Laptop Not Detecting External Monitor? Try These Fixes

Common causes

• A loose or faulty cable
• Docks, dongles or adapters causing a conflict
• Windows not set to Extend to the second screen
• A USB-C cable that can’t carry a Chromebook’s display connection
• The wrong adapter for your Chromebook’s and monitor’s ports
• A Windows display driver problem, for example after an update
• On Windows, a graphics card or port that supports fewer monitors than you connected
• A fault in the monitor itself

Step-by-Step Solutions

This guide covers Windows laptops and Chromebooks, not Macs, and the Windows settings paths shown are for Windows 11. The Windows steps come first, then the Chromebook steps, so go to the steps for your laptop and try them in order.

1. 1

   Step 1: On Windows, choose Extend

   If a monitor you’re setting up isn’t working, Microsoft says to check which display mode is selected.

   Press the Windows logo key + P and make sure Extend is selected. Extend shows your desktop across both screens, so you can move items from one to the other.

   If you only want to use the external monitor, choose Second screen only instead. Duplicate shows the same thing on all your displays, and PC screen only shows things on one display only.

2. 2

   Step 2: On Windows, check the cable, accessories and ports

   Microsoft says to start with basic hardware troubleshooting.

   Work through these checks with one external monitor connected:

   • Disconnect all accessories from your laptop. Connected docks, dongles, adapters and other hardware can cause conflicts.
   • Make sure the cable connecting your laptop to the monitor is secure, and that your cables are properly connected to your laptop or dock.
   • Try a different cable. If the new one works, the previous cable was faulty.
   • If your laptop has more than one video output port, such as HDMI, DisplayPort, VGA or DVI, plug the monitor into another one.
   • Try the monitor with a different computer. This helps show whether the problem is with the monitor or with your laptop.
3. 3

   Step 3: On Windows, use Detect in display settings

   You can ask Windows to look for a display that isn’t showing in Settings.

   Select Start, then Settings, System, Display, Multiple displays, and select Detect.

   When Windows detects more than one display, you’ll see the Rearrange your displays option, with each display numbered. To see which number belongs to which screen, open Settings, select System, then Display, and select Identify. A number appears on each screen.

4. 4

   Step 4: On Windows, check for updates

   Microsoft suggests making sure your laptop is up to date before other troubleshooting.

   Select Start, open Settings, select Windows Update, then select Check for updates.

5. 5

   Step 5: On Windows, check limits when you add more monitors

   If one external monitor works but a second or third doesn’t, your laptop may not support that many.

   Some display adapters, also called graphics cards, can’t support more than one monitor. For how many monitors yours supports, contact the adapter’s manufacturer. To find its name, type device manager in the search box on the taskbar, open Device Manager, and expand Display adapters. You’ll see the manufacturer’s name and the name of your adapter.

   If your laptop has only one video output port, it supports a single external monitor by default. To add more, you’ll need a docking station, so ask your laptop’s manufacturer whether one is available, or, if you have a USB-C port, you may be able to use a USB adapter that gives you another video output port.

   Good to know

   A display splitter can’t extend your desktop to more than one monitor. It duplicates the same signal instead of creating two separate ones.

6. 6

   Step 6: On Windows, reset the graphics driver and restart if it suddenly stopped

   For a setup that was working and then stopped, a key sequence resets your graphics driver.

   Press Windows logo key + Ctrl + Shift + B to reset your graphics driver.

   If that doesn’t help, restart your laptop: select Start, then Power, then Restart. If that doesn’t work either, select Start, then Power, then Shut Down, and turn your laptop back on.

7. 7

   Step 7: On Windows, roll back or reinstall the display driver

   If the problem started after an update, or nothing else has worked, go back to an earlier driver or reinstall it.

   Type device manager in the search box on the taskbar, open Device Manager, and expand the Display adapters section.

   To roll back after an update, right-click your display adapter, select Properties, then the Driver tab, and select Roll Back Driver. If you don’t see a roll back option, reinstall the driver instead.

   To reinstall, right-click your display adapter, select Uninstall device and Attempt to remove the driver for this device, then select Uninstall. Then open Device Manager again, expand Display adapters, right-click your display adapter, select Update driver, and select Search automatically for updated driver software.

   Good to know

   Windows may ask you to restart during the reinstall, so write down the remaining steps before you start.

8. 8

   Step 8: On a Chromebook, check the ports, adapter and Displays settings

   Make sure the monitor is connected through a supported port, with the right adapter if you need one.

   Chromebooks work with monitors that connect through HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI, VGA or USB-C. Sometimes you need an adapter cable. Find the display output and input ports on your Chromebook, checking the instructions that came with it if you’re not sure, and use those two ports to find the correct adapter, for example DisplayPort to HDMI. Plug the adapter into the monitor first, then into your Chromebook.

   To show your screen on the monitor, select the time at the bottom right, then Settings. Under Device, select Displays, then select Mirror Built-in Display. This option appears when your monitor is connected. Select the monitor’s name in Displays to change its settings.

   Good to know

   To see your Chromebook screen only on the monitor, press and hold Decrease brightness.

9. 9

   Step 9: On a Chromebook, use a USB-C cable that supports displays

   A USB-C cable has to be fast enough to carry a monitor connection.

   If you connect to a monitor or docking station with USB-C and the monitor doesn’t respond, or you see the message “Cable may not support displays,” the cable may not be fast enough for the connection.

   Replace it with a USB-C cable with a performance rating of SuperSpeed USB 5 Gbps or higher that has a certified logo. For docks and other accessories, Google suggests ones certified Works With Chromebook.

   Good to know

   Depending on the model, a Chromebook can connect to 1 to 3 external monitors.

Frequently Asked Questions