There’s nothing more annoying - and worrying - than a flickering laptop screen. But don’t panic just yet. There are a few things you can try before getting computer repair experts involved. Below, you’ll find a complete troubleshooting guide for a laptop screen flickering and other annoying screen glitches.

How to stop your laptop screen from flickering

There are lots of reasons why your laptop screen might have started flickering, from misbehaving apps to outdated display drivers and issues with wires. We’ve listed the most common issues below, along with top tips on how you can make things right again.

Outdated display drivers

A flickering laptop screens can be caused by outdated or corrupt graphics drivers – so updating drivers is a good first step in trying to solve the issue. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Identify your graphics card. Right-click on the ‘Start button’, select ‘Device Manager’ and locate ‘Display adapters’ to find your graphics card model.

2. Visit the manufacturer's website. Go to the official website of your graphics card manufacturer.

3. Download the latest drivers. Find the drivers section and download the latest drivers for your specific graphics card model.

4. Install the drivers. Run the downloaded driver file and follow on-screen instructions to install the new drivers.

5. Restart your laptop. After installation, restart your laptop to apply the changes you’ve made.

6. Confirm that the update has worked. Confirm that the drivers have been updated by checking the ‘Device Manager’ is showing the latest version.

If your screen still flickers after you’ve updated your drivers, read on for more troubleshooting tips.

App incompatibility

Incompatible apps can cause laptop screen flickering by conflicting with the system settings or display drivers. Follow these steps to try and resolve the issue.

1. Find the guilty app. Review your recently installed apps and try to work out if the flickering started after a particular app was downloaded.

2. Disable hardware acceleration. Go to your suspect app and disable hardware acceleration (if it’s available). The exact method varies by browser versions, but for Chrome it’ll be something like this - go to Settings > Advanced > System, then disable ‘Use hardware acceleration when available’.

3. Check compatibility mode. Right-click on the app causing issues and select ‘Properties’. Go to the ‘Compatibility’ tab and run the app in compatibility mode for an older Windows version. If the app was designed for this earlier version, this could resolve issues like a flickering screen.

4. Update or uninstall incompatible apps. Go ahead and complete any outstanding updates on the problematic apps. If issues persist, you should think about uninstalling the app.

Issues with wires

Loose wires can cause laptop screen flickering, because they can disrupt the flow of electrical signals between the laptop screen and its components. You can try the following steps to fix the issue, but please only attempt this if you’re confident about opening up your laptop and reassembling it again!

1. Power off the laptop. Unplug your laptop and switch it off to avoid any potential electrical hazards. Remove the battery if possible.

2. Remove the laptop's back panel or bezel. Refer to the laptop user manual (or online guides) to find out how to safely remove the laptop back panel or bezels around the screen.

4. Locate the display cable. Identify the cable connecting the screen to the motherboard. It's usually a thin ribbon cable or a set of wires.

5. Check for loose connections. Gently inspect both ends of the display cable to make sure they’re securely connected. If any connections seem loose, carefully reconnect them again. You can use tape or another non-conductive material to secure them in place.

7. Reassemble the laptop. Put the back panel or bezel back in place according to the instructions. Make sure everything is securely fastened.

8. Power on the laptop. Reconnect the power source and turn on the laptop to check if the screen flickering issue has been resolved.

Refresh rate needs adjusting

Adjusting the refresh rate (the number of times per second your screen is redrawn) can sometimes solve screen flickering issues. Here’s how change it:

1. Right-click on the desktop and select "Display settings."

2. Scroll down and click on "Advanced display settings."

3. Under "Refresh rate," choose a different rate from the drop-down menu.

4. Test different rates to find the one that minimizes flickering.

Note: Ensure the selected rate is supported by your monitor.

Issues with the Windows Desktop Manager

Disabling the Windows Desktop Manager (DWM) can sometimes resolve screen flickering issues by eliminating certain graphical processes. However, it's important to note that this might affect your display in other ways.

To disable the DWM temporarily, follow these steps:

1. Right-click on the desktop and select ‘Task Manager’.

2. In the Task Manager, find and right-click on ‘Windows Explorer’.

3. Choose ‘End task’. This will temporarily disable the desktop.

If this stops the screen flickering and doesn’t cause any other issues with the quality of your display, you can permanently disable the DWM as follows:

1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.

2. Type ‘services.msc’ and press Enter to open the Services window.

3. Scroll down and find ‘Desktop Window Manager Session Manager.’

4. Right-click on it, select ‘Properties,’ and change the ‘Startup type’ to ‘Disabled.’

5. Click ‘OK’ and restart your computer.

Can a virus cause a laptop screen to flicker?

A virus is unlikely to directly cause screen flickering. The cause is more likely to be a hardware or driver issue. But to be on the safe side, you should run a thorough antivirus scan to rule out malware.

How do you know if your laptop has a virus or is just glitching?

If your laptop is acting strangely it could indicate a virus. But it’s not the most likely cause of glitches or flickering screens - these can also result from hardware issues or driver problems. To rule out malware or viruses being the cause, run a thorough antivirus scan of your laptop.

How much does it cost to fix laptop flickering?

If your laptop’s not working properly, we can help. Our computer maintenance experts can fix any kind of computer. It doesn’t matter if you bought it somewhere else either.

From repairs and upgrades to getting rid of viruses, we’ll be able to handle any kind of problem. And your tech will be left feeling good as new. At the time of writing, treatments like software fixes, virus removal, computer health-checks and operating system upgrades cost just £45 each.

Need more advice?

If you’re having laptop issues, check out our handy article on how to fix a laptop that won’t turn on. If you’re looking for something new, we’ve got a huge choice including gaming laptops and all the top brands - ASUS laptops, HP laptops, Acer laptops, Lenovo laptops and more. Not sure where to start? Take a look at our article on what laptop should I buy? Our Laptop buying guide is a great help too.