If you are having trouble adding a second monitor to your computer, below are the steps to fix the second monitor not recognized issue in Windows 10.
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Second monitor not recognized in Windows 10
Adding a second monitor to the computer can increase productivity by allowing you to multitask and work on multiple applications.
Dual monitors are commonly used by architects, building cost estimators, web developers, and programmers.
All that is required to add a second monitor to the computer is to connect the monitor to the computer and allow Windows to detect the second monitor.
If the second monitor is not recognized, the problem could be due to minor glitches, expired or corrupt drivers, or faulty hardware.
1. Disconnect and connect the monitor to the computer
Separate the Second monitor from the computer and also remove other devices connected to the computer (except keyboard and mouse).
After removing attached devices, shut down the computer. Next, plug the second monitor in computer and restart your computer.
If this doesn’t help, switch to other methods as given below.
2. Force display recognition
If the second monitor is not automatically recognized by the computer, you must manually force Windows to recognize the monitor.
1. Open settings > click system.
2. In the left pane, click Display. In the right pane, scroll down to the Multiple ads section and click Recognize.
If Windows still cannot recognize the second display, the problem could be due to outdated or corrupt display drivers.
Note: To rule out the problem of the second monitor being broken, you can try using the secondary monitor as the primary.
3. Update graphics card driver
Follow these steps to determine if an updated graphics card driver is available.
1. Right click on the beginning click and click device manager.
2. On the Device Manager screen, expand for display adapter > Right click on the graphics driver and click update drivers.
3. Select on the next screen Automatic search for updated driver software option and follow the on-screen instructions instructions to update the driver.
4. Repeat the above steps for other graphics cards installed on your computer.
After updating the graphics driver start anew your computer and check if the problem is now resolved.
4. Download the updated driver from the manufacturer’s website
If Windows cannot find the required driver, visit the manufacturer’s website and see if an updated driver is available.
If a driver is available, download the driver software and follow the prompts to install the latest updated driver on your computer.
5. Reinstall the display drivers
Sometimes the problem is because the display driver is not properly installed on the computer.
1. Right click on the Start button and click device manager.
2. On the Device Manager screen, expand display adapter Entry > right click on the graphic card and click Uninstall device Possibility.
3. Start anew the computer and Windows should automatically install the correct driver.
6. Roll back driver
If the problem occurs after updating the driver software, you can roll back the driver and see if that helps.
1. Right click on the Start button and click device manager.
2. On the Device Manager screen, expand display adapter entry > double click on the graphic card.
3. On the next screen, select the driver tab and click rollback driver Possibility.
4. On the confirmation popup, tap Select Earlier version of the driver performed better option and click Yes.
5. Start anew computer and see if the issue is now resolved on your device.
Note: If the Roll Back Driver option isn’t available, your computer doesn’t have a previous driver to roll back to.
In this case you will need to download an older version of the driver from the manufacturer’s website and follow the instructions to install the driver on your computer.
