Operating System

Double Your Productivity: How to Fix Second Monitor Not Detected on Windows 10

Not recognizing the second monitor in Windows 10 is very annoying for users who want to use two monitors and carry out their work.

Various factors cause the second monitor not to be recognized in Windows 10, but once you are familiar with these factors, it becomes easy to solve this problem.

Windows 10 has added the ability to connect a secondary monitor to its settings to increase user productivity.

However, sometimes your system may fail to recognize the second monitor due to hardware or software reasons. Fortunately, this problem is easy to troubleshoot.

However, there seem to be some problems with Windows 10 and the use of two monitors.

In this article, we want to explain how to fix the Second Monitor not detected on Windows 10.

Some users complain that Windows 10 recognizes only one of the two connected monitors. Windows 10 not being able to identify the second monitor can be considered a significant problem, but users have also reported the following problems:

The problem of not recognizing the second monitor in Windows 10

  • Windows 10 not recognizing the second monitor: This is just one variant of this problem, and if you are having issues with recognition, you may want to try some of our solutions.
  • Windows 10 can’t detect HDMI or VGA monitor: If your monitor is not detected by Windows 10, you will have a problem. According to users, these types of problems usually occur when using an HDMI or VGA monitor.
  • Second monitor not working in Windows 10: This is a common problem that occurs in dual monitor setups. Many users have reported that the second monitor is not working on their Windows 10.
  • Windows 10 can’t find my second monitor: Problems with setting up a second monitor are very common and many users have reported that Windows 10 can’t find the second monitor.
  • The second monitor not recognized in Windows 10: Many users have reported that Windows 10 does not recognize

their second monitor. This is a common problem, but you can probably fix it with the help of one of our solutions.

  • The second monitor jumps in Windows 10: This is another problem that may be seen in dual monitor setups. Many users have reported that the second monitor always has jumped.
  • The second monitor turns black in Windows 10: If you use two monitors, you have probably encountered this problem. According to users, their second monitor goes black or goes into sleep mode for no particular reason.
  • The second monitor turns off in Windows 10: This is a fairly common problem when using two monitors. However, this problem is not severe, and you can usually fix it using our solutions. These problems are usually caused by graphics card drivers but don’t worry, there are simple solutions that can help you.

How to fix external monitor connection issues via hardware troubleshooting

When your computer does not recognize the second external monitor, the problem is likely with the software.

But it is also possible that the problem is with the monitor itself or the physical connection.

If the monitor is not displayed in the settings, use the following steps first before messing with the Windows 10 configuration settings:

1. Confirm the monitor is connected to a power source.

2. Confirm the monitor is turned on.

3. Turn the computer off and on to refresh the connection.

4. Use the monitor’s built-in controls and select the correct input port.

5. Check the signal cable connection between the monitor and the graphics card.

6. Disconnect the signal cable from both ends, wait 60 seconds, and firmly reconnect it.

7. Change the signal cable to confirm you are not dealing with a bad cable.

8. Display Port and HDMI come in different versions, so check the manufacturer for requirement details to ensure you have the correct cable.

9. Change ports if the monitor and graphics card feature multiple ports.

10. Connect the monitor to another computer to see whether the problem is with the external display.

11. Connect another known working monitor to determine that the issue is not the graphics card.

12. Disconnect all peripherals (such as printers, cameras, and USB devices) to confirm none of the other devices are conflicting with the display.

13. If you have a Surface Pro 8 connected to a dock station, disconnect it and try to connect the monitor directly to the computer to confirm the problem is not the dock.

14. Update the external monitor firmware to help fix bugs and compatibility issues (uncommon).

If you have tried the initial troubleshooting steps mentioned above but it did not fix the problem with the second monitor, it is likely that the problem is with the software, which you can fix by following the steps below.

How to fix external monitor connection issues via Settings

After determining that there is no physical problem in connecting the computer or monitor, you can use the settings program to force the system to recognize the second monitor.

Force second display detection

To manually detect the second monitor in Windows 10, you can use the following steps:

1. Go to the Settings.

2. Select the System.

3.Press the Display.

4. Click the Detect button in the Multiple Display section to connect to an external monitor.

5. In the rearrange your displays section in the lower right corner, click on the Detect option.

After you complete the steps, at this point Windows 10 should recognize the external monitor connected to the computer.

Connect the wireless external display

To be able to connect a wireless display in Windows 10 as a second screen on your computer, you can follow the steps below:

1.Go to the Settings.

2.Select the Devices.

3.Press the Bluetooth & other devices.

4.Turn on the Bluetooth toggle switch.

5.Select the Add Bluetooth or other device button.

6. Click on the Wireless display or dock option.

7. You must confirm that the wireless display is turned on and can be detected.

8. Choose the display (TV, PC with Miracast support, and wireless monitor) from the list.

9. Continue with the instructions on the screen.

After you have completed the steps, at this time the wireless display will be recognized as a new external display.

How to fix external monitor connection issues via latest graphics drivers

If the graphics driver is buggy, broken, or outdated, it can cause problems that may prevent Windows 10 from automatically detecting the second monitor.

To solve this problem, there is a simple solution you can perform the update reinstallation.

Update graphics driver

1.Go to the Settings.

2.Select the Update & Security.

3.Press the Windows Update.

4.Select the View optional updates option.

5. Click on the Driver updates setting.

6. Check the graphics driver for updates in Windows 10.

7. Select the Download and install button.

After you complete the steps, at this point, Windows Update will install the graphics driver and fix the external monitor detection problem.

If Windows Update does not have a newer driver version, you can check the manufacturer’s support website to download and install the unique version.

Reinstall graphics driver

To be able to reinstall the broken video driver in Windows 10, you can do the following steps:

1.Go to the Start.

2.Search for Device Manager.

3. Select the top result to open the app.

4.Double-click to expand the Display adapters branch.

5.Right-click the adapter and click the Uninstall device option.

6.Clear the Delete the driver software from this device option. 7.Select the Uninstall button.

8. Restart the computer.

9. Open Device Manager again.

10. Right-click the computer name and click the Scan for hardware changes option.

After completing the steps entirely, Windows 10 will automatically reinstall the driver.

Rollback graphics driver

If recently, the graphics driver was manually upgraded or updated, and Windows 10 can no longer recognize the second display.

You can solve this problem by going back to the previous version.

To install and uninstall the graphics driver version in Windows 10, you can follow the steps below:

1.Go o the Start.

2.Search for Device Manager.

3.Select the top result to open the app.

4.Double-click to expand the Display adapters branch.

5.Right-click the graphics adapter and select the Properties option.

6.Select the Driver tab.

7.Select the Roll Back Driver button.

8. Click an option to answer the question

9. Select the Yes button.

10. Restart the device.

After you complete the steps completely, Windows 10 should start rendering content on the external monitor.

Update graphics driver with manufacturer control panel

Windows 10, can automatically configure drivers for most graphics adapters.

The drivers available through Windows Update are usually not the latest.

If you need to install the latest driver, you can use companies like NVIDIA, Intel, and AMD. Because these companies offer tools to quickly install the latest updates that can help fix external display problems.

You can check these links to download drivers depending on your manufacturer:

1. Intel Driver & Support Assistant

2. NVIDIA GeForce Experience

3. AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin Edition

If you need to use the manufacturer’s control panel program, installing it is very simple.

To do this you just need to download the installer using the links above and then double-click on it.

Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup and check for updates.

To download the drivers, you can go to the manufacturer’s support website and download the drivers using the mentioned commands.

Check manufacturer and driver version

To check the graphics card vendor and driver version on Windows 10, Do the following steps:

1.Go to the Start.

2.Search for System Information.

3. Select the top result to open the app.

4.Double-click to expand the Components branch on the left pane.

5.Click on the Display category.

6. Confirm the Driver Version and Adapter Type information to determine the driver’s card model and current version.

After going through the steps comprehensively, use the links above to find, download and install the correct driver.

Last Words

By following the mentioned steps, you can effortlessly fix the second monitor that is not recognized in Windows 10.

Have you used these steps to fix the second monitor that is not recognized in Windows 10?

What other solution do you know to fix the second monitor that is not recognized in Windows 10?

Share your thoughts and experiences with us.

Sarah Kmz

Sara is a talented author and technology enthusiast with a passion for writing about Windows tips and tricks. She was born and raised in Seattle, Washington and has always had a love for all things related to technology. After completing her degree in Computer Science at the University of Washington, Sara began working as a software developer. She quickly discovered that she had a talent for writing and decided to combine her two passions by starting a blog about Windows tips and tricks. Sara's blog quickly gained popularity and she became known for her clear and concise writing style, as well as her ability to explain complex technical concepts in a way that was easy for anyone to understand. Her blog has become a go-to resource for Windows users looking to optimize their experience and make the most out of their technology. In addition to her work on her blog, Sara is also a prolific writer of technical articles for a number of different publications. Her writing has been featured in numerous technology blogs and websites, and she is widely respected in the industry for her expertise in the field. When she's not writing or working on her blog, Sara enjoys hiking, reading, and spending time with her family and friends. She is also an avid traveler and is always looking for new places to explore and new experiences to have. Overall, Sara is a talented writer and technology expert who is dedicated to sharing her knowledge with others. Her passion for both technology and writing has made her a respected figure in the industry, and she continues to inspire and educate others through her work on her blog and beyond.

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