General Monitor Troubleshooting
These general troubleshooting tips will work on just about any monitor and for any setup, whether you have one monitor, multiple monitors or a second monitor and a laptop.
My Monitor Won’t Turn On
- The first step in troubleshooting this issue is to make sure that the power cord is firmly plugged into the wall and the back of the monitor.
- If the cord is secure, try a different outlet to make sure it isn’t the outlet.
- Check the power button on the monitor to make sure that it isn’t jammed.
- If you still can’t get the monitor to power on then contact the Help Desk for a replacement cable or, in the rare case, a replacement monitor.
- If the monitor is completely dark but the power indicator light is on, meaning that the monitor is powered on, then follow the steps below for the Nothing is Being Displayed entry
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Nothing is Being Displayed
- To test this, first turn on any displays connected to the computer such as a second monitor, projector or laptop.
- If nothing is on any of the displays, make sure that the computer is powered on and has not fallen asleep or into Standby mode.
- If you see an image on the other display but not your main display, press the Windows key and the P key at the same time to bring up Projection Options.
- Select Duplicate if you want both displays to match or Extend if you just want additional screen space.
- If you only have one display that isn’t working, make sure that the display cable is plugged into the back of the monitor and into the back of the computer.
- You can also try holding the power button on the computer until the light goes out and then pressing it again to turn it back on.
- If none of these steps work then reach out to the Help Desk as this could mean that the monitor’s backlight has stopped working.
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There is an Error Message
- If you get an error message that says No Signal or Input Signal Not Found, make sure that the computer is turned on and that display cable is securely connected to the monitor and computer.
- If the cable is secure and the computer is turned on, the next step is to check the monitor’s input with the buttons on the monitor.
- Press the button on the monitor to open the Menu.
- Navigate to the Input Source and make sure that you select the source that matches the kind of cable going into your monitor.
- If you still can’t get the display to come up then contact the Help Desk for further assistance.
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Display is Fuzzy, Too Small or Too Large
- Each of these issues are usually a symptom of an incorrect resolution.
- Right-Click on your Desktop and select Display Settings
- Under Display settings, scroll down to where it says Scale and Layout.
- First set your Display Resolution to the (Recommended) scale
- If the image still appears fuzzy, too small, or too large, or if your resolution was already set to the recommended scale, then you can select various different options to see which one is best fit for your monitor. This will not break anything or hurt your computer and you can choose the option that suits you the best
- If you need any assistance, contact the Help Desk
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Display is Off-Colored
- If your display suddenly has a strange hue to it, it could be a sign that there is an issue with your display cable.
- Make sure that the cable is plugged in securely to the computer and the monitor.
- If securing the connection doesn’t resolve the issue then contact the Help Desk as a replacement cable would most likely be needed.
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Display is Flickering
- If the color in your display is flickering, make sure that the display cable is securely connected to the monitor and the computer.
- If the light on the display itself is flickering between light and dark, contact the Help Desk as this would likely require manual assistance.
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Multiple Display Setup Troubleshooting
These issues are specific to setups with more than one display, most notably those of two or more monitors or a monitor and a projector.
Both Monitors Look the Same but I Need Them to be Different
- If both of your displays are identical but you need them to be different, or vice versa, press the Windows key and the P key at the same time to bring up Projection Options.
- Select Duplicate if you want both displays to match
- Select Extend if you just want additional screen space
- Select PC screen only if you don’t want to use a second display
- Select Second Screen only if you don’t want to use your main display (this is most common when using a laptop and a monitor).
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Second Monitor isn’t Displaying
- If only one monitor is displaying, first sign into your computer to make sure one side didn’t just fall into Sleep mode.
- If that doesn’t bring it back right away, press the Windows + P combination to make sure that you are in Extend or Duplicate mode.
- Make sure that the display cables in the back of the monitor and computer and secure.
- If neither of these steps resolved the issue then you can go to the Display Settings by Right-clicking on your desktop and selecting Display Settings.
- Press the Detect button under Rearrange Displays to detect any additional displays.
- If it still can’t find the monitor then contact the Help Desk for further assistance.
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I Can’t Drag to my Second Monitor
- If you find that you suddenly can’t drag anything to your second display the way that you normally would, press the Windows key + P combination to bring up your projection options and verify that it is in Extend mode.
- If it is, the navigate to Display settings either by right-clicking on your desktop and selecting Display Settings or by searching for it in the Windows Menu
- The first option in Display Settings should be Rearrange Your Displays.
- Click the Identify button to see which monitor is which is which, then simply drag the boxes to match where your monitor is on your desk.
