What to Do When Your Monitor Won’t Display: Troubleshooting Tips from IT Support

One of the most common IT helpdesk tickets is: “My monitor suddenly stopped working…”
Especially in setups with dual monitors and docking stations, the cause is often simple and can be resolved in just a few steps.
This article outlines a practical checklist used by IT professionals for resolving monitor display issues quickly and efficiently.

Step 1: Start with the Basic “Unplug and Replug” Method

Over 80% of display issues can be fixed by doing one of the following:

1. Unplug and replug the docking station’s power cable

• Docking stations can freeze and a power cycle often resolves it
• Unplug for about 10 seconds, then reconnect the power

2. Unplug and replug the monitor cable (HDMI/DisplayPort, etc.)

• The cable may not be fully seated or could have a loose connection
• Remove it and firmly reinsert until it clicks into place

3. Unplug and replug the monitor’s power

• The monitor might be frozen or stuck in a low-power state
• Turn off the main power and disconnect the cable for 10 seconds before reconnecting

Step 2: If It Still Doesn’t Work, Check These Next

4. Check the monitor input source

• Use the monitor’s physical buttons to ensure the correct input (HDMI1, DisplayPort, etc.) is selected
• Manually switching input may be necessary after replugging cables

5. Try replacing the dock or cables

• Common failure examples:
  Physically damaged HDMI cables
  A broken DisplayPort port on the dock
• If you have a spare dock or cable, swap them temporarily to test

6. Check Windows display settings for disconnected status

• Go to Windows Display Settings and verify that the monitor is detected
• Try clicking “Detect” or switching the mode to “Extend” or “Duplicate”

Step 3: Additional Checks if Nothing Else Works

7. Update your graphics driver

• Outdated Intel or NVIDIA drivers can cause display issues
• Open Device Manager → Display adapters → Right-click → Update driver

8. Try booting into Safe Mode

• Hold [F8] or Shift during startup to boot into Safe Mode and rule out driver issues

9. Test with a different monitor or PC

• Use a known working monitor or PC to cross-test and identify whether the issue lies with the PC or monitor

Summary: Start with Power, Cables, and Settings

Display issues are often caused by simple factors, and most of the time you can fix them by following the “unplug and replug” method and verifying display settings.
If that doesn’t work, proceed step by step by replacing cables, testing the dock, or updating system drivers.
You’d be surprised how many cases are resolved with just a simple reset, so give this checklist a try before calling IT support.