Fixing That Possum of a Screen Flicker on Windows 11
Screen flickering on Windows 11? Proper annoying, hey? It’s like trying to read while the lights are flashing on and off all the time. Not the best. Usually, it’s something simple, like dodgy display settings or outdated drivers. Let’s have a squiz and sort this out so it doesn’t send ya troppo.
Check Out Task Manager First
Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc. If you see it flickering, that’s a fair warning of a possible driver issue. But if Task Manager stays calm while your screen’s playing up, it might just be a rogue app causing trouble. Fair dinkum detective stuff—helps you rule out the usual suspects quick smart.
Time to Update Your Display Drivers
Next, you wanna see if your display drivers are a bit behind the 8-ball. Open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start button. Expand Display adapters, right-click your graphics card, and choose Update driver. Let Windows search for updates automatically, or if you prefer, hit up the manufacturer’s website:
- NVIDIA: nvidia.com
- AMD: amd.com
- Intel: intel.com
If it’s still throwing a wobbly, using something like Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) to wipe the old drivers before installing fresh ones can often fix that pesky flickering—it’s a good spray and wipe.
Adjust Those Display Settings
If the flickering keeps happening, it might be just a setting acting up. Right-click on your desktop and pick Display settings. Then scroll down and click on Advanced display settings. Check the refresh rate there:
- Click Display adapter properties for Display 1
- Head over to the Monitor tab
- Make sure the Screen refresh rate is set to a proper value (60Hz, 120Hz, you get the idea)
If you’ve got more than one monitor, each needs to be playing nice. Mismatched resolutions can also cause dramas, so keep everything in check.
Could a New App Be the Culprit?
Noticed the flickering started after grabbing some new software? That’s a good lead. Jump into Settings > Apps > Installed Apps and see what’s new. Uninstall any dodgy looking ones one by one and see if the flicker packs up. If you’re keen, you can do this via PowerShell too, with:
Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_Product | Select-Object Name
And to remove an app:
Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_Product -Filter "Name='AppName'" | ForEach-Object { $_.Uninstall() }
Just replace AppName with what you’re targeting. It’s a handy way to cut the faff.
System Restore: The Last Resort
If none of that sorts it, a system restore might do the trick. This rolls things back to a point before the flickering started. Search for Create a restore point in the Start menu, open System Properties, and click on System Restore. Make sure to toggle on Show more restore points so you can pick the right one.
- Select a restore point from before the screen went haywire.
You can also kick this off by typing:
rstrui.exeThis’ll reset your system files and drivers without messing with your personal stuff—nice and easy.
Fingers crossed, after all that, your screen finally stops throwing a tanty. If it keeps acting up, best to give support a ring or see a pro, especially if hardware’s the culprit.
All in all, fixing screen flicker on Windows 11 usually comes down to a few simple steps. Nothing too wild. Just a bit of troubleshooting, and you’ll be right as rain before you know it.
- Check Task Manager for flickering.
- Update display drivers via Device Manager.
- Adjust display settings and refresh rates.
- Uninstall any dodgy recent apps.
- Try a system restore if all else fails.
Hope this helps someone dodge a fair dinkum headache!