17 series. For older iPhones, 60Hz is the limit.
To activate this feature, follow these steps:
- Open Settings and navigate to Safari settings. Interestingly, you don't need to open the Safari app itself for this adjustment.
- Scroll to the bottom and tap 'Advanced'.
- In the Advanced menu, find and open 'Feature Flags'.
- In Feature Flags, locate 'Prefer Page Rendering Updates near 60fps' and toggle it off. This setting prevents Safari from favoring 60fps rendering.
- Close and relaunch Safari. Now, webpages should render at the full 120Hz refresh rate, providing a noticeably smoother experience, especially on text-heavy sites.
A word of caution: Enabling 120Hz can slightly impact battery life, so consider turning it off when not needed. And remember, this is just one of the many hidden gems in your iPhone's settings.
For more iPhone tips and tricks, check out these articles from Tom's Guide:
- Uncover 5 hidden iPhone features that are incredibly useful.
- Discover your iPhone's secret photo vault, secured with Face ID.
- Explore the surprising capabilities of your iPhone's Notes app.
Sanuj, a tech enthusiast, shares his insights on smartphones, tablets, and wearables. His journey began with a Nokia Lumia, leading him to explore both Android and iPhone ecosystems. When not writing, he enjoys tea, football, and cricket.
Do you find these hidden iPhone settings intriguing? Let us know in the comments if you've tried this 120Hz trick and share your thoughts on the impact it has on your browsing experience!
