Unlock Ultra-Smooth 120Hz Browsing in Safari: A Step-by-Step Guide

Any Apple device with a ProMotion display can show stunning 120Hz animations. Yet, Safari defaults to 60 frames per second (fps) for page rendering, which can make scrolling feel less smooth compared to browsers like Chrome or Firefox. Fortunately, recent updates allow users to unlock 120Hz rendering in Safari.

At 60Hz, your screen refreshes every 16.7 milliseconds. At 120Hz, this drops to 8.3 milliseconds. This faster refresh rate reduces blur and makes motion smoother, especially when scrolling through text-heavy pages. If you’ve noticed Safari feels a bit sluggish compared to other browsers, this is likely why.

How to Enable 120Hz Scrolling in Safari

For iPhone and iPad:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap Apps and then Safari.
3. Scroll down to Advanced.
4. Tap Feature Flags.
5. Find Prefer Page Rendering Updates near 60fps and toggle it off.
6. Close Safari and reopen it.

Now, Safari should render pages at up to 120Hz.

For Mac:

1. Open Safari and navigate to Safari in the menu. Click Settings….
2. Go to the Advanced tab and check Show features for web developers.
3. Click the Feature Flags tab that now appears.
4. In the search box, type 60fps.
5. Uncheck Prefer Page Rendering Updates near 60fps.
6. Close and reopen Safari.

This will enable 120Hz browsing on compatible Macs, such as the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models made from 2021 onward.

The Bigger Picture

Enabling 120Hz in Safari isn’t just a cool trick. It reflects an industry trend in tech where smoother graphics enhance user experience. According to a recent report from NPD Group, over 70% of users prefer devices with higher refresh rates, especially for gaming and productivity tasks.

As technology evolves, user expectations shift. People expect fast, responsive interfaces, whether they’re scrolling through web pages or playing games. This trend is significant; as more apps and platforms gear up for higher frame rates, smoother experiences may soon be the norm rather than the exception.

Kudos to MacStories for highlighting these features and the developers behind them, like Matt Birchler, who keep pushing the envelope for better user experiences.

For further details on refresh rates, you can visit the Blur Buster’s Motion Tests webpage to see how different refresh rates impact visuals.

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