How to Fix Flickering Screen Issue on Windows 10 Computer.
Undoubtedly, a flickering screen can be a source of frustration. You’re working on something when you notice that the screen is flickering for no apparent reason. In fact, a number of factors can be at work here. Most often, the problem is related to a rogue application or driver. The problem is how do you find it?
In some rare cases, it can also be the result of a virus or malware trying to gain access to your computer. This is always a bad sign, but it can be solved by performing a full scan with your antivirus and Malwarebytes. Anyway, let’s look at some solutions to help solve the problem.
Also Read:Â How to Fix Flickering Screen Issue on Windows 10 Computer
1. A throbbing test
The purpose of this test is to find out the source of the flicker. Is it due to a recently installed application or an outdated driver? Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager. You can also press Ctrl + X to open the hidden menu and select Task Manager from there.
Here’s what Microsoft wrote. If the Task Manager is also blinking, then there is a problem with your drivers. If the task manager is not blinking, and the screen behind it is flickering, then something is wrong with one of the installed applications.
2. Troubleshoot drivers
We’ll focus on the first scenario, in which the Task Manager also blinks along with the rest of the screen. To fix this, open Device Manager by searching in the Windows Start menu. Double-click Display Adapters to open it and right-click your graphics card to select Properties.
There are two options on the Driver tab. If the Roll Back Driver option is available, we will try it first, as the latest driver may break something, leading to a screen flickering issue.
If this option is grayed out, try updating your driver, as a newer driver may fix the error that is causing this problem.
At this point, I also recommend that you update your drivers in the Monitor section.
Also Read :Â How to Calibrate Your Monitor in Windows and OS X
3. Troubleshooting applications
Moving on, if Task Manager isn’t blinking like the rest of the screen, there might be an incompatible app. For example, few users reported that a recent update of both Windows 10 and Chrome is causing the flickering issue in Chrome.
I install most of my apps from the Windows Store, and in such cases, it saves the day. Makes it easy to update all applications.
Open the Windows Store and click the menu icon to go to the Downloads and Updates section.
Click Get updates and update all applications installed on your computer. If you have apps that you installed directly from the manufacturer’s website, you have two options. Either open the app and check for updates, or go to the manufacturer’s website to check the current version. In any case, update these applications too.
Please note that you should always run the latest version, even if you have no problems or bugs. This is because these updates contain not only features, but also bug and vulnerability fixes.
Uninstall application
If updating the app didn’t fix the screen flickering issue on your Windows 10 PC, you’ll have to find and uninstall the incompatible app. Press Windows Key + I to open Settings and click Apps.
Scroll a little to find a list of all the applications that are currently installed on your computer. You can filter the list by several parameters, including installation date. This way you will know the last app you installed before the screen started flickering.
Click the last app once and select Advanced options.
Depending on the application, you will see 3 options. The first is Terminate, which kills the application and all associated processes. If that doesn’t work, try the second option. A reset will reinstall the application, replacing any corrupted files. Your documents and data will not be affected. Finally, you can uninstall the app to get rid of it.
4. A new user account
Several users have found an alternative solution by creating a new user account in Windows 10. This is a fairly straightforward process. Open Settings again and click on Accounts.
Click Add someone to this PC under Family & other people.
Follow the instructions on the screen to create a new user account. When done, return to the above screen and click on the newly created user account to give it administrator rights from the drop-down menu on the next screen.
Press the Windows key on your keyboard to open the Start menu and click your profile picture to switch to the newly created user account.
Are you still seeing screen flickering on your Windows computer?
5. Known conflicting applications
There are several known apps that cause screen flickering issue. One of them is Norton antivirus. The development team is working on a fix, however they have released an interim fix that you can download and install here. They also shared a step-by-step guide on how to do this. It will take time to complete these steps as it is not an easy solution: click and forget.
The IDT Audio app is also known to break things by making the screen dim and flicker. If you have one, delete it. Some users have also reported the same issue with the Apple iCloud app.
6. Hardware acceleration
This means that your monitor cannot handle the high power output of your computer’s graphics card. To fix this problem, you need to disable hardware acceleration. Please note that the Chrome browser also has a hardware acceleration option. If you notice screen flickering only in the Chrome browser, go to the browser settings and in the “Advanced” section turn off the hardware acceleration option there.
In Windows 10, right click on the desktop and select Display Settings Advanced Display Settings Graphics Properties Troubleshoot tab. If the Change Setting button is grayed out, there is nothing you can do. If not, click on it to open the Display Adapter Troubleshooter, where you move the pointer to the far left to disable hardware acceleration. I do not have this option on my PC because I am using Intel.
If for some reason you are unable to complete the steps above, you can try editing the registry entry. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run prompt and type regedit before pressing Enter. Now go to the folder structure below.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER SOFTWARE Microsoft Avalon.Graphics
Check if the DisableHWAcceleration file is present, and if not, create a new DWORD (32-bit) file and double-click it to open it. Enter 1 as the hexadecimal value in the Base field and save. A value of 1 disables this option, and a value of 0 enables it. When you create a file, it defaults to 0.
Windows 10 blinking screen problem
One of the above solutions should fix your problem permanently. If you find another way to fix this problem, please let us know in the comments below and we will add it to the list with due care.
How to Fix Flickering Screen Issue on Windows 10 Computer