What to do if your computer monitor flickers

A computer monitor plays a crucial role in ensuring a comfortable and efficient PC usage. Its performance directly affects the overall user experience. One of the frequently encountered issues with displays is screen flickering.

The main causes of screen flicker

There are multiple factors that can cause the monitor of a PC or laptop to flicker during operation. Typically, this issue can be attributed to the need for demagnetization, improper refresh rate settings, faulty or damaged drivers, computer viruses, or problems with the video card and/or monitor.

What to do if your monitor flickers

In order to identify the exact cause of the problem, it may be necessary to use the method of elimination. This can be done by attempting the following options:

1. If you are using certain types of monitors, it may be necessary to demagnetize them periodically. This can usually be done by pressing a button on the monitor itself or by accessing the option in the display menu.
2. It is possible that the selected refresh rate in the operating system settings is not supported by this monitor. To resolve this issue, try booting the operating system in safe mode and adjust the refresh rate to one that is supported by the monitor in the screen settings.
3. The monitor or video card is unable to support the current mode of the program that is running. To resolve this issue, you should adjust the image settings to match the supported modes of the hardware.
4. To address the issue of exposure to malicious software, including computer viruses, it is recommended that you utilize a reputable antivirus program. Perform a thorough scan of your computer and delete any detected malicious programs.
5. If you suspect that the problem lies with the video card or the monitor, it is advisable to seek assistance from a computer repair company or a specialist, especially if you lack experience in troubleshooting such hardware malfunctions.

Here you will find further guidelines for resolving the issue.

Check the refresh rate of the screen

If you are unable to decipher any labels, it is essential to boot the operating system in safe mode. To accomplish this, during the initial boot, right after turning on the computer, you need to press either F8 or Shift+F8, depending on your system. From the menu that appears, you can then choose the safe boot mode.

If you are able to read the labels despite the display flickering, you can proceed directly to the settings. To do this, simply right-click with your mouse to bring up the context menu, then select "Screen" and "Screen resolution".

To modify the settings, follow these steps: navigate to the "Advanced Settings" option in the displayed window. Next, locate the "Adapter" tab and adjust the image mode to either a lower refresh rate or a reduced resolution and frequency. Alternatively, you can increase the selected screen refresh rate to its maximum value, such as 60, 70, or 75 Hz, within the "Monitor" tab. Once you have made your desired changes, simply click the "Apply" button to apply the new settings.

Identifying driver problems

To ensure the correct installation of drivers, it is essential to have information about the video card and monitor models being used. It is highly advisable to obtain driver packages from the official websites of the equipment manufacturers or use the installation disks that come with the equipment (if available). It is important to avoid third-party sources, as they may not only provide outdated or incompatible drivers, but could potentially contain malicious viruses that could cause issues in the near future.

WARNING: Typically, driver installation packages come in the form of self-extracting archives. In this scenario, the installation process is performed automatically. The primary challenge lies in locating proper drivers for the existing hardware online, followed by executing the corresponding exe-file within the provided package.

When faced with this situation, the symptom manifests as follows – the operating system functions smoothly until a certain program is launched, with no issues with the image. However, once any program or game is launched, the display becomes distorted, starts flickering, or shows horizontal stripes. If the program allows for in-app settings adjustment, it is advised to navigate to the corresponding menu and make the necessary changes.

If this option is unavailable, the program might have a separate executable file that enables configuration before launching the main application. Alternatively, it may be possible to modify the screen resolution and refresh rate in the application’s configuration files, commonly referred to as config files. This process requires some level of expertise, or in certain cases, one can find step-by-step instructions for altering settings within the program on the internet.

Technical faults

The initial indication that the issue lies in the hardware is when the screen flickers prior to the operating system loading, right after powering on the device. The initial troubleshooting step involves inspecting the cable connection to the video card for any loose connections. If this step does not yield any results, the next option is to determine if the problem is related to the video card or the monitor. This can be done by using a spare or old video card, or by using a different monitor. It is recommended to first connect a different monitor and then proceed to change the video card.

If you do not possess experience in carrying out these procedures, and the equipment is valuable, it is advisable to follow plan "B" – which involves seeking immediate assistance from professionals to avoid any permanent damage to the computer.