Modern 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are equipped with Apple’s “ProMotion” display technology. ProMotion is a variable refresh rate system that can dynamically push the screen up to a buttery-smooth 120Hz when you are scrolling through a webpage, and immediately drop it down to 24Hz when you are staring at a static image to save battery life.
While ProMotion makes the operating system feel incredibly fluid, it can be a massive hindrance for video editors and animators. If you are color grading a 60fps video in Final Cut Pro or rendering an animation in After Effects, a variable refresh rate can introduce visual tearing or make it difficult to judge the true frame pacing of your project. Professional video editors need their monitor locked to a rigid, mathematical standard that matches their project timeline. If you require absolute consistency, you must completely disable ProMotion and lock your MacBook Pro to a fixed refresh rate.
Disabling ProMotion via Display Settings
Apple allows you to manually override the ProMotion engine and lock the internal display to several industry-standard broadcast refresh rates.
- Click the Apple Logo in the top-left corner of your screen and select System Settings….
- Scroll down the left-hand navigation sidebar and click on Displays.
- Ensure your built-in MacBook Pro display is selected at the top of the window (if you have external monitors connected).
- Look down the main panel for the setting labelled Refresh rate. By default, the dropdown menu next to it will be set to “ProMotion.”
- Click the ProMotion dropdown menu.
- You will be presented with a list of fixed, standard refresh rates. Select the one that matches your video project’s frame rate to lock the display:
- 60 Hertz (Standard fixed refresh rate for general use and web video).
- 59.94 Hertz (NTSC broadcast standard).
- 50 Hertz (PAL broadcast standard).
- 48 Hertz (Double the standard cinema frame rate).
- 47.95 Hertz (Double the NTSC cinema frame rate).
The screen will briefly flash black as the display driver reprograms the panel. Once it turns back on, ProMotion is completely dead. Your MacBook Pro display is now rigidly locked to the exact refresh rate you chose, guaranteeing that every frame of your video project is displayed with perfect mathematical pacing, free from variable refresh stuttering.