Why does my refresh rate still change when Configuration Protection is enabled?

Configuration Protection can restore a saved choice only when a compatible mode is available. It cannot make a KVM, cable or display connection offer a refresh rate that disappeared during reconnection or link negotiation.

After the problem occurs, check the display's Display Mode and Refresh Rate lists before changing anything. If the desired mode is absent, compare the connection directly to the Mac and try reconnecting the displays in a consistent order. A mode that works with one display connected may not remain available in the full arrangement. See multi-display connection limits.

Also check the monitor’s own input settings. A DisplayPort compatibility or version setting can restrict the modes it offers, including through a Thunderbolt connection. Use the setting appropriate to the monitor and connection. The monitor must offer the higher-rate mode in its current configuration before BetterDisplay can select it.

If the desired mode is available, select it and enable the relevant protection in Configuration Protection. Protection captures the current choice. Choosing a different mode in BetterDisplay can update the protected value. Check that the saved value still matches the setup you want.

If the problem occurs only with HDR and a particular HiDPI mode, see HDR availability with HiDPI and high refresh rates. Establish a working combination before protecting both its HDR state and refresh rate.

For the rendering background, see how macOS scaling, HiDPI and LoDPI work.

On a supported Apple-silicon external display, Manage Display > Reinitialize Display can rebuild the connection through its EDID path. It can briefly interrupt the image and may apply a configured automatic custom EDID or restore factory EDID, so check the reinitialization behavior before using it as a recovery step. If a consistent connection order helps, you can automate it. Test it through repeated KVM switches before relying on it.

If arrangement or identity also changes, compare Display Information before and after the switch. Duplicate remembered entries can be a clue. Compare the actual UUIDs to check whether they changed. BetterDisplay's identification preferences do not change how macOS itself identifies a monitor. See Configuration Protection for the protected properties and their limits.