Maybe you wish to amp up your PC gaming, enhance collaboration, or double-down multitasking. Whatever could have set you up for a second monitor, it must be out-and-out frustrating to run into the “Second monitor not detected” problem on your Windows 11 device. While it’s indeed disappointing to encounter this issue right off the bat, there are some effective tips and tricks to troubleshoot the detection issue and make your PC get along nicely with the external monitor.
Fix Second Monitor Not Detected on Windows 11 24H2
So, what could be ailing your PC, preventing it from pairing with the second display? Having inspected the issue and looked into all the antagonists that tend to crop it up, here are some of the major culprits:
- Incorrect display configuration
- Hardware incompatibility
- Corrupt display drivers
- Windows 11 bug
- Faulty physical connections
- Malfunctioning port
Keeping these main usual suspects in mind, look into each core aspect meticulously and try a viable solution to overcome the hurdle.
1. Check Physical Connections
Is your cable connecting your second monitor to your PC perfectly plugged in? Check the physical connections to ensure they are stable and secure. Once the connection inspection is done, test the cable with another device. Alternatively, use a different cable to rule out the possibility of hardware issues.
2. Verify the Monitor is Powered On
Ensure that your second monitor is powered on and running as usual. Take a look at the power indicator lights and verify that your external display can continue.
3. Check Display Input Settings
Another important thing you must do beforehand is to make sure that your monitor has been set to the correct input source such as HDMI, DisplayPort, or VGA) from the on-screen menu.
4. Check Resolution and Refresh Rate Settings
Keep in mind that the botched-up resolution and refresh rate settings are also equally responsible for creating problems for the second display and blocking its path.
- On your computer, go to the Settings app > System > Display.
- Now, choose the problematic monitor.
- Next, double-check if the resolution and refresh rate are supported.
5. Restart Your PC and Monitor
More often than not, a quick reboot will let you fix detection problems and make your second monitor play nice with your Windows 11 device. Therefore, shut down both your PC and the monitor. After waiting for a few seconds, turn them back on.
6. Test a Different Port
Why not test a different port to see if it manages to overcome the hurdle? If your Windows laptop/computer or monitor comes with multiple ports such as HDMI and DisplayPort, check whether or not the different port is able to fix the detection issue.
7. Disable Projection Settings
In some rare cases, projection settings tend to get stuck. In such as situation, toggling them can help troubleshoot the issue.
- To do so, press Win + P to launch the projection menu on your device and choose PC screen only.
- After that, switch back to the Extend or Duplicate option.
8. Enable the Second Monitor in Display Settings
While attempting to catch the big fish and sort it out, sometimes, many of us forget to tick off the basics.
- To activate the second monitor in the display settings, open the Settings app on your PC > System > Display.
- Hit the Identify button to check the monitor positioning.
- Under the Multiple Displays section, choose Extend these displays or Duplicate these displays.
9. Adjust Scaling Settings
It’s no secret that the ill-timed scaling and Windows 11 detection problem go hand in hand.
- To fine-tune the scaling settings, dive into the Settings app and choose System > Display.
- Under the Scale and layout section, make sure that the scaling percentage for both monitors is in sync with the required compatibility.
- For the best results, I would recommend you choose 100%/125% or 150%.
10. Manually Detect the Monitor
Should the problem persist, it would be a good idea to manually detect the monitor.
- To do so, head over to the Settings app on your PC > System > Display.
- Now, scroll down and choose Multiple displays.
- After that, hit the “Detect” button to force Windows to search for the second monitor.
11. Check BIOS or UEFI Settings
Are the integrated graphics or external GPU settings compatible with multiple displays?
- To check the BIOS or UEFI settings on your PC, hit the Start button > Power icon.
- Now, hold down the Shift key and choose the Restart option to boot into the Advanced Startup menu.
- In the Advanced Startup menu, make sure to choose the Troubleshoot option.
- Then, select Advanced options and click UEFI Firmware Settings.
- After that, select the “Restart” option to let your computer reboot into the BIOS/UEFI interface.
Once in the BIOS/UEFI, take a close look at the following settings related to:
- Integrated Graphics: When using multiple monitors, make sure that it’s active. Also, check if it supports multiple displays.
- Primary Display Output: Be sure it’s perfectly set to the right GPU or port.
- Peripherals or Display Configuration: Do not forget to fine-tune the multi-monitor support settings (subject to availability).
To save the changes, click on “Save & Exit”. Once you have exited BIOS/UEFI settings, your system will reboot and the new settings will come into action.
12. Check for Windows Updates
At the heart of this frustrating Windows 11 problem could be a software bug. But fret not! Microsoft never misses to unleash the latest updates with a ton of bug fixes and performance boosters. So, hopefully, the latest update may enable you to get rid of this issue.
- On your PC, go to the Settings app > and choose Windows Update > Check for Updates, and then go about the update process on the expected lines.
13. Update Display Drivers
If your Windows PC still can’t detect the external display, I’m afraid the outdated drivers might be spoiling your game or preventing the display from pairing with your PC.
- Launch the Device Manager app on your device and expand the Display Adapters section using the small arrow located to the left.
- Then, right-click your GPU and choose Update driver in the popup.
- When asked, select “Search automatically for drivers” and then run through the quick instructions.
14. Roll Back Display Drivers
Are you facing the “Unable to detect the second monitor” problem after the recent Windows 11 update? If the answer is in the affirmative, why not roll back the display drivers?
- To get it done, go to the Device Manager on your PC > Expand the display adapters and right-click the GPU.
- In the menu, choose Properties > select Driver tab > choose Roll Back Driver.
15. Reinstall Display Drivers
When faced with display-related glitches, the one solution that you shouldn’t fail to try is to reinstall the corrupted display drivers.
- Open the Device Manager on your computer > Now, use the small arrow to expand the display adapters section > right click on your GPU and choose Uninstall device in the popup menu.
- Reboot your PC to let it reinstall the latest display drivers automatically.
16. Check GPU Driver Updates
No luck as yet? Now is the right time to check the GPU driver updates and make sure that your PC is in sync with the latest updates.
- Launch a browser on your device and navigate to the official website for your GPU such as NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel.
- Find the latest driver version and download it.
17. Try the Monitor on Another Device
It would also be apt to check your monitor on another PC. So, connect the second monitor to another Windows device to verify whether or not it’s not a hardware problem.
18. Use the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter
Windows 11 boasts a highly effective hardware and device troubleshooter. If the problem has continued to raise its ugly head, it would be better to bring on this useful troubleshooter to detect and fix the problem.
- To start off, launch the Command Prompt (admin).
- Now, type msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic and press Enter.
- Next, go through the on-screen instructions to troubleshoot the hardware issues.
19. Reset Graphics Driver Settings
For a handful of users, resetting the graphics driver settings has managed to get rid of the issue. Thus, I would suggest you try it out as well.
- To begin with, press the Win + Ctrl + Shift + B keys to reboot your GPU driver.
- Now, it will momentarily flash the screen confirming that the graphics driver settings have been reset.
- Next up, check if the detection issues have gone.
20. Reset Display Configuration Using Command Prompt
If your Windows PC remains in the grip of the detection problem, reset the display configuration with the help of the command prompt.
- Launch the Command Prompt as admin and type the following command:
dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
- Next, press Enter and allow the process to complete without any interference.
- Now, restart your PC.
- It should be able to eliminate any corrupted system files that could be triggering the detection issue.
Wrapping up…
There you have it! I hope your second monitor has begun to get along with your PC in line with your expectations. Now that the issue is gone, feel free to share your honest feedback and the tips that have helped you. And yes, if there is any viable tip missing in this Windows 11 guide, make sure to let me know via the comments section as well.
