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Laptop Not Detecting Second Monitor: Fixed
A comprehensive guide on getting your 2nd monitor to function properly
7 min. read
Updated onMarch 21, 2024
updated onMarch 21, 2024
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You may be at your workplace or home, and you’d like to extend your desktop display but your laptop won’t detect the second monitor. This can be frustrating especially if you’re pressed for time.
If this is your situation or experience, there are lots of ways you can solve it. Maybe you are a graphic designer, a coder, or a content developer who uses two monitors in order to view more information and content on your screen.
And if your laptop won’t detect the second monitor, then this could be frustrating. Thankfully, this guide is here to save you time and help you fix the problem with some of the best solutions. Let us check them out.
Why is my laptop not detecting my second monitor?
Some of the most common reasons your laptop won’t detect your second monitor is because of the below-mentioned reasons.
Why does my monitor say no signal when HDMI is plugged in?
Check out the reasons your monitor says no signal when you connect the HDMI cable to it.
How can I fix my computer not detecting a second monitor?
1. Check the Display settings
1. Press theWin+Ikeys to openSettings.
- SelectDisplay.
3.Check the option forMultiple Displays.
- If your laptop doesn’t detect the second display, the option will not show. In this case, make sure the monitor is turned on and plugged into your video port.
5.Then, pressDetect.
- Select the correct source labeled on your monitor’s controls so that you’re using the correct video port.
If your computer is not detecting your second monitor, the first thing you need to do is check your Display Settings. It is possible they aren’t properly configured, and this might be the cause for your issue.
2. Perform a System Restore
Use System Restore to create restore points when you install new apps, drivers, or Windows updates, or when you create restore points manually.
If the laptop won’t detect the second monitor, try and restore the system and see if it helps.
Restoring doesn’t affect your files. It, however, removes apps, drivers, and updates installed after the restore point was created.
Since you won’t be manually fiddling with important system files, there is 0 chance you will mess things up if you use athird-party tool, therefore we strongly encourage you to use one.
3. Run the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter
If your laptop won’t detect the second monitor, then run the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter to resolve the issue.
This checks for commonly occurring issues and ensures any new device or hardware is correctly installed on your computer.
Follow the instructions to run the Hardware and Device troubleshooter. The troubleshooter will begin detecting any issues that may be causing your laptop not to detect the second monitor.
4. Install the latest driver updates
If you check Windows Updates and find that driver updates are available, install them and check if it helps fix the problem.
Windows will immediately detect your system’s configuration and download appropriate drivers for it.
Install drivers from Device Manager
In case of Windows Update does not detect your driver, or you can’t get it from the manufacturer’s website, you can try using Device Manager on your laptop.
5. Scan for hardware changes
If it shows generic PnP, uninstall the driver and download the latest driver from the manufacturer’s website as explained in solution 4 above.
Note:If your monitor doesn’t support adapters, then the laptop won’t detect the second monitor. This ideally means then that your monitor can run through straight connections only.
6. Install drivers in compatibility mode
7. Update basic video driver
8. Check if the second monitor is enabled
Note:If the two monitors are not visible on this screen, click Detect button.
Once you enable the second monitor, right-click your Desktop screen and it will display the second monitor. The above steps are for Windows 10, but if you have a Windows 11 PC, you cancheck out this guide.
If you choose Show Desktop only on 1, then the laptop won’t detect the second monitor in the Display Settings menu.
How do I force the monitor to detect?
For further instructions and tips, take a closer look at our guide onsolving HDMI detection issues on Samsung monitors.
We also have a great guide on what to do if thelaptop is not detecting a second monitor, so don’t miss it.
That’s about it for this article. We hope these solutions will help you fix your laptop not detecting a second monitor issue. Let us know in the comments section whether any of these solutions worked to resolve the issue.
More about the topics:Device Connection Error,fix monitor,laptop
Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Milan has been enthusiastic about technology ever since his childhood days, and this led him to take interest in all PC-related technologies. He’s a PC enthusiast and he spends most of his time learning about computers and technology.
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s one of the Troubleshooting experts in our worldwide team, specializing in Windows errors & software issues.
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Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s specialized in Windows errors & software issues.
