when troubleshooting an lcd panel monitor that is malfunctioning in stock

Dell Technologies recommends ensuring that the device drivers and BIOS are up to date using the SupportAssist application for optimal video performance and to help resolve common video-related issues.

NOTE: When SupportAssist does not show up in the search results, go to the SupportAssist for PCs and tablets page for information about downloading and installing SupportAssist.

To learn how to manually download and install a device driver such as Chipset, Video card (GPU), and Monitor driver (if required, most monitor drivers are delivered automatically through Windows Update) on your Dell computer, see the Dell knowledge base article How to Download and Install Dell Drivers.

It is essential to verify if the problem is inherent with the monitor, video card (GPU) or video settings on your computer. A straightforward way to identify this is to connect the computer to a known-good external monitor or TV and ensure that the display cable (S-video, VGA, DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C, or Thunderbolt 3) is firmly connected to the video port on the computer and the monitor.

If the issue persists on the other monitor it may be due to the video card (GPU) or video settings and not the monitor, go to the step Verify display or video issue in Windows Safe Mode. Else go to the next step.

Performance issues may occur if there is any type of damage that is caused to the display cables or the LCD screen. LCD screen may show that symptoms like LCD screen stops working, work intermittently, color mismatch, flickering, display horizontal or vertical lines if there is damage to the display cables or the LCD screen.

If you do notice a physical damage, contact Dell Technical Support to learn more about repair options that are available in your region. If there is no damage, go to the next step.

Dell monitors provide a self-test feature check (SFTC) and an integrated self-test (BIST) or integrated diagnostic (BID) tool that helps determine if the screen abnormality you are experiencing is an inherent problem with the Dell monitor or with the video card (GPU) and computer settings.

When you notice screen abnormalities like flickering, distortion, clarity issues, fuzzy or blurry image, horizontal or vertical lines, color fade, it is a good practice to isolate the monitor by running a diagnostic test on the Dell monitor.

To learn more about running a diagnostic test on your Dell monitor, see the Dell knowledge base article How to Run a Diagnostic Test on a Dell Monitor.

NOTE: Self-test feature check (SFTC) helps check if the Dell monitor is working normally as a stand-alone device. To check for screen abnormalities such as flickering, distortion, clarity issues, fuzzy or blurry image, horizontal or vertical lines, color fade, and so on, run the integrated self-test (BIST) or integrated diagnostic (BID) test.

NOTE: In certain Dell monitors, the integrated self-test (BIST) or integrated diagnostics (BID) can be run only when one or more video cables are unplugged and the Dell monitor is in self-test mode.

Dell monitors can be reset to factory default settings using the on-screen display (OSD) menu. This can be accessed using the buttons or joystick that is available on the Dell monitor. For step-by-step instructions to reset a Dell monitor to factory default settings, see the User Guide of your Dell monitor at the Dell Manuals website.

Windows Safe Mode allows us to identify if the issue is related to the operating system, video settings, device drivers, or a third-party software. To learn more about how to boot your Dell computer into Safe Mode, see the Dell knowledge base article that is listed below based on the operating system that is installed on your computer:

Windows updates can support your Windows operating system in many ways. Windows updates can solve specific problems, provide protection from malicious attacks, or even add new features to the operating system.

Display settings like brightness, refresh rate, resolution, and power management may affect the performance of your Dell monitor. Changing the display settings can help resolve several types of video issues.

To learn more about changing the brightness, refresh rate and resolution on a Dell computer, see the Dell knowledge base article How to Change the Video Settings or Improve Text in Windows 10.

If you find that the Dell touch-capable monitor is unresponsive to touch or touch works intermittently, you can try some common troubleshooting steps to help fix the issue.

NOTE: Connect the USB upstream cable from your Dell touch-capable monitor to a working USB port on the computer. This is essential for the touch feature to work.

Stress Test can thoroughly diagnose the video card (GPU) on your computer and report any potential hardware problem. Running a stress test on your computer can verify if the hardware components are stable and thus reliable.

System Restore is an integrated Windows tool that is designed to protect and repair the operating system. When something goes wrong with your computer, System Restore must be used before restoring the computer to factory defaults or reinstalling the operating system.

If the diagnostic tests on the Dell monitor and video card (GPU) passed, it is most definitely an issue that is related to software that is installed on your computer. If the above troubleshooting steps did not resolve the issue, to restore your computer to factory defaults as a last resort.

Dell computers are built with a small amount of hard disk space that is reserved for reinstalling your operating system. This method is the easiest way to restore your computer to factory condition. The restoration process deletes all user data from the computer, back up all your files before starting this process.

Troubleshooting CRTs versus LCDs begins with similar steps, but diverges due to the differing natures of the two display types. The first troubleshooting steps are similar for either display type: power down the system and display and then power them back up; make sure the power cable is connected and that the outlet has power; verify that the signal cable is connected firmly to both video adapter and display and that there are no bent pins; verify that the video adapter is configured properly for the display; try the problem display on a known-good system, or try a known-good display on the problem system; and so on. Once you"ve tried the "obvious" troubleshooting steps, if the problem persists, the next step you take depends on the type of display. The following sections cover basic troubleshooting for CRTs and LCDs.

CRTs seldom fail outright without obvious signs, such as a loud snap or a strong odor of burning electrical components. Most CRT problems are really problems with the power, video adapter, cable, or hardware/software settings. To eliminate the CRT as a possible cause, connect the suspect CRT to a known-good system, or connect a known-good display to the suspect system. It is worth noting, that older CRTs eventually wear out, and starts dimming. Common signs of a weak CRT are a dim picture, dysfunctional brightness and/or color controls, image smearing at high brightness, and in color CRTs, a tint towards a single color (Red Green Blue)

If the CRT is the problem, it is often not worth repairing. If the CRT is out of warranty, parts and labor may cost more than buying a new CRT, which also gives you better specs and a warranty. About the only CRTs we"d even consider repairing out-of-warranty are high-end 21" or larger models, and even there the economics are dubious.

Even if the CRT is in warranty, the shipping costs may exceed the value of the CRT. For example, shipping a CRT both ways can easily cost $75 or more. If that CRT is a year-old 17" model, you"re probably better off spending $100 to $200 for a new 17" or 19" CRT than paying $75 in shipping to have the old one repaired. CRTs have many components, all of which age together. Fixing one is no guarantee that another won"t fail shortly. In fact, that happens more often than not in our experience.

Never disassemble a CRT. At best, you may destroy the CRT. At worst, it may destroy you. Like televisions, CRTs use extremely high voltages internally, and have large capacitors that store that energy for days or even weeks after the CRT is unplugged. Robert once literally burned a screwdriver in half when working inside a color television that had been unplugged for several days. Also, the large, fragile tube may implode, scattering glass fragments like a hand grenade. People who repair CRTs and televisions for a living treat them with great respect, and so should you. If you must repair a CRT, take it to someone who knows what they are doing. You have been warned.

Check the obvious things first. Verify that the CRT is plugged in (and that the receptacle has power), the video cable is connected to the video card, the computer and CRT are turned on, and the brightness and contrast settings are set to the middle of their range. If none of these steps solves the problem, your CRT, video card, or video cable may be bad. Check the suspect CRT on a known-good system or a known-good CRT on the problem system.

CRTs contain multiple filaments, which can be broken, or gas may have leaked into the vacuum inside the CRT. CRTs damaged this way are unrepairable without specialist equipment. With the display open. check if all three filaments are glowing bright orange. Excessive redness or purple arcing signifies gas has leaked in. There may also be an internal short inside the CRT, which is also unfixable without specialist equipment.

If you have ACPI or APM power management enabled, it may be causing the problem. Some systems simply refuse to wake up once power management puts them to sleep. We have seen such systems survive a hardware reset without restoring power to the CRT. To verify this problem, turn off power to the system and CRT and then turn them back on. If the CRT then displays an image, check the power management settings in your BIOS and operating system and disable them if necessary.

The horizontal and/or vertical deflection system has failed. The CRT tube itself is fine, but the circuitry driving the tube has failed. Replace the display.

This is a hardware problem with one of the electron guns. Replace the CRT. This problem may also manifest as a strong color cast during normal operation that is not correctable using the normal color balance controls.

Catastrophic CRT failure is imminent. The noises are caused by high-voltage arcing, and the smell is caused by burning insulation. Unplug the CRT from the wall before it catches fire, literally.

There are two likely causes. First, you may be driving the CRT beyond its design limits. Some CRTs display a usable image at resolutions and/or refresh rates higher than they are designed to use, but under such abuse the expected life of the CRT is shortened dramatically, perhaps to minutes. To correct this problem, change video settings to values that are within the CRT"s design specifications. Second, the power receptacle may be supplying voltage lower than the CRT requires. To correct this problem, connect the CRT to a different circuit or to a UPS or power conditioner that supplies standard voltage regardless of input voltage.

This is usually a minor hardware problem. The most likely cause is that the signal cable is not connected tightly to the CRT and/or video card, causing some pins to make contact intermittently or not at all. Verify that no pins are loose, bent, or missing on the cable or the connectors on the CRT and video card, and then tighten the cable at both ends, If that doesn"t fix the problem, open the computer, remove the video card, and reseat it fully.

In elderly systems, another possible cause is that some hardware DVD decoder cards "steal" one color (usually magenta) and use it to map the DVD video signal onto the standard video signal. Remove the DVD decoder card. If your video adapter includes hardware DVD support, or if you are upgrading to such an adapter, you don"t need a DVD decoder card.

The most likely cause is that the CRT is receiving inadequate power. Connect it to a different circuit or to a backup power supply that provides correct voltage regardless of fluctuations in mains voltage.

The most likely cause is that the refresh rate is set too low. Change the refresh rate to at least 75 Hz. Flicker also results from interaction with fluorescent lights, which operate on 60 Hz AC and can heterodyne visually with the CRT. This can occur at 60 Hz (which is far too low a refresh rate anyway), but can also occur at 120 Hz. If you"re running at 120 Hz refresh and experience flicker, either use incandescent lighting or reset the refresh rate to something other than 120 Hz.

The video card settings are likely outside the range supported by the CRT, particularly if you have just installed the CRT or have just changed video settings. To verify this, restart the system in Safe Mode (press F8 during boot to display the Windows boot menu and choose Safe Mode). If the system displays a VGA image properly, change your display settings to something supported by the CRT.

Most modern CRTs can display signals at many different scan frequencies, but this doesn"t mean that the CRT will necessarily automatically display different signals full-screen and properly aligned. Use the CRT controls to adjust the size and alignment of the image.

Depending on the CRT, video card, and video settings, this may be normal behavior, adjustable using the CRT controls. If the distortion is beyond the ability of the controls to correct, the problem may be with the video card, the CRT, or the driver. First try changing video settings. If the problem persists at several settings, move that CRT to a different system (or use a different video card) to determine whether the problem is caused by the CRT or video card. Repair or replace the faulty component.

This is usually caused by RF interference from another electrical or electronic device, particularly one that contains a motor. Make sure such devices are at least three feet from the CRT. Note that such interference can sometimes penetrate typical residential and office walls, so if the CRT is close to a wall, check the other side. Such image problems can also be caused by interference carried by the power line or by voltage variations in the AC power supply. To eliminate interference, plug the CRT into a surge protector. Better still, plug it into a UPS or power conditioner that supplies clean power at a constant voltage.

This problem may also be caused by using a video cable that is too long or of poor quality or by using a poor-quality KVM switch (keyboard/video/mouse switch). Manual KVM switches are particularly problematic.

The CRT may need to be degaussed. A CRT that sits in one position for months or years can be affected even by the earth"s very weak magnetic field, causing distortion and other display problems. Exposing a CRT to a strong magnetic field, such as unshielded speakers, can cause more extreme image problems. Many modern CRTs degauss themselves automatically each time you cycle the power, but some have a manual degauss button that you must remember to use. If your CRT has a manual degauss button, use it every month or two. The degaussing circuitry in some CRTs has limited power. We have seen CRTs that were accidentally exposed to strong magnetic fields, resulting in a badly distorted image. Built-in degaussing did little or nothing. In that case, you can sometimes fix the problem by using a separate degaussing coil, available at RadioShack and similar stores for a few dollars. We have, however, seen CRTs that were so badly "magnet burned" that even a standalone degaussing coil could not completely eliminate the problem. The moral is to keep magnets away from your CRT, including those in speakers that are not video-shielded.

An incorrect yoke may have been attached to the CRT. Unless you have a lot of spare time on your hands, this is usually not worth fixing. Replace the display.

You may have a weak picture tube. Without specialist equipment, this is usually unfixable. You could try a CRT rejuvenator as a last resort, but this may fix or kill your CRT permanently.

If your LCD displays no image at all and you are certain that it is receiving power and video signal, first adjust the brightness and contrast settings to higher values. If that doesn"t work, turn off the system and LCD, disconnect the LCD signal cable from the computer, and turn on the LCD by itself. It should display some sort of initialization screen, if only perhaps a "No video signal" message. If nothing lights up and no message is displayed, contact technical support for your LCD manufacturer. If your LCD supports multiple inputs, you may need to press a button to cycle through the inputs and set it to the correct one.

Unlike CRTs, where increasing the refresh rate always reduces flicker, LCDs have an optimal refresh rate that may be lower than the highest refresh rate supported. For example, a 17" LCD operating in analog mode may support 60 Hz and 75 Hz refresh. Although it sounds counterintuitive to anyone whose experience has been with CRTs, reducing the refresh rate from 75 Hz to 60 Hz may improve image stability. Check the manual to determine the optimum refresh rate for your LCD, and set your video adapter to use that rate.

First, try setting the optimal refresh rate as described above. If that doesn"t solve the problem and you are using an analog interface, there are several possible causes, most of which are due to poor synchronization between the video adapter clock and the display clock, or to phase problems. If your LCD has an auto-adjust, auto-setup, or auto-synchronize option, try using that first. If not, try adjusting the phase and/or clock settings manually until you have a usable image. If you are using an extension or longer than standard video cable, try connecting the standard video cable that was supplied with the display. Long analog video cables exacerbate sync problems. Also, if you are using a KVM switch, particularly a manual model, try instead connecting the LCD directly to the video adapter. Many LCDs are difficult or impossible to synchronize if you use a KVM switch. If you are unable to achieve proper synchronization, try connecting the LCD to a different computer. If you are unable to achieve synchronization on the second computer, the LCD may be defective. Finally, note that some models of video adapter simply don"t function well with some models of LCD.

If the screen is displaying a full, stable image, but that image is of poor quality, first verify that the display is not connected through a KVM switch or using an extension cable. If so, connect the display directly to the video adapter using the standard cable. If that is already the case, adjust the brightness, contrast, and focus controls. If you are unable to get a proper image using these controls, the problem is most likely a clock or phase mismatch, which you can cure by taking the steps described in the preceding item.

The best way to adjust clock and phase is to use auto-adjust first. Check the utility and driver CD that came with the monitor. It may have a wizard or at least the appropriate background screens to use while adjusting phase and clock settings. If not, go to the Windows Start menu and select Shutdown. When the screen goes gray and the Windows Shutdown dialog appears, leave that dialog onscreen, but ignore it. Use the gray screen to adjust clock and phase manually. Any problems with clock and phase and any changes you make to the clock and phase settings are clearly evident on the gray screen.

Always adjust clock first. Clock is usually not a problem if you have used the auto-adjust feature of your monitor, but if you do have clock problems they will be evident as large vertical bars on your screen. Tweak the clock setting until those bars disappear. Then adjust phase. Phase problems are evident as thin black lines running horizontally across the screen. Adjust phase until the lines disappear or are minimized.

Not all analog video cards synchronize perfectly with flat panels. The gray Shutdown screen exaggerates the problem, so don"t worry if very tiny movements are visible after you"ve adjusted clock and phase as well as possible. After you"ve set the clock and phase controls for the best image possible on the gray screen, cancel Shutdown and the image should be optimized.

Your video card is supplying a video signal at a bandwidth that is above or below the ability of your LCD to display. Reset your video parameters to be within the range supported by the LCD. If necessary, temporarily connect a different display or start Windows in Safe Mode and choose standard VGA in order to change video settings.

This occurs when you run an LCD at other than its native resolution. For example, if you have a 19" LCD with native 1280x1024 resolution but have your display adapter set to 1024x768, your LCD attempts to display those 1024x768 pixels at full screen size, which physically corresponds to 1280x1024 pixels. The pixel extrapolation needed to fill the screen with the smaller image results in artifacts such as blocky or poorly rendered text, jaggy lines, and so on. Either set your video adapter to display the native resolution of the LCD, or set your LCD to display the lower-resolution image without stretching the display (a feature sometimes referred to as display expansion), so that pixels are displayed 1:1, which results in the lower resolution using less than the entire screen.

This is a characteristic of LCDs, particularly older and inexpensive models, caused by defective pixels. Manufacturers set a threshold number below which they consider a display acceptable. That number varies with the manufacturer, the model, and the size of the display, but is typically in the range of 5 to 10 pixels. (Better LCDs nowadays usually have zero dead pixels.) Nothing can be done to fix defective pixels. Manufacturers will not replace LCDs under warranty unless the number of defective pixels exceeds the threshold number.

Some people claim that leaving the unit powered off for a day or two will "erase" a persistent after-image. Others suggest leaving a neutral gray screen (like the one used for phase adjustment) up on the screen to "equalize" the display. I dunno. FWIW, I"ve seen this problem on older Samsung panels but never on the Sony or NEC/LaCie panels I use.

Again, this is a characteristic of LCDs, particularly older and inexpensive models. The after-image occurs when the display has had the same image in one place for a long time. The after-image may persist even after you turn the display off.

Transistor-based pixels in an LCD respond more slowly than the phosphors in a CRT. The least-expensive LCDs exhibit this problem even with slow image movement, as when you drag a window. Better LCDs handle moderately fast image movement without ghosting, but exhibit the problem on fast-motion video. The best LCDs handle even fast-motion video and 3D gaming very well. The only solution to this problem is to upgrade to an LCD with faster response time.

Use the brightness control to increase image brightness. If you have set brightness to maximum and the image is still too dim, contact the display manufacturer. The CCRTs used to backlight the screen have a finite lifetime and may begin to dim as they near the end of their life.

If one or more horizontal and/or vertical lines appear on the display, first power-reset the computer and display. If the lines persist, run the auto-setup function of your display. If that does not solve the problem, power the system and display down, remove the video cable, and verify that the video plugs and jacks on both computer and display ends do not have broken or bent pins. Even if all appears correct, try a different video cable. If the problem persists, contact the display manufacturer.

Just like televisions, laptop displays start to flicker too after a few years. You may sometimes also notice the display turning blank even when the laptop is on. Alternatively, you might find some white lines running down the display.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that there is an issue with the motherboard. If your laptop keeps turning off every few minutes and doesn’t turn on, there is a high chance that the AC adapter has malfunctioned. You can get help from a professional to confirm and get the AC adapter replaced, if required. There is also a possibility that the DC power jack may have broken. A DC connector (or DC plug) is an electrical connector that supplies steady power to the device.

If the DC jack has broken, you can try adjusting the plug’s angle in its jack. If you see some lights turning on but the device is still not booting, it’s time to replace the DC jack. If that doesn’t help, it’s a clear indication of a motherboard-related issue. You can either get the motherboard repaired or replaced by the brand service center. Getting the motherboard repaired could cost you anywhere up to Rs 10,000, whereas the cost of replacing the motherboard can go anywhere up to Rs 25,000.

If you ever notice multi-coloured or single-coloured vertical lines on your laptop screen, it may be a result of a hardware failure or due to damage to the screen. To try fixing it yourself, first unplug your laptop, hold the power button for 30 seconds and restart the laptop. If you continue to see coloured lines, the issue is probably with the LCD screen, which will need to be replaced from the brand’s service center. To be sure about the LCD screen problem, try connecting your laptop to another monitor and see if the issue persists. If it does, the issue is certainly in the LCD panel.

On turning on the laptop when you see the lights blinking and hear the fan working but if the laptop screen is blank and doesn’t display anything, this is again an indication of a faulty motherboard. The first thing to do is to transfer all the data to another drive to make sure your data is safe. Before going ahead and getting the motherboard repaired or replaced, you could try performing a hard reset (also known as a factory reset), which can mostly help in resolving the blank display issue.

Firstly, check if your laptop’s brightness level is set to maximum. If the display is still dim, try restarting the device. This could just be a system error that can be resolved by restarting the device. Also, check if the AC adapter cord is loose and firmly connect it to the outlet and laptop. If the issue still persists, it is mostly due to a failure of the LCD. Behind the LCD, there is an inverter board and backlight bulb which control the picture.

The inverter board converts the low voltage your laptop uses, into higher voltage required by the long bulb that lights up the LCD screen. If the inverter board or bulb fail, you will experience the problem of a dimmed display. Even if one of these two components fail, the screen will need to be replaced, unless the service center can help by just replacing the bulb. We wouldn’t recommend you try resolving it yourself, as this is more complex and you could end up damaging the circuit board and the backlight lamp. So, it’s best to leave this job to an expert.

Laptops are fragile and can easily break, especially with more and more thinner and lighter models being launched now. Some of the most common ways how a laptop is damaged include: when it accidentally falls and the screen cracks, when it’s held at an awkward angle or if you unknowingly placed something heavy on the laptop. Remember, a cracked laptop screen can affect the overall functioning of the device in some cases.

Since brands do not cover the laptop screen, it’s best to get your device covered with a protection plan in advance. Screen replacements are expensive and can cost you anywhere up to Rs. 15,000 but if you have the

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If your computer monitor displays a black screen and no picture when you turn on your computer, the following steps may help you troubleshoot or repair the problem.

Whenever you encounter video-related issues in Windows, you can quickly reset your computer"s graphics driver with the keyboard shortcut Windows key+Ctrl+Shift+B.

If your monitor initially works when you boot your computer and then goes blank when Windows starts, see: How to fix distorted video after increasing resolution in Windows.

It may seem obvious, but first, make sure the monitor is turned on. If you don"t see a power LED (blue, green, or orange light) on the monitor"s front or bottom, press the power button again. If no light comes on after several attempts, proceed to the next section.

If you stepped away from the computer for a bit and returned to a black screen, the computer is likely asleep. Try moving your mouse, clicking the mouse buttons, or pressing any key (e.g., spacebar) to wake it up. If none of those actions work, press the power button.

Another reason for a black screen is the computer isn"t communicating with the monitor properly because of loose or improper cable connections. The following steps help you ensure the monitor is connected correctly to the computer.

Ensure the monitor"s data transfer cable is connected correctly to the computer. It should be inserted completely and firmly in place. Older monitors use a VGA cable, but most new displays utilize a DVI or HDMI cable and port.

Make sure the cable is connecting to the correct video port. Most new video cards have multiple connections and your motherboard may also have its own connection.

If you see no lights on the monitor, make sure it is connected to a working wall outlet. If the power cord is removable from the back of the monitor, try replacing it with another power cable. If you still cannot turn on the monitor after trying another wall outlet and cable, the monitor is broken and should be replaced.

If the monitor status light is orange or flashing, verify the monitor is not in Standby mode by moving the mouse or pressing Esc. If this doesn"t help, reconnect the data cable to the computer and back of the monitor, and then restart your computer.

If your monitor is getting power, but no image appears, the data cable may be the issue. Try using a different DVI, HDMI, or DisplayPort cable with your monitor.

If the computer was on when the screen went black, something may have happened that requires the computer to be reboot. To reboot a computer when you cannot see anything, press and hold the power button until the computer turns off. You can tell a computer is off when it has no lights and the fans are not spinning. Once the computer is off, wait a few seconds and then turn the computer back on by pressing the power button.

If the computer doesn"t pass POST, it won"t turn on or be responsive, and your monitor remains black. If you hear beeping when you turn on your computer or see strange lights, run through the POST troubleshooting steps to determine the issue.

If you followed the recommendations above and still no picture appears, your computer may have a bad monitor, video card (graphics card), or motherboard. The best method of determining this is to try the suggestions below.

If another monitor works on your computer, it"s safe to assume the non-working monitor is bad and should be replaced. While it may be possible to have the monitor serviced, it is often cheaper and easier to purchase a new one.

If your monitor works on another computer, the video card may be bad. Try removing the video card from the affected computer and installing it in another computer. If it does not work in the other computer, the video card is likely bad and needs to be replaced.

If your monitor and video card work with another computer, your motherboard probably has an issue. You can attempt to troubleshoot motherboard problems using the link below. If you determine the motherboard is bad, or you cannot successfully run any tests, we suggest replacing the motherboard to fix the display problem.

If the monitor, video, and motherboard is found to not be the problem, the power supply may be bad or not supplying enough power to the computer. When a computer does not get enough power, some or all functionality may not work, like not displaying an image on the monitor.

Replace the power supply with a new one having at least the same wattage rating as the original power supply, if not a higher wattage rating. For example, if the current power supply is rated for 350 watts, the new power supply should have a 350-watts or higher rating. Once replaced, see if the new power supply resolves the issue.

When TechRepublic first published a tutorial to correct flickering monitors, it was 2001. Since then, the computer world has changed significantly, and screens have come a long way. For example, CRT monitors — which were the norm back then — are much more sensitive and temperamental than the modern LED screens many of us use today.

But, despite this and many other advancements in screen technology, flickering screens are still an issue. And because screens have evolved as device types have diversified, the quest for solving this kind of problem has grown more complex.

In this guide, we’ll offer you tips for troubleshooting your flickering screen across laptops, mobile devices, desktops and a variety of other device types.

There are many reasons why a screen could be flickering, including physical damages to hardware, software problems and bugs in specific applications. Changes in settings and malware can also cause your computer or mobile screen to perform poorly.

Don’t lose hope if your device or computer screen seems to be out of play. There are several things you can do that might solve the problem quickly, whether you’re using a desktop computer, a connected monitor, a laptop, a smartphone or a tablet. The best troubleshooting route will depend on what device you are experiencing problems with as well as what operating system you are running.

In general, these are some of the best places to start when correcting a flickering screen. Remember that the higher the rate, the more energy the device will need to refresh the screen. When using smartphones, tablets and laptops, higher rates can deplete batteries more rapidly.

The first thing you need to check if you are using a monitor that connects to a computer is the cables. Whether you’re using VGA, HDMI, DVI or a display port cable to connect your monitor to a computer, it makes no difference; if the cable isn’t securely connected, there are going to be issues.

To start, you should check the cable at both the computer and monitor ends. If tightening it down or reconnecting it doesn’t solve the problem, try replacing the cable with a new one.

Laptop screens have cables that run hidden inside the frame and core of your computer. While you will not be able to rapidly fix this without professional help, you can identify if the cables are the problem.

To check these cables, start by turning your laptop on. Once the screen begins to flicker, slowly close and open the screen. If you notice changes to the flickering when you open and close the screen, that’s a good indicator that there are issues with the inner cables. Unfortunately, unless you have advanced computer hardware repair skills, you will need to take your laptop to a trusted repair shop to fix this issue.

Another important aspect of your device to check is the monitor refresh rate. The monitor refresh rate is the number of times the screen image is refreshed in a second, as measured in Hertz. If the refresh rate is too slow or otherwise under-optimized, you may experience issues with screen flickering and lag times.

While most users never adjust the refresh rates, it is a key component for how well your screen performs – it also affects battery life. Faster monitor refresh rates make it possible to rapidly move videos and images, as well as create a smoother motion experience when browsing or creating content.

Note the refresh rates that appear; these will differ, depending on your display and what it supports. Some laptops and external displays will support higher refresh rates than others.

Flickering screens on laptops, smartphones and tablets may be caused by physical damage, like after the user has dropped the device. In hardware damage cases, only professional support can help you identify and solve the problem. Before taking your device to be fixed, you might want to check out a couple more of our tips.

Nearly all devices use a video card to properly display images. In desktop computers, this device needs to be properly positioned on the motherboard or it will cause a lot of problems, which could include a screen flicker. You can check your desktop computer video card by turning your computer off and opening the outer case.

You’ll want to find the video card and check if it’s properly connected; if it is, it should be firmly in place. If the card is seated on the motherboard properly but the issue persists, a faulty card is likely the cause of the problem. Testing this is easy, especially if the computer has an onboard GPU that you can plug into.

You can also test a new card. To do this, power down the computer, remove the video card and connect the monitor cable to the onboard card or a second video card you’ve replaced the old one with. If the problem persists, then the issue is not related to the video card.

It’s always possible the monitor itself has gone bad, but before you consign it to the recycling pile, there are a few things you should do. Start by inspecting the monitor for physical damage and using the monitor’s onboard buttons to check for settings that may be causing the issue. If everything looks okay, it could still be a bad monitor.

To check this, unplug it and replace it with another monitor. If the new monitor is working properly, you’ve found your culprit; if the new monitor faces similar problems, you likely have an underlying issue with your computer or software.

There are a couple of steps you can take to fix your Windows or Mac screen if the above steps have failed. Here are additional tips for troubleshooting your Mac and Windows devices.

Although this may seem all too simple, sometimes restarting your computer is exactly what you need to fix a flickering screen. A full shutdown is the best way to completely reset and refresh your Mac in order to test this method.

You can check macOS and device updates by opening the System Preferences app and selecting Software Update. To update your apps, go to the App Store and select Updates from the sidebar. Once the list of all pending app updates appears, select Update All.

True Tone is designed to automatically correct images based on light levels, but this feature can cause a screen to flicker. To disable True Tone, go to the Apple menu, then System Preferences and click Displays. Now select your display and click on Display Settings. From here you can uncheck the True Tone checkbox (Figure F).

You have the option to test your Mac with Apple Diagnostics. This test will provide more detailed troubleshooting results and guidance to solve the issues your Mac may be experiencing. Learn how to run Apple Diagnostics at Apple Support.

The NVRAM — or PRAM — is memory Apple uses to store system settings in your Mac. These settings may be the cause of a flickering screen. You can reset the NVRAM on an Intel-based Mac, though not on Apple Silicon models.

To reset the NVRAM, shut down your Mac and turn it back on. Then, immediately press and hold these four keys at the same time: Option, Command, P and R. After 20 seconds, release the keys. Your Mac will restart with the original NVRAM settings.

Your device’s Task Manager can be used to see if an app or a driver is making the screen flicker. To do this test, press Ctrl + Alt + Delete, and the Task Manager will open. If the screen flickers but the Task Manager does not, then you have a bad driver or app problem; if the Task Manager flickers, you might have a malfunctioning hardware problem.

An incompatible driver or app can cause screen flickering problems. Microsoft’s official support page for Troubleshoot screen flickering in Windows has a detailed step-by-step on how to solve driver and app display problems like this.

If you are having problems with an iPhone or an Android smartphone, some of the steps listed above might work for you. Restarting your smartphone and ensuring your system is up to date is the best place to start.

As a last resort, you can back up your phone data and do a hard reset. Resetting a phone to factory settings will wipe it clean, but it will also restore the initial settings and remove any malware that may be causing the flickering.

A flickering screen can be a real nightmare; fortunately, screens are more resilient than they were a couple of years ago. Additionally, there are numerous tricks, tips and steps you can take before even thinking about repairing your screen or replacing it for a new one. Regardless of what kind of screen you’re struggling with, this guide offers great initial resources for solving the problem.

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If you’re able to use one external monitor, but have issues using more than one, it’s possible that your display adapter (also called a graphics card) can’t support more than one monitor. For information on how many monitors your display adapter can support, contact its manufacturer.

Note:If you are trying to use a display splitter extend your display to more than one external monitor, you won"t be able to. The splitter is duplicating the same signal instead of creating two independent signals.

If your device only has one video output port, then by default, you can only support a single external monitor. You"ll need one of the following to support more than one external monitor:

A monitor is connected to the computer but does not display anything. Use the steps in this document to resolve this issue or to determine if the monitor is defective.

With the monitor plugged in, press the power button on the monitor. There should be a power indicator light located on the monitor case. What happens to the light?

If power light remains off when you press the power button, either the monitor is not receiving power or the monitor is defective. Check all of the following items before attempting to service or replace the monitor:

If a message appears on the monitor, the display panel is working and the problem is related to the video signal. For further troubleshooting steps, see Message about No Signal, Signal out of Range, Sleep, or Power Save.

Check for bent or broken connector pins or broken pins that have become lodged inside the holes of the video connector on the computer. With the monitor and computer off, straighten bent pins with a small metal tube, like the tip of an empty mechanical pencil or the tip of a retracted pen. If any of the pins have broken off from the cable and are stuck in the small holes of the video connector (on the computer), remove the broken pins using a metal sewing pin (or similar metal pin that is thin and has a point).

Connect another video cable to the computer and monitor. If possible use a different cable. For example, if your monitor has an HDMI connector and a DVI connector, use the other cable type if possible. If not, use a new cable of the same type.

If the monitor remains blank, connect the monitor to another computer using a different cable to determine if the monitor is bad. Skip to the Step connect the monitor to another computer.

Find the native display resolution for your monitor in the User Manual or in the product specifications for the monitor model. If you are unable to find the native display resolution for your monitor model, temporarily use 1024x768 for troubleshooting purposes.

If you are satisfied with the new display settings, click Yes on the Monitor Settings windows. If you are not satisfied or if the screen just goes black, wait: Windows sets the screen back to the way it was before. Try another setting until you find a display configuration that is compatible with the monitor and meets your needs.

If the native resolution is not available, download and install updated video driver software for your computer. Updating the video driver software can add more resolutions (graphics modes).

If the monitor works, the video hardware on the original computer is likely to be the source of the problems. You can try connecting the original computer to another monitor that works to update its video drivers.

Once you have found the correct part number, see HP Consumer Notebook PCs - Ordering HP certified replacement parts. Use the instructions in this document to order a replacement part.

HP recommends that you only order parts from an authorized HP repair parts dealer. Parts ordered from third-party companies might not perform as expected and might cause additional

However, one of the primary advantages that makes it a prime choice for most people (especially working-class individuals and students) is its mobility while packing similar performance of a PC.

Unlike a desktop computer where you can remove and replace damaged parts yourself, a laptop cannot. One of the biggest examples, which is our core focus here, is screen issues. It isn’t the same when it comes to a PC where you can easily purchase a new monitor to replace the broken one. A laptop needs professional repairs to fix that issue or at worse requires consideration in buying a new unit entirely – which is most often the case.

Let’s start with one of the most common laptop screen issues – no display or blank screen. There’s a lot of reason behind this problem. Fortunately, there are also plenty of troubleshooting procedures you can try that might probably fix it.

First of all, you should confirm that when you turn your device on, it powers up just like normal – power icon is lighting up, the HDD (hard disk drive) is running, and the fan is spinning. That is to make sure what you’re experiencing is indeed a “no display” screen issue. There are two primary causes: Motherboard has faulty hardware parts, or the LCD or LED is broken. Either one of the two is what’s causing the problem, and knowing which is the key to solving it.

First and foremost, start checking the screen if it is truly the one causing the problem. You can do this by connecting your laptop to an external display – a computer monitor or a smart TV works well. Turn your device again, if it shows a boot up on the external screen, then it’s guaranteed that your laptop’s screen is, in fact, the issue.

Having a defective LED or LCD is an easy repair, but you should first check if your laptop is still under warranty. If it is still under warranty, go directly to the nearest repair hub and do not attempt to fix it yourself. If it’s not, you can go to a computer parts supplier or, better yet, laptop manufacturer’s certified parts dealer and purchase a replacement screen. We suggest that you bring your laptop with you to get the exact screen replacement and eliminate the risk of getting the wrong one.

Before you continue and replace the part yourself, take note that you are doing this at your own risk and we are not held accountable for any damage, injury, or data loss during the process.Steps in replacing the defective screen:

Test and turn your laptop on – you do it first before returning the bezel back in place just in case it still won’t work (although chances are pretty slim, the replacement itself could be defective)

Once you can see your computer booting up and the screen now functions properly, the repair is complete. It’s not a hard fix, but it takes patience and time to execute correctly.

As mentioned above, if it still doesn’t work after connecting your laptop to an external screen, we proceed to the second step. In this step, we are going to check your device’s BIOS (basic input/output system).

For some reason, a computer’s system may go haywire even if things were running smoothly. A quick and straightforward solution is to reset its BIOS. Here’s how to do that:

This process should reset your laptop’s bios, and if that was the only problem, your computer should run without any problem. You are then free to insert the battery back in. However, if your computer still doesn’t display anything, proceed to the next step.

One of the leading causes, about 90%, of no display issues in both laptop and desktop computers is due to a faulty RAM (random access memory). The problem may be as simple as having a dirty memory stick, or it may be broken and needs replacement. Fixing this problem is as easy as resetting the bios.

If your laptop has two memory slots and two chips – and if unfortunately it still did not work – you should make use of only one chip and one slot at a time and perform a test. To elaborate, choose only one chip and use it in one of the slots, and then turn your device on. If that fails, use the same chip but insert it in the other slot. Again, if that still fails, use the unused chip then redo the previous steps.

If your device works after doing the above, apparently, one of those two memory sticks is the problem. If both of the chips did not work, you could further verify by borrowing the same type of memory chip (a working one) from a friend and test it on your laptop. If it works, you should purchase new RAM chips/sticks for replacement. Again, bring the defective RAM to the store to accurately get the same type – you may choose to upgrade if you like but it should match correctly.

If the three steps above didn’t solve the “no display” issue, there’s a huge chance that your laptop’s problem is within the motherboard or GPU. In that case, you can’t do anything about it. The best option you have is to bring your laptop to a repair centre and let the professionals deal with it, or you can also buy a new unit instead.

If your laptop’s LCD or LED screen has some visible black dots or lines, you should first try to press it – just enough force that will alter the display. Most of the time, this problem is due to trapped or wedged pixels. Applying pressure on it will usually loosen and free the pixels, and when it is unstuck, the dots and lines will disappear.

However, if applying pressure to it doesn’t remove or alleviate the dots, then the only way to solve it is by replacing the screen. Most of the time, monitor lines and dots are usually bearable and poses no hindrance to productivity or usage – so as long as that’s the case, there is no need for replacement.

Another common problem is when your display is darker than usual. First of all, you have to make sure that you set your laptop’s brightness level to maximum. If that does not work, then there are two other ways you can do yourself to fix the problem.

Firstly, you can try closing and opening the lid. Most of the time, your laptop just lagged and didn’t follow the system protocol immediately or the lid switch was stuck. Manually closing and opening the lid back again usually solves this issue.

Secondly, you can do a quick restart/reboot. It may just be a minute system error or problem that can be solved by restarting your device. After it has fully booted up, you can assess if it’s still dimmed.

If both didn’t work, there might be hardware problems – burnt backlight or inverter, or broken cable. We do not advise you to do these manually as it is more complicated than replacing the screen. Doing it on your own may destroy the circuit board (which is quite expensive) and backlight lamp. The lamp itself contains mercury (extremely hazardous to your health) and lead glass – it’s brittle and may cause static charges and electrocute you when repairing it without the proper tools.

If your laptop’s screen is messing up – colour is incorrect, divided screen, or jumbled display – it’s often due to a defective GPU. There is nothing you can do but send your laptop to a professional repair centre. It requires replacing the GPU, which is almost always connected to the motherboard. It also needs precision tools to repair successfully, without so, you may worsen the damage.

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Some of the most common computer monitor problems include blank screens, the monitor not turning on, and images being displayed in the wrong size or blurry. This happens even if you have a high-end monitor for your Macbook Pro or PC. Luckily, there are several easy steps you can take to troubleshoot these and other issues that will generally solve the problem.

Restarting your electronics is always the best place to start when troubleshooting a problem. If there is an issue with your favorite computer monitor, turn it off completely and then back on again. Most displays have a power indicator light that will light up when it is on. If this light does not turn on after pressing the on/off button, your display is either dead or is not receiving power. If your display does turn on but is still experiencing issues, go through the same reboot process with the computer you’re connecting it to.

The next step in fixing any screen and operational issues with your display is to check all of your connections. You want to make sure that the electrical cable and the computer connection cable are both securely in place. The easiest way to do this is to unplug the display from the power source and from the monitor completely. Do the same with the cord to the computer. Then, resecure both cords tightly in the correct input ports.

If problems persist, check the screen, wires, and inputs for any signs of physical damage. For the display, look for any cracks in the body of the monitor or the screen. When inspecting the cables, look for any crimps in the wire, cuts, or fraying. Check the corresponding inputs to make sure that they aren’t loose or damaged.

Consequently, if there’s physical damage present your warranty should cover it. If you don’t have one yet, you’ll need to decide if the Asurion Amazon protection plan is worth it.

If images on your display appear but are the wrong size or blurry, you should go into your computer’s display settings to make adjustments. If your desktop image is either too small or too big for the monitor size, adjust the display’s resolution settings until you get a clear picture that fits the full size of your display. Here, you can also make sure that the computer is properly recognizing the monitor.

Some monitors require a driver installed on your computer to function properly. In some cases, installing or updating your monitor’s driver could solve connection and picture issues. To find out more about your display’s driver and download the latest version, go to the manufacturer’s website for your monitor and search for your display model. The user manual that came included with the screen should have instructions on proper driver installation as well.

If you experience the problem of external monitors, such as abnormal display or audio is not working, please refer to the troubleshooting in this article.

Before troubleshooting, please make sure you have set up your external monitors properly. Here you can learn more about How to connect your PC to one or more external monitors with different connectors.

Updating software usually helps the system stability and optimization, so we recommend you check and often update to the latest version in your laptop. Here you can learn more about How to update BIOS:

Sometimes, the external devices connected to your computer can be the cause of external monitor problems, so please try to remove them, such as external hard drives, printers, memory cards, external ODD (if your computer is with internal ODD, please remove CD/DVDs), dongles, etc. After that, restart your computer.

If you don’t experience the issue after restarting your computer, the external device may be the cause of the problem. We recommend that you do not use this device and contact your device manufacturer for support.

Make sure the cable connecting your PC to your external monitor is secure. Try changing the cable connecting the external monitor. If the new one works, you know the previous cable was faulty.

Please remove all external peripherals, such as external hard drives, printers, memory cards, external ODD (if your computer is with internal ODD, please remove CD/DVDs), dongles, etc.

Note: Please don’t remove the AC adapter for ASUS laptop TP420IA and UX425IA model. (These models need to plug in the AC adapter to do the Hard reset process.)

Re-install the AC adapter and battery, then power on the computer and check whether the problem is resolved or not. If the problem persists, please continue to the next chapter for troubleshooting.

Note: If your laptop is AMD platform of graphics, please refer to How to uninstall AMD chipset driver, otherwise, please refer to the following steps.

Note: Some models possess both two graphics (so-called integrated & dedicated graphics, such as Intel & NVIDIA) and both can be seen in Device Manager. We suggest that you can follow step 2 and 3 to uninstall each graphics driver.

After the graphics driver is uninstalled, please go to the ASUS support site to download and install the Fingerprint driver. Here you can learn more about How to search and download drivers.

If the external monitor problem happens recently, and if you have ever created a restore point or there is an automatic system restore existed, try to restore the computer to a point before the problem began to resolve the problem. Here you can learn more about How to use restore point to restore the system.

If the problem persists after all troubleshooting steps are completed. Please backup your personal files, then reset the PC to back to its original configuration. Here you can learn more about:

Updating software usually helps the system stability and optimization, so we recommend you check and often update to the latest version in your laptop. Here you can learn more about How to update BIOS:

Sometimes, the external devices connected to your computer can be the cause of external monitor problems, so please try to remove them, such as external hard drives, printers, memory cards, external ODD (if your computer is with internal ODD, please remove CD/DVDs), dongles, etc. After that, restart your computer.

If you don’t experience the issue after restarting your computer, the external device may be the cause of the problem. We recommend that you do not use this device and contact your device manufacturer for support.

Make sure the cable connecting your PC to your external monitor is secure. Try changing the cable connecting the external monitor. If the new one works, you know the previous cable was faulty.

Please remove all external peripherals, such as external hard drives, printers, memory cards, external ODD (if your computer is with internal ODD, please remove CD/DVDs), dongles, etc.

Note: Please don’t remove the AC adapter for ASUS laptop TP420IA and UX425IA model. (These models need to plug in the AC adapter to do the Hard reset process.)

Re-install the AC adapter and battery, then power on the computer and check whether the problem is resolved or not. If the problem persists, please continue to the next chapter for troubleshooting.

Note: If your laptop is AMD platform of graphics, please refer to How to uninstall AMD chipset driver, otherwise, please refer to the following steps.

Note: Some models possess both two graphics (so-called integrated & dedicated graphics, such as Intel & NVIDIA) and both can be seen in Device Manager. We suggest that you can follow step 2 and 3 to uninstall each graphics driver.

After the graphics driver is uninstalled, please go to the ASUS support site to download and install the Fingerprint driver. Here you can learn more about How to search and download drivers.

If the external monitor problem happens recently, and if you have ever created a restore point or there is an automatic system restore existed, try to restore the computer to a point before the problem began to resolve the problem. Here you can learn more about How to use restore point to restore the system.

If the problem persist