Windows 11, Do you have dual monitor problems like mine?

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Windows 11

I have 2 external displays. One a 4K the other 1080p. I don’t use the laptop screen. The desktop is streched across the two monitors. Have always run it this way in W10 without any problems. Using a ThinkPad 30AN0135US dock.

Am now using W11 with latest W11 Intel and NVDA drivers as I have hybrid graphics on the P43s.

19-Oct Eject USB HDD from dock causes 2nd external monitor on stretched display to lose all icons and show desktop only then icons reappear as normal.

20-Oct Closing exploer window on 2nd external monitor after a search for files triggers a randome screen black out, disppearing of icons then resumption in about a few seconds.

20-Oct When highlighting a file for copy, using the select key to highlight many and then clicking copy causes the cursor to jump to the next available non highlighed file below those highlighted. This is usually done on the 2nd external monitor. Its super annoying!

20-Oct When ejecting USB drive, explorer window on 2nd monitor triggers a randome screen black out, disppearing of icons then resumption in about a few seconds.

21-Oct Closing exploer window on 2nd external monitor after looking at contents of drives including USB drive triggers a randome screen black out, disppearing of icons then resumption in about a few seconds.

Eliminating the extrnal drive doesn’t produce the above result.

White Water 11 Reputation points

2021-11-24T14:22:24.257+00:00

Yesssss, same here
Justin D'Amico 6 Reputation points

2021-12-27T19:13:13.83+00:00

Same issue, multiple docking stations later and the problem isn't resolved. The docking station companies didn't have an answer. I googled and tried the DIY fixes. I purchased a new laptop and regret updating to windows 11 right now.
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Rob 11 Reputation points

2022-02-18T12:23:37.673+00:00

Same issue here with Lenovo X1 Carbon and ONTEN hub. After screen lock then waking up the extended desktop changes to duplicated or the screens open up in the wrong resolutions.
Have to unplug the USB-C connector to the hub to fix it. Windows 11 with Feb 22 update.
Lipi 6 Reputation points

2022-04-12T20:55:29.043+00:00

Hi

I have the same kind of problem with Asus B9450 laptop+simpro dock using Intel UHD graphics.

Screen nr 1 2560x1440 is capable working fine if used alone (Show on 1)
Screen nr 2 1920x1080 is capable.

Both of them are connected to the dock using Display port male 2 male cables, both monitors have displayports too.

When using extended mode, both screens are using 1920x1080 although the screen nr1 is capable to do much more, the ideal would be that screen nr 1 is 2560x1440 and the second is 1920x1080.
No higher resolution can be selected, on screen 1. When I change back to Show on 1 screen it changes to 2560x1440 automatically.

Changing the refresh rate on any screen (60 Hz) does not make any difference. Drivers are up to date.

Any idea ?

Thx
Florin Burdea 6 Reputation points

2022-04-24T16:28:11.393+00:00

Thanks for posting!
I have the same "wonderful" issue with 2 Dell external monitors, that are daisy-chaining wonderfully on Win 10, but since I've upgraded to "Qeen11" my second monitor can only be used with 1280x800, instead of 2560x1440 in extended mode, and in "duplicate" mode, both displays will change to 1280x800 resolution.
Last but not least, my Intel and NVIDIA drivers are up-to-date (manually made sure), but that update didn't change anything.
Lipi 6 Reputation points

2022-04-24T18:38:45.723+00:00

HI

I tried Custom Resolution Utility (CRU), but did not fix the issue, but made things more complicated.
Try it maybe will help you, using restart.exe or recovery mode.
Vahid T 1 Reputation point

2022-04-28T10:55:06.457+00:00

I have the same problem with a type-c to hdmi connection. Every time I restart windows I should unplug the cable and plug it in again to solve the problem. I think this issue is because of a vga driver update. It occurred after an update.
ttaylor2727 6 Reputation points

2022-05-01T19:54:23.27+00:00

I have the same issue as well and it is ANNOYING!

When I reboot, the startup usually takes about 2 minutes to complete.

While that is happening, the taskbar on ALL monitors does not display except the Main display.

If you hover over the main display taskbar, it shows the loading sign.

Then as soon as it is close to finishing all my start-up apps start to pop up on the screen.

I do have 8 monitors connected with 3 US Pluggable Docking stations (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ECDM78E/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1).

Then Ugreen (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N6GD9JO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) device was added to toggle between my work laptop and personal desktop (one with the issue)

This works fine on my work laptop which is Windows 10.

Any thoughts or help or when it might be fixed would be appreciated.

If I remove all my monitors and then just plug in one directly to the desktop, it works fine.

I've uninstalled all the display link drivers and reinstalled them and it doesn't help.

Dell Computer Info:

XPS 8930
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-9600K CPU @ 3.70GHz 3.70 GHz
Installed RAM 32.0 GB (31.8 GB usable)
System type 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor
Pen and touch No pen or touch input is available for this display

Edition Windows 11 Home
Version 21H2
Installed on ‎11/‎17/‎2021
OS build 22000.652
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.22000.652.0
Florin Burdea 6 Reputation points

2022-05-08T07:23:33.02+00:00

Hi Lipi,
I've trided CRU, but that didn't help in my case.
In the meantime, I've installed SPACEDESK DRIVER SOFTWARE for Windows (to add a tablet as a 3'rd monitor), and when I am using the SPACEDESK DRIVER (wireless monitor connection) with the tablet as a 3'rd monitor I can now also use both my 2 Dell external monitors daisy-chained without resolution issues!!!
Both monitors run now with 2560x1440 resolution in extended mode, which was previously not possible.
HOWEVER, if I disconnect my tablet, then my Dell external monitors will go back to the previous resolution issue - crazy but true. This translates to me like this: as long as SPACEDESK driver is in action, then everything is fine, otherwise I'm back to the initial pain.
This will be for a while "my solution", since I am using my tablet with a pencil as a "whiteboard" to share my screen in online meetings (since drawing with a mouse was killing me).
I believe what I am experiencing is a "lucky" circumstance, and only in this set-up I can enjoy the capabilities of my external monitors.

Cheers,
Florin
Wawan Setiawan 1 Reputation point

2022-05-28T04:38:20.703+00:00

problem on my second monitor when my windows 11 laptop is in screen lock position, after unlocking the laptop screen, my second monitor can't be read, have to unplug the dongle and plug it back in to make it work, this is very inconvenient, please microsoft update this external monitor problem on windows 11.
Andy Ballard 1 Reputation point

2022-05-29T19:30:23.707+00:00

5 on this site fixed it for me.

https://windowsreport.com/windows-11-cant-change-resolution/
Tugay Özgül 0 Reputation points

2023-02-19T05:23:19.91+00:00

If you are using secondary monitor with USB or Type-C dock, the monitor will not perform more than 1920x1080 even if it is 4K, you should have use type-C output monitor but if you do not have optionally you can use Display port to Type-C output cable too and it will be affective with all resolutions. For the blank screen problem, it seems like there is an output problem, I have tried two monitors separately with Type-C and HDMI they worked, so there is a problem while using them together, I can suggest you to find and install monitor driver directly, do not let the Windows select Generic monitor driver.

14 answers

sgk 1 Reputation point

2022-03-25T00:01:31.057+00:00

same problem. Not sure how changing the power outlet should help - do you mean a larger power adapter? However this suggestion doesn't make sense to me, as it should then happen regularly. But it only happens sometimes - I can go days without having the problem. Restarting resolves the problem.
WhoCrashed sofware blames NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, but I have updated this already.
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Wawan Setiawan 1 Reputation point

2022-05-28T04:38:38.23+00:00

problem on my second monitor when my windows 11 laptop is in screen lock position, after unlocking the laptop screen, my second monitor can't be read, have to unplug the dongle and plug it back in to make it work, this is very inconvenient, please microsoft update this external monitor problem on windows 11.
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Jan 11 Reputation points MVP

2022-06-20T18:41:19.61+00:00

I have the same problems regularly with a 5120x1440 screen as primary and a WQHD as secondary. As long as the secondary is turned off, everything is fine, but as soon as I power it on, many of the described things start to happen. Most often I have the issue where the screen goes off to save power, but it never goes back on and needs a hard reset. Flickering and black screens for a few seconds are just normal and regular as soon as I power on my second monitor.
Before updating to Windows 11, this never happened and the hardware didn't change, so I hope Microsoft comes up with a fix in the following month...
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David Ruekberg 0 Reputation points

2023-03-27T14:08:13.7533333+00:00

ASUS ZenBook monitor is primary, HP second monitor run through Plugable USB 3 docking station, display set to "Extend." Not always, but often when waking from sleep display settings change to "Show only on 2." This ALWAYS happens when I unplug the laptop from the dock and use it solo, and then plug back in.

Since I keep monitor 2 off half the time, it's always a little confusing to try to wake laptop and apparently nothing is happening until I remember this issue, turn on monitor 2, and reset to "Extend."

Will MS ever fix this?
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JamesJJ 0 Reputation points

2023-05-16T09:54:53.67+00:00

May 2023, still seems W11 has issues.

My setup is :

Surface pro, into MS hub. Hub has ethernet, 4k monitor connected directly (as display #2), and another connection out to my Sony AV amp (amp takes this as a hdmi in). The amp has a 1080p 55" TV as output for all the inputs (xbox, Roku etc.) Worked fine on W10.

This means if I wanted to use the TV as a third monitor for streaming video from the surface, fine. I just power on the TV - and on or not, it always appeared as display #3. If had the TV powered off, and the amp on, I could still see the amp as an external sound device to play music from the surface via Spotify. Just select source as the surface on the amp, and W10 picks the amp up.

Upgraded to W11.

Now, despite having the amp looking at the surface as source, the amp won't appear as sound output on the surface to send sound to, unless I turn the TV on too. So now the TV is on consuming power for no reason other than to keep the amp connection visible to the surface.

Also...

The scaling on the TV is always wrong, I need to go into the Intel display software and select custom scaling, and adjust it down to 67 each direction. Every time. I've logged out, in again, still won't retain the correct scaling between sessions. It's a small issue but it worked on W10.

All drivers are latest. Power supplies are as they were. There are always stutters on W10 when you initially power on/off devices via the hub but on W11 they happen all day randomly. The song just craps out, starts playing on the surface speakers, then ten seconds later, it sees the amp again.
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Windows 11, Do you have dual monitor problems like mine?

5 on this site fixed it for me.

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