9 Things to Try If Your Laptop's HDMI Port Isn't Working - Make Tech Easier (2023)

HDMI not working when you connect your Windows laptop to a secondary display device such as a TV or projector using an HDMI cable? In most cases, you can fix this problem by restarting your computer. But if that doesn't work, this guide has nine more troubleshooting steps you can try.

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1. Check the HDMI cable

One of the most common reasons for HDMI not working in Windows is a faulty cable. It's essential to rule this out before you start tweaking any settings on your laptop, as it's a fairly easy fix.

To figure out this problem, try inserting another HDMI cable into your laptop and the second monitor. If this solves the problem, then the HDMI cable you were using is the culprit.

If you don't have an extra HDMI cable, you may need to buy one just to test it. Alternatively, try disconnecting the one you're currently using from your laptop and putting it on another device: it could be another laptop or even a console. If it worked, the problem is probably with your laptop.

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2. Check the HDMI port

If the problem is not the HDMI cable, then there may be a problem with your laptop's HDMI port. Clean the port thoroughly by blowing it with your mouth or a can of compressed air to remove dust and debris. You can also dab a small amount of isopropyl alcohol on a cotton ball and rub it on the HDMI port.

Once the HDMI port is clean, reconnect the cable and see if that fixes the problem.

3. Try a different HDMI port

Your laptop will likely have one HDMI port, but the device you connect it to may have two or more. Similar to the first fix listed here, if the port you're plugging the HDMI cable into is broken, try plugging the HDMI cable into another port and see if that works.

4. Change the display mode manually

With the hardware solutions out of the way, it's time to start troubleshooting on the software side. HDMI might work, but Windows won't switch to the correct display mode.

1. To check if this is the case, pressWin+Pito display the view options.

2. Check that "PC monitor only" is checked, which means Windows will only send video output to the primary monitor. If this is the case, you need to set it to one of the other available options:

• Copy– both the primary and secondary screens will show the same thing.
• Extend– Windows treats the primary and secondary monitors as separate monitors, meaning you can display different things on them.
• Second screen only– Windows disables the primary display, sending everything to the secondary display.

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5. Make sure you are using the correct resolution

If your laptop's resolution is not correct for the output device, it may cause a display error. You can solve this problem by making sure the screen resolution is the recommended one. To do this, follow the steps below:

1. Right-click on an empty part of your desktop and select "Display settings".

2. Scroll down to the "Scale and Layout" section and check the drop-down menu under the "Screen Resolution" section.

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3. If the specified resolution does not say "Recommended" in brackets, click the drop-down menu to expand it, and then select the recommended resolution.

4. Check to see if this will make the HDMI work.

6. Run an SFC or DISM scan

If you have corrupt or missing system files on your Windows computer, it can cause some functions to misbehave. Easily fix this withrun an SFC or DISM scan.

SFC will scan and replace any damaged files using a saved copy located on your machine. The DISM scan will also do the same, but replace the missing system files, as the tool will repair the entire Windows image.

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7. Fix display driver issues

The HDMI connection may not work because the display driver malfunctioned. Then fix it by finding your display driver in Device Managerupdate or reinstall this driver.

If this does not work, it may be that the current version of the driver encountered an error. To fix it, tryturning the driver backin a previous work version. You can always update it later once Microsoft fixes the bug.

8. Update your Windows version

It is possible that the HDMI function on your Windows laptop is not working due to the system error. The usual way to fix this is to restart your computer, but if that doesn't work, you may need toupdate Windows to the latest version. Hopefully the bug will be fixed in the next version.

9. Try a different user profile

While this doesn't actually solve the problem, switching to a different user profile can be a good solution when certain features on your computer aren't working.

1. Right-click the Start button, then select "Shut down or exit -> Exit".

2. Log in to another user account on your Windows laptop and see if HDMI works under that account. If it is, it could mean you're dealing with a corrupted profile.

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Frequent questions

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