As an owner of a computer plagued with flickering lines on my monitor, I was both frustrated and curious as to what could be the cause of the issue. After doing some research and testing, I am here to share what I learned about the causes of flickering lines on a monitor and how to fix them. In this blog post, I will provide an overview of the causes of flickering lines on a monitor and discuss some of the solutions that I found to be successful in fixing the problem.
Loose or damaged connections, software issues, or physical damage can cause flickering lines on a monitor. To solve this issue, you may try reconnecting the cable wires, updating the graphic display card, or synchronizing the refresh rate.
| Causes of Flickering Lines on Monitor | How to Fix |
|---|---|
| 1. Loose or Damaged Monitor Cables | – Disconnect and clean both ends of the cable. |
| – Inspect for visible damage. | |
| – Reconnect the cable firmly and tighten screws. | |
| – Test the cables on another working monitor or computer. | |
| – Replace the cable if faulty. | |
| 2. Outdated Display Driver | – Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to check if the task manager is flickering. |
| – Update the graphics card driver through Device Manager. | |
| – Restart the computer. | |
| – Manually download and install the latest driver from the manufacturer’s website if needed. | |
| 3. Incompatible Apps | – Go to “Add or Remove Programs.” |
| – Sort the list by “Date” to see the latest installed software. | |
| – Uninstall the app that may have caused the issue. | |
| – Restart the computer. | |
| 4. Unsynchronized Refresh Rate | – Go to “Change Display Settings” and click on “Advanced Display Settings.” |
| – Modify the refresh rate in “Display Adapter Properties for Display One (1).” | |
| – Set the refresh rate to 60 Hertz (or the recommended value). | |
| – Apply changes and restart the computer. | |
| 5. Wrong Resolution on Monitor Displays | – Press the “Windows Logo + X” and go to “Settings.” |
| – Click on “System,” then “Display.” | |
| – Select the recommended resolution enclosed within brackets. | |
| – Check if the monitor is still showing flickering lines. |
Table of Contents
5 Causes and Solutions to Flickering Lines on Monitor
Without further ado, let’s get down to business!
1. Loose or Damaged Monitor Cables
Loose and damaged cable cords cause flickering lines to dance around your monitor screen. To fix and check if this is really the root of the issue, follow the steps below:
How to Fix
- Disconnect both ends of the cable and clean them.
- Inspect for visible damage within the cable.
- If there’s none, firmly push the cable back in place and tighten the screws.
- If the flickering lines are still there, test the cables on another working monitor or computer.
- If the lines show up, then the cable is faulty and you’ll need to replace it.
2. Your Display Driver Is Outdated
System glitches and computer bugs or viruses can cause drivers not to work properly or deliver good-quality visuals.
Updating the display driver usually fixes such issues and other compatibility problems. Plus, it can give a speed boost and add new features to the hardware.
To test if your driver needs to be updated, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc simultaneously. The “Task Manager” will pop up then. Below it, click “More Details.” Then, scroll up and down to see if the task manager is flickering.
If it is, proceed in updating the graphic card by following the steps below. If not, then jump onto the next step, since it means a recent app or program is the possible cause of the issue.
How to Fix
- Simultaneously press ”Windows + X” or type “Device Manager” on the search field and click on it.
- Look for the “Device Adapter” and click the arrow beside it to see the default graphics card of your computer.
- Double-click the graphics card.
- On the small window that’ll pop up, click on the “Driver” tab.
- From the Driver tab, tap on “Update Driver” and click “Search Automatically for Drivers.”
- Tap on the suggested driver to proceed with the installation.
- Once installed, restart your computer.
This process should fix the issue. However, in instances when your automatic search didn’t locate a new driver, you’ll have to go to the manufacturer’s website. There, you can manually download and install the latest driver.
3. Incompatible Apps
Some applications may be incompatible with your device and may cause flickering lines on your monitor. Uninstalling them may help you get rid of unwanted lines.
It’ll help a lot if you can recall the latest app you’d installed before the flickering lines started showing up.
How to Fix
- Go to the Search Windows.
- Type “Add or Remove Programs” and click it.
- The Apps and Features page will appear.
- From there, tap the drop-down arrow beside “Sort by” and choose “Date.” This will show you the latest software installed.
- To remove the app(s) that you think may have caused the issue, tap on that app and click “Uninstall.“
- Once complete, restart your computer and see if the flickering lines are gone.
4. Unsynchronized Refreshed Rate
Refresh rate refers to the number of times your monitor updates or refreshes in a second, such as 50, 60, 75, or 100 times.
In instances where the refresh rate is set lower or higher than it should be, flickering on your monitor may occur. To synchronize the refresh rate, follow the steps below:
How to Fix
- On your Windows, search and type “Change Display Settings” and click on it.
- Tap on “Advance Display Settings.”
- From there, you’ll see the current refresh rate of your monitor.
- To modify the refresh rate, tap on “Display Adapter Properties for Display One (1).“
- Click on “Monitor.”
- Click on the drop-down button for “Screen Refresh Rate” and choose “60 Hertz,” which is the common refresh rate for monitors.
- Hit “Apply” then “Ok.“
- Finally, close the tab and restart your computer to check for changes.
5. Wrong Resolution on Monitor Displays
Flickering lines appear when the monitor display resolution isn’t within the specified or recommended value.
Thankfully, changing the resolution to the appropriate setting can solve the problem.
How to Fix
- Press the “Windows Logo + X.”
- Click “Setting” and tap on “System.”
- Then, toggle on “Display.”
- Scroll down and look for “Display Resolution.”
- Select the recommended resolution enclosed within brackets.
- Check if your monitor is still showing flickering lines.
Conclusion
Flickering lines on monitors are often a temporary disturbance. To save you some dollars on repairs, you may try to troubleshoot your monitor first.
If it doesn’t do the trick, then hardware problems may be causing the issue. This time, you’ll need an expert to give your monitor a helping hand.
