The mouse works. The keyboard is on. But the screen is frozen. Why is my Dell laptop screen not working?
If your Dell laptop screen is freezing/locking/rotating etc, restart the laptop to refresh the software. Run a Performance test. Scan for viruses. Reinstall Windows. Change your display settings.
A laptop without a working screen is useless. This article will address various types of screen settings that are malfunctioning and what you can do to fix the problem.
Dell Laptop Screen Keeps Freezing
Is your laptop screen freezing? The solution may be easier than you think.
If your Dell laptop screen keeps freezing, run a diagnostics test to check for hardware failures. Reboot the laptop and when the Dell logo appears press the F12 key. Choose ‘Diagnostics’ from the options menu and press ‘Enter’.
After the diagnostics test is completed, you will be notified of any hardware errors. Make note of the error and validation codes in case you need to contact Dell support for more in-depth support.
Restart
Observing how the laptop starts up again after a Restart will help determine where the problem lies. For instance, if the laptop screen freezes as soon as it restarts, this means there is a software or hardware problem.
Windows
A corruption within Windows itself could also be the problem. If the laptop screen freezes no matter how you restart the laptop, reinstall Windows.
Step 1: Open the laptop ‘Settings’.
Step 2: Select ‘Update and Recovery’.
Step 3: Select ‘Recovery’.
Performance Test
If your Dell laptop keeps freezing, a program running in the background could be the culprit. You can easily run a performance test by doing the following:
Step 1: Press the hotkey sequence Ctrl+Shift+Esc.
Step 2: Open ‘Task Manager’.
Step 3: Select ‘Performance’.
After the Performance Test is complete, use the laptop as normal. As you use the laptop, though, keep an eye on the CPU, memory, and disk categories. If one of these gets really high and the screen freezes, you’ve found the culprit.
Make a note of the area that was high and restart the laptop again. Open Task Manager again but this time you will select ‘Processes’. Go to whichever category was really high when the screen froze and you will see which software is acting up. Uninstall that software and then install an updated version.
Autorun
If the laptop screen freezes when you start the laptop, there could a program that is loading during the boot sequence that is causing the problem. The program Autorun will selectively disable any programs that run during the startup process to narrow down what is causing the screen to freeze.
Dell Laptop Screen Keeps Going Black
A black screen is often called the Screen of Death. Thankfully a black screen is not always a death sentence. Here is what you can do if your laptop screen is black.
If your Dell laptop screen keeps going black, make sure the laptop is not overheating. Inspect the screen for any visible signs of damage. Make sure the battery is fully connected and holding a charge. Run a full virus scan. Reinstall Windows.
Oftentimes a black screen means there is a bad connection between the screen and the operating system. You can improve the connection by restarting the graphics driver. The following hot-key sequence will restart the driver.
Simultaneously press and hold the Windows logo key + Ctrl + Shift + B.
If the issue continues, go to Dell.com to download and install the most current graphics driver.
Dell Laptop Screen Keeps Going To Sleep
It is normal for a laptop screen to go to sleep when it’s not being used. But it is rude, and highly aggravating, for the screen to go to sleep while you are using it. Why is this happening?
If your Dell laptop screen keeps going to sleep, change the Sleep Mode settings within Device Manager. Adjust the inactivity timer setting. Update BIOS, GPU, and Chipset Drivers.
The Sleep Mode setting and BIOS, GPU, Chipset drivers all play a part in the screen appearance from graphics to framerates.
Change Sleep Mode Settings
The first place to start is with the easiest option – change the sleep mode setting.
Step 1: Right-click on the Windows logo and select ‘Device Manager’.
Step 2: Right-Click on ‘Keyboards’
Step 3: Select ‘Properties’ for each device listed.
Step 4: For each device, open the ‘Power Management’ tab.
Step 5: Select ‘Allow This Device to Wake to Wake Up The Computer’.
Step 6: Do the same for ‘Mice And Other Pointing Devices’.
Update BIOS, GPU, and Chipset Drivers
Updating these settings may seem overwhelming but the steps are broken down and are easy to follow.
Step 1: Open the Windows Search Bar and select ‘Manage BitLocker’.
Step 2: Click on ‘Suspend Protection’.
Step 3: Click ‘Yes’.
Step 4: Go to the Dell Support Page and click on ‘Detect PC’.
Step 5: Select ‘Drivers and Downloads’.
Step 6: Under the tab Category, select ‘BIOS’.
Step 7: Download the latest update.
Step 8: Run the file and follow any on-screen instructions to complete the process.
You can repeat the above steps to update the Chipset Drivers. Set the category to Chipset and down the drivers.
Dell Laptop Screen Keeps Locking
Is your screen locking? Preventing you from being able to see or do anything? Before you start shopping for a new laptop, give these suggestions a try.
If your Dell laptop screen keeps locking, modify the Proximity Sensor in the Dell Optimizer program. The program may be initiating the screen lock-out sequence too quickly. Right-Click on Dell Proximity Sensor in Windows system tray and select ‘Quit’.
Laptops that run Dell Optimizer have been known to experience screen locking. The reason for this is the enhanced security settings within Dell Optimizer versus Windows. You can modify the Dell Optimizer settings by doing the following.
Step 1: Open Dell Optimizer and select ‘Start Exploring’.
Step 2: Select ‘Proximity Sensor’.
Step 3: Turn off or otherwise modify the Proximity Sensor.
Dell Laptop Screen Keeps Refreshing
A screen that keeps refreshing can cause headaches and eyestrain, along with frustration. Here are some tips to try before calling the professionals.
If your Dell laptop screen keeps refreshing, there could be corrupted files on the computer. Remove the IDT audio driver. Update Windows. Change your display settings. Update graphics drivers.
The laptop screen is much like our own eyes. They tell you a lot about a person’s health. The laptop screen is the same way. If there is a virus or corrupted files within the operations system, the screen will not work properly.
Corrupted Files
The best way to fix this problem is to run an SFC Scan.
Step 1: Simultaneously press both the Windows logo key and X key.
Step 2: Select ‘Command Prompt (Admin)’. If this option is not available, select ‘PowerShell’.
Step 3: Type in ‘sfc/scannow’ and press ‘Enter’. The scan will take between 10 to 15 minutes to run.
If running the SFC Scan did not resolve the screen refreshing issue, open the Command prompt again and enter ‘DISM/Online/Cleanup-Image/RestoreHealth’. This scan will take about 20 minutes.
If the issue persists after running both scans, you will need to contact Dell Support to further troubleshoot the issue.
Dell Laptop Screen Keeps Rotating
A rotating screen is useful when the image needs to be seen in a landscape-type setting. But if the screen is rotating on its own, that’s a problem.
If your Dell laptop screen keeps rotating, certain hotkeys may accidentally be pushed to initiate the screen rotation. The hot keys ‘Ctrl > Alt> F1 rotate the screen. You can return the screen to normal by pressing Ctrl > Alt > and the Up arrow key.
You can disable the screen rotation hotkeys by doing the following
Step 1: Right-click on the desktop and go to ‘Properties’.
Step 2: In the Display Properties window, select the ‘Settings’ tab.
Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on March 24, 2022.
Step 3: Click on ‘Advanced’.
Step 4: Select the ‘Intel Graphics Technology’ tab.
Step 5: Select the ‘Hot Keys’ page.
Step 6: Remove the checkmark from ‘Enable Hot Keys’.
Step 7: Click ‘OK’,
Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on March 24, 2022.
Dell Laptop Screen Locked
Are you staring at the lock screen, wondering why you can’t enter your password? This is what you can do to fix the problem.
If your Dell laptop screen is locked, reboot the system in Safe Mode by pressing SHIFT and the Power button. Reinstall Windows. Update the BIOS. Unplug all external connections and restart the laptop.
Sometimes the issue is due to a faulty command setting. If the screen continues to lock, reboot the laptop. Once the laptop starts up press the F2 key.
This hotkey is a command that allows the screen to power up when the laptop is opened. By pressing it upon rebooting, the command will be disabled.
Dell Laptop Screen Not Full Size
Did your laptop recently install a new Windows update and now your laptop screen is not full size? Here is how you can fix it.
If your Dell laptop screen is not full size, adjust the graphics card setting to full screen. After installing the correction Vendor Site driver (AMD or ATI), open the Desktop and go to ‘Catalyst Control Center’ > ‘My Digital Flat Panels’ > ‘Scaling Options’. Adjust the image size to fill the screen.
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ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on March 24, 2022.