I recently ran into an issue with my monitor stuck in power save mode. It was incredibly frustrating and I was unable to use my computer until I solved the issue. After doing some research and testing, I’m here to share how I solved this issue as well as other solutions I discovered. In this blog post, I’m going to cover the causes of a monitor stuck in power save mode and the potential fixes.
There are a couple of culprits that can be behind this issue. For starters, a defective display card may be the offender. It will stop the monitor from presenting any visual information. Other than that, a faulty graphics card may also be the reason you’re stuck in power save mode.
| Issue | Possible Causes | Solutions |
|---|---|---|
| Monitor Stuck in Power Save Mode | Defective display driver | Uninstall and reinstall the display driver using Control Panel or Device Manager methods |
| Faulty graphics card | Enter safe mode to test the issue, then consult a professional for graphics card replacement |
Table of Contents
Causes of Monitor Stuck on Power Save Mode
It can be a little frustrating when you notice that your monitor won’t exit power save mode. This is especially true if you don’t know why that’s happening.
So, let’s jump into some of the common causes of this problem. We’ll also discuss how you can quickly fix the issue.
Defective Display Driver
Inside your computer, you’ll find an electrical component called the video card. This is the part of the device that turns data from ones and zeros into visual presentations.
In order to communicate with this component, your computer needs a display driver. That’s software that translates code into usable data.
As you can imagine, an issue with this system will affect how your screen operates. It’ll stop the monitor from being able to present any visuals.
Solution
If you suspect the display drivers are causing your power save mode issue, we’ve got you covered. To resolve this problem, you’ll need to uninstall your current driver.
There are two ways to do this, through the Control Panel or your Device Manager.
For the Control Panel method, follow these instructions:
- Go to the Control Panel (hold Win+R then type control and click enter).
- Find the Programs tab.
- Navigate to the Programs and Features option.
- Locate your display driver in the list of available software applications.
- Right-click on the driver.
- Choose the uninstall option.
- Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the process.
This method is simple, but sometimes, the display driver doesn’t appear in the list of programs. In that case, you’ll need to use the other method.
For the Driver Manager method, you can follow these steps:
- Right-click on the Window button.
- Find the Device Manager in the drop-down menu that appears.
- Go to the Display Adaptors tab.
- Locate your display driver.
- Right-click the driver and choose the uninstall option.
- Follow the instructions on the screen to finish the process.
Once you uninstall the software, the next step is to restart your computer. This should trigger the device to update all of its drivers.
When that happens, you’ll get a fresh version of the software to replace the defective iteration. You have to go through this process three or four times to install the latest version of the driver.
Faulty Graphics Card
If refreshing the display drivers doesn’t do the trick, then chances are, the issue is with the video card.
As we mentioned, this portion is part of the hardware of the computer. Unlike software, replacing this can be a difficult process.
Solution
This problem is a little more challenging to resolve, but there are a few steps you can take.
First off, you have to check if the graphics card is causing the issue. To do that, you’ll have to enter safe mode.
- Press the Ctrl+Alt+Delete buttons to launch the lock menu.
- Hold the Shift button and click on the power icon in the bottom right-hand corner.
- Select Restart from the pop-up menu.
- Find the Troubleshoot tab.
- Go into the Advanced Options menu.
- Navigate to the Startup Settings tab.
- Click on the Restart option (hold 5 or F5).
Safe mode is a tool in all computers that allows you to disable all the installed applications. That way, we can isolate certain flaws with the device.
Once you’re done with this process, the computer will boot up with limited features. If the solution fixes the power save mode issue, then the culprit is the graphics card.
In that case, you’ll need to take your device to a professional to get it replaced.
Wrapping Up
Why is your monitor stuck on power save mode? To help you figure that out, you have to consider a couple of factors.
The first aspect you should check is the display drivers. These are software that helps your graphics card communicate with the monitor.
If reinstalling the drivers doesn’t work, then the problem is likely the video card. Enter safe mode to test this out, and then bring in a professional to replace the component.
