How to fix second monitor not working

A second monitor is a quick and easy way to boost your productivity or make your gaming experience better. Not only that, but it also gives you a bigger canvas that you can use as an extra workspace when you want to do more than one thing at once. Most of the time, connecting your second gaming PC monitor is as easy as plugging it in and turning it on. However, Windows 11/10 may not be able to see the monitor in some cases. This problem could be caused by a damaged or broken cable, a computer that doesn’t support the second display, an out-of-date driver, or display drivers that can’t handle the second display.

In the office, it’s common for one monitor to show live data while a second monitor is used to analyse and break down that data into spreadsheets. At home, it can be really helpful to be able to watch an educational video on one screen while taking notes on the other. So, what do we do when the second monitor isn’t found? This can be a frustrating problem when you’re trying to get work done at home or at the office and Windows can’t find the second monitor, making it useless. We mentioned below are the ways to fix second monitor not working.

How to fix second monitor not working

1. Restart Your computer. This is a classic troubleshooting procedure because it often works. It closes any other processes that may be interfering with the monitor’s performance and provides a clean slate from which to proceed.
2. Change the screen resolution. If the second monitor’s display is blurry, pixelated, distorted, discolored, or overlapping with the primary display, check the desktop computer’s display settings. If the frame rate or resolution is incorrect, adjust there.
3. Adjust the scaling settings; in Windows 10, if windows appear at different sizes on different monitors, adjust the scaling settings. The recommended settings are those that make the apparent window size as consistent as possible across monitors.
4. In mac, go to System Preferences > Display. Select the default for your display or press Scaling to select the correct resolution.
5. Correct discoloration and color accuracy. (If the computer settings do not solve the problem, use a hardware calibration device or adjust the monitor’s color settings, gamma, and brightness settings in the monitor’s screen menu. Color” or “display depth” is a typical term, although it varies from monitor to monitor.
6. Adjust the refresh rate of the monitor. Monitors are designed to operate at specific refresh rates. If your computer is not sending signals at these supported rates, your monitor may not display the signal.
7. In macOS, go to System Preferences > Display and adjust the Refresh Rate drop-down menu.
8. Replace the current cable. Bad cables are the most common cause of artifacts on the monitor or no image at all. Very long cables or cables with inadequate shielding are especially susceptible to interference.
9. Try the cable by alternating ports on the PC, the display, or both. Changing only one at a time will help determine which port caused the problem; if the PC does not have a second compatible port, connect the monitor to another computer to see if it works and help pinpoint the source of the problem.
10. Make sure the cable supports the correct version of the display standard; HDMI cables can support everything from HDMI 1.0, which provides minimal support, to HDMI 2.1, which can support the highest resolution, color space, and audio channels. USB-C and Thunderbolt monitors are even more confusing, as the cables are physically compatible but not interchangeable. DVI, on the other hand, is available in multiple versions, allowing incompatible DVI cables to be connected to computers and monitors.
11. Remove the switch or converter from the signal chain. If one end of the cable is HDMI and the other is DVI, try a cable with the same connector on both ends. If possible, temporarily remove or replace the dongle or switch. If a simpler connection works, the disconnected device is the culprit.
12. Try a different display interface. For example, if the second monitor is currently connected via HDMI, use DisplayPort instead. This can accomplish several things. If your current interface cannot drive all the pixels on the second monitor, switching to a different interface will solve that problem.
13. Update the computer’s display driver. If you are using a third-party discrete graphics card, update the drivers from the manufacturer. If you have a monitor connected to the motherboard’s display connector, go to the motherboard or computer manufacturer’s website for driver updates for those features.
14. Reduce image quality. If your monitor is suffering from low frame rates, choppiness, or corrupted video or game content, reducing the complexity of the signal can help. For games, try the lowest quality setting first, then gradually increase the quality until the problem is resolved. For video content, try reducing the resolution or frame rate.
15. Check the power connection. If the monitor does not turn on, try a different power connector or outlet. Before connecting the monitor, test the wall outlet with other devices to ensure that they work properly.
16. Check the input settings of the monitor. If the monitor has more than one input interface, make sure the correct input interface is selected in the monitor’s on-screen menu. Most monitors have an auto-detect feature that automatically switches to the connector that is receiving the signal. If that does not work, manually set the connector on the display.
17. Verify that the monitor can display the transmitted content. Does the monitor have sufficient color gamut, resolution, and bit depth to properly display the content? Consult the monitor documentation or the monitor manufacturer’s website.
18. If none of these steps resolves the problem, the monitor may need to be replaced. If you see colored lines, black or colored dots, or cracks in the image, the monitor panel may be damaged and needs to be replaced. These display issues can be fixed in macOS as well.

Final Words

When you connect a second monitor to a computer with Windows 10, you can make the desktop bigger so you can use more apps and play video games on your laptop or desktop computer. Even though setting up an external display is usually easy, Windows 10 may not be able to see older displays or second monitors because of problems with drivers or hardware. But if your computer has a problem, there are several steps you can take to fix it quickly, such as checking the connection and installing the right drivers. We hope our article on “How to fix second monitor not working” will surely help you to do so.