How to Enable 4K @ 60Hz in LibreELEC on Raspberry Pi or SBC

By default, LibreELEC does not enable 4K at 60Hz out of the box — even on capable displays. This short guide walks you through enabling 4K @ 60Hz via config.txt.

Why This Matters

Without enabling 60Hz, your Raspberry Pi 4 or 5 will default to 3840×2160 @ 30Hz, which results in:

• Choppy Kodi UI

• Dropped frames in 60fps video playback

• Laggy input when using a mouse or remote

Enabling 3840×2160 @ 60Hz delivers a smoother and more responsive experience, especially when navigating Kodi’s interface or playing high-frame-rate video.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure the following:

• You are using a device supported by LibreELEC that has HDMI 2.0 output (e.g., Raspberry Pi 4, Raspberry Pi 5, Orange Pi 5, or equivalent)

• LibreELEC is installed and running

• Your display supports 4K @ 60Hz and has HDMI “Enhanced” mode enabled

• You are using a certified HDMI 2.0 or higher cable

• You have access to modify the config.txt file either via SSH or by mounting the SD card on another computer

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Connect via SSH

From a terminal on your computer:

ssh root@<your_pi_ip>

The default username is root, and no password is required unless you've set one.

2. Remount the Boot Partition as Writable

LibreELEC mounts /flash (the boot partition) as read-only by default. To modify config.txt, run:

mount -o remount,rw /flash

3. Edit config.txt Safely

Use vi (or nano if installed) to open the configuration file:

vi /flash/config.txt

At the bottom of the file, add the following block:

################################################################################
# Force 4K @ 60Hz on HDMI-0
################################################################################
hdmi_enable_4kp60=1
hdmi_group=1
hdmi_mode=97
hdmi_force_hotplug=1

These settings override auto-detected display modes and force 3840×2160 at 60Hz on HDMI-0 (the leftmost HDMI port on the Pi 4).

4. Remount as Read-Only

To ensure safe boot behavior, remount /flash as read-only again:

mount -o remount,ro /flash

5. Reboot

reboot

LibreELEC will now start with 4K @ 60Hz output enabled.

How to Confirm It’s Working

After reboot, navigate to:

Settings → System → Display

Verify:

• Resolution: 3840×2160

• Refresh Rate: 60.00Hz

If you're seeing 30.00Hz or lower, double-check:

• You are using the HDMI-0 port

• You have a high-quality HDMI 2.0+ cable

• Your TV’s HDMI input is set to “Enhanced” or “UHD” mode