(1) To continuously charge a device that cannot hold its content. CRTs must be refreshed, because the phosphors hold their glow for only a few milliseconds. Dynamic RAM chips require refreshing to maintain their charged bit patterns. See vertical scan frequency and redraw.

(2) To download again (reload) the same Web page currently on screen in case it changed at the server side since it was last downloaded. All Internet browsers have a button for this function, and many Web pages automatically refresh without user intervention. See reload.