How to Fix HDMI Not Working on Windows

7 min readMay 3, 2024

Summary: Numerous Windows users have reached out on different forums seeking assistance with their HDMI connection problems on their system. In this blog, we have compiled a list of effective methods that you can try to resolve the issue of HDMI not working on Windows, your PC or laptop.

HDMI, also known as High Definition Multimedia Interface, consists of two components: the port for establishing the connection and the connector cable for transmitting the data. HDMI ports serve as a convenient all-digital interface for seamless transmission of audio and video output signals between two devices.

With these ports, you can effortlessly project high-quality videos and audio onto HD-capable devices such as TVs and audio receivers. In addition, these ports can transform your devices into robust multimedia hubs. The process of recognizing and establishing a connection between media and devices is commonly referred to as the ‘HDMI handshake.’ However, if there is any disruption to this handshake, the HDMI port may cease to function properly, leading to various issues, such as:

The television does not recognize the laptop.
I can see the video playing, but unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be any sound accompanying it.
The image seems to be quite large on the screen.
The video appears to be experiencing some playback issues.

Why won’t HDMI function on my laptop or PC?

HDMI port issues may arise for several reasons. The most prevalent reasons are:

Incompatible or bad drivers
Registry corruption
Incompatible or damaged system applications
Temporary files and directories

How do I fix HDMI not working on a PC or laptop?

We’ve shared some quick fixes and troubleshooting methods below to fix the issue.

Quick Fixes

Let’s start with some quick solutions.

Fix 1: Check the HDMI cable connection.

The issue could be due to a simple hardware problem. Check if your HDMI cable is in good condition and properly connected to both ends, i.e., Windows and HDMI devices.

Fix 2: Try a different HDMI input.

Damaged HDMI ports can sometimes prevent your HDMI device from working properly on your Windows system. Hence, change the HDMI port and see if the problem resolves.

Fix 3: Restart and reconnect your devices.

The PC HDMI not working issue can also occur due to an improper bootup error with the devices. If your system or HDMI device doesn’t boot properly and results in an error, you may face issues with the video or audio output. You can try rebooting your laptop or PC and re-plugging your devices with HDMI. Follow the below steps carefully to reboot and reconnect the devices:

Turn on your HDMI device (speaker, TV, etc.), and then turn on your PC or laptop.
Now, turn off the HDMI devices but keep the Windows system on.
Now, unplug all of the HDMI connections and plug them back into your HDMI device and system.

It will refresh the HDMI connection and possibly fix the problem.

Troubleshooting Methods to Fix HDMI Not Working on a Laptop or PC

If the above fixes fail to solve the problem, follow the given methods to fix the issue.

Method 1: Set the HDMI Device as the default device.

Verify whether you have the HDMI set as the default device. Several users have reported that the issue of HDMI not functioning on laptops arises when they fail to select the HDMI device as the default one. To set HDMI as the default device, follow the given steps:

Open the Control Panel, then select Sound.
Now, the sound window will open. Next, navigate to the Playback tab to see the default audio devices.
Choose the HDMI device, click Set Default, and then click OK.

It will set the HDMI device as your system’s default device. Complete the process and check if this method works for you.

Method 2: Uninstall Recently Installed Apps and Software

Sometimes, a recently installed application, software, or program may cause problems with the HDMI connection. If the application is buggy or incompatible with your system, you may face an HDMI problem on a laptop or PC. Try uninstalling the app or program to see if it resolves the issue. Follow these steps:

Press Windows + I to open system settings, and then go to Apps.
In the Apps & Features window, select the application, program, or software, click on it, and then click Uninstall.
The screen will display a pop-up indicating the uninstallation of the app and its associated data. To confirm the action, click Uninstall.
Once you’re done with the process, check if the problem is resolved.

Method 3: Configure your system’s display settings.

The PC HDMI not working problem may also occur when your PC’s display settings are not properly configured. As a result, the content may fail to appear on the screen. Hence, try to configure your Windows system’s Display Settings. To do so, follow the given steps:

Press Windows + P to open Display Settings.
You’ll see the following options:

PC Screen Only: Select this option if you only want your video or audio to appear on the first computer display.

Duplicate: This option lets you see the same content on the connected monitors (your PC monitor and another monitor connected via HDMI or other sources).

Extend: This option allows you to develop content between two or more displays, including the PC display and other displays connected to HDMI or other sources.

Second Screen Only: This option helps you show content on the secondary display.

Now, choose the appropriate option and see if it fixes the HDMI port not working issue on the laptop.

Method 4: Update, Roll Back, or Uninstall Graphic Drivers

Graphic device drivers play a major role in displaying content on your system. Any issue with the graphic drivers can not only result in HDMI not working on a PC or laptop, but it can also cause multiple system errors, such as the following:

A new hard drive does not show up.
Code 19 Error
Faulty Hardware: Corrupted Page Error
Inaccessible Boot Device Error
The device is not ready

Hence, first, try updating the graphic drivers. If you have already updated the device drivers, proceed to roll back or uninstall them.

Follow the given steps:

Update the device driver.

To open Device Manager, press Windows + X and navigate to Display Adapters.
Then choose the driver, right-click on the driver, and click Update driver.
On the next prompt, select Search for drivers automatically.
Now, reboot your system and check if the error is fixed.

Rollback Device Driver

Open Device Manager, expand the Display Adapter category, right-click on it, and open Properties.
Next, select the Driver tab, click Roll Back Driver, and click OK.

Uninstall the graphics driver.

Open Device Manager, expand the Display Adapter category, right-click on the graphic driver that appears to be problematic, and then click Uninstall Device.
If you don’t find the ‘Uninstall’ option there, click Properties, select the Driver tab, and click Uninstall Device.
Now, a confirmation box will appear. To complete the uninstallation process, click Delete.
On the next prompt, go to the Action menu and click Scan for hardware changes > Reinstall driver.
After reinstalling the driver, shut down the window and restart your system.
Finally, check if the HDMI not working on the laptop or PC issue has been resolved.

Method 5: Clean Temporary Files and Folders

The temporary and junk files stored on your system may affect your system’s processing speed, causing apps to respond very slowly and even sometimes causing HDMI audio and video issues. To fix the problem, you can delete your temporary files and folders using Disk Cleanup. Follow the given steps:

To open this utility, simply go to the Windows Search Box and type Disk Cleanup.
Otherwise, you can open File Explorer and go to this PC.
Now, click Disk Cleanup.
Choose the files you want to remove and click OK.
You can also proceed with the Clean up system files option.
Delete the files. After completing the deletion, shut down the window, restart the system, and verify the resolution of the issue.

Method 6: Run an SFC scan.

You can check for system file corruption, which may also cause the HDMI port to not work on the laptop. Run the SFC scan with the following steps:

Open the Command Prompt (CMD) and run it as an administrator.
In the elevated window, type SFC/scannow and press Enter.
Wait until the process completes. Once done, close the window and reboot your system.

Method 7: Restore the system

If none of the methods help resolve the error, you can perform a system restore. To run System Restore, follow the given steps:

If your system is on, turn it off. Now, reboot it, and the moment it starts showing you the Windows logo, forcefully shut it down with the POWER button.
Repeat this three times. It will interrupt the normal booting process and take you to the Windows recovery environment (Windows Automatic Repair).
On the Windows Automatic Repair screen, click Advanced Options.
Next, choose Troubleshoot, and then go to Advanced Options > System Restore.
To proceed, click Next, and then choose a restore point from the available options.
To determine which system apps or programs this method will affect, click Scan for Affected Programs.
On the next prompt, click Next, and then click Finish.

Note: You may lose some essential files, folders, and programs during this process.

Hence, we’d suggest taking a backup of your system data before performing a system restore. Or, if you forgot to take backup, you may recover the data using a reliable data recovery tool, such as the BLR Data Recovery Tool for Windows.

This DIY data recovery software supports the recovery of almost all file types, including photos, videos, documents, audio files, Excel, PDFs, etc. In addition, you can restore data lost due to deletion, drive formatting, corruption, or even a malware attack. This Windows-supported tool also lets you retrieve files from BitLocker-encrypted storage drives, such as HDDs, SSDs, USB drives, and more.

I hope you find this blog useful! If you have any questions or suggestions, please let us know in the comment section below.