The laptop screen flickers - what to do in such a situation and why does it occur? This question is of interest to many users of portable devices, because the laptop screen allows the user to receive a large amount of information. The main task of the screen matrix is a comfortable output of information. A serious problem for the user is flickering. This phenomenon makes the operation uncomfortable, as the display blinks and the image color is distorted.
Why is this happening?
If the laptop screen flickers, then this does not mean that the device must be carried to a service center. The problem can be solved on their own. The main thing is to find the reason. Laptops are portable devices, that is, you can always take them with you, so sometimes the screen crashes due to damage. However, this often happens due to a software failure.
If the laptop screen flickers, then the following reasons must be taken into account:
- software crash;
- the user has installed drivers incompatible with the current version of the OS;
- there are problems with the video card; perhaps the elements have burned out or overheated there;
- the backlight of the screen matrix is malfunctioning;
- Failures occurred in the contact of the laptop matrix, the device’s loop is damaged;
Some reasons can be eliminated on your own, but if the video card is damaged, you need to contact a service center to repair or replace it.
Flickering laptop screen: what to do?
Before you look for the causes of this phenomenon and try to fix it, you need to turn off the laptop from the network and remove the battery, if it is removable. Wait three to four minutes, then reconnect the battery. If these actions do not produce results and the screen continues to flicker, then other actions should be taken. What kind? It all depends on the reasons.
Program reasons
If the laptop screen flickers during operation, most likely all software problems are to blame. To solve them, first you need to check the settings and drivers. See if the screen refresh rate settings are correct.
You can do this as follows:
- Right-click, select "Screen Settings", open them.
- In the settings window that appears, find "Advanced screen settings."
- In the list that appears, click on "Graphics Properties".
- In the settings window, go to the "Monitor" tab, adjust the screen refresh rate parameter (try changing frequencies in turn).
If the laptop screen flickers with stripes, sometimes this may mean that the resolution is incorrectly selected. In the settings, the optimal value for the matrix that is used in the laptop should be indicated. Also, the cause may be the loss of relevance of the video card drivers installed on the device. The latest drivers can be downloaded from the official website of the developers of the processor installed on the laptop. Then go to the "Device Manager", remove the old drivers, install new ones, restart the laptop.
Hardware malfunctions
Flickering stripes on the laptop screen may indicate a hardware problem. If it was not possible to get rid of the flicker using software settings, then perhaps the problem is the malfunctioning of the components that are responsible for displaying the image on the screen of the device. First, make sure that the video card does not heat up during operation (use special programs to check). If the display flickers due to overheating of the video card, then when you turn on the laptop, flicker is not observed.
If the graphics adapter is overheated, you should clean the laptop from dust, replace the thermal grease on the video card. It is advisable to use a cooling pad during operation and not to place the laptop on soft surfaces.
To hardware reasons also include the kink of the loop, which is responsible for displaying the image on the screen. You need to check whether the wire is pinched or not - for this you should disassemble the laptop and examine it carefully.
Difficulties
The laptop screen may flicker for more serious reasons. These include the burnout of parts of the video card, motherboard, failure of the matrix. If there is at least one of the listed reasons, then you need to solve it by replacing the parts of the laptop. In this case, contact the service center.
To make sure that the screen is flickering due to a defective matrix, connect the laptop to a TV or monitor. If the picture does not flicker, then the problem is in the loop or the matrix itself. Then you will have to turn to specialists if there are no options to fix the problem yourself.
Options for solving the problem
Does the screen flicker in games on a laptop? The problem may be in the monitor. Often on laptops, flicker and ripples occur due to grating of the cable, as the laptop lid constantly opens and closes. If it blinks only during games, and in normal mode everything is fine, then you can set a different vertical frequency for the monitor, and in games enable vertical synchronization. Such actions should help. You can also clean the video card, and if necessary, replace it with another one.
If the screen flickers in Windows 10, then in most cases the video driver becomes a problem. To update it, you need to boot the laptop in safe mode, remove the existing video adapter, and then view the driver updates.
- Turn on the laptop in safe mode, then right-click on the "Start" button, select "Device Manager".
- Open "Video Adapters", find the one you need, right-click on "Remove Device", put a checkmark next to it, select "Delete", restart the laptop.
- After that, press the Windows key + I on the keyboard to open the "Options".
- In the specified section, select "Update and Security" - "Windows Update" - "Check for Updates."
Remember that most often the screen on a laptop crashes due to mechanical damage. Shocks, shaking, and slamming the cover negatively affect the performance of the matrix. Handle your laptop carefully, then you won’t have to worry about finding the reasons for the failure of the elements. In addition, repairs today are very expensive. Sometimes it’s easier to buy a new laptop than to spend time and money on restoring an old one.