horizontal lines on laptop monitor

Question

horizontal lines on laptop monitor

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Horizontal lines on the display monitor: two at the top and one at the bottom. Tried updating, but it did not work.

Bulldog 5,530 Reputation points

2026-10-24T22:30:04.24+00:00

Unfortunately, we don't know anything at all about your monitor or your computer or your graphics card, so it's not even possible to guess at a solution. Do you have the same problem when using your computer with a different monitor?

If you don't have the same problem with a different monitor, then your original monitor has the problem. In that case you should show it to a professional technician.

If you do have the same problem with a different monitor, then something about your computer is causing the problem. It might be the video cable, or the graphics card, or a setting on your computer. You'll have to work through each one in turn.

1 answer

Your answer

Bulldog 5,530 Reputation points

2026-10-24T22:30:04.24+00:00

Unfortunately, we don't know anything at all about your monitor or your computer or your graphics card, so it's not even possible to guess at a solution. Do you have the same problem when using your computer with a different monitor?

If you don't have the same problem with a different monitor, then your original monitor has the problem. In that case you should show it to a professional technician.

If you do have the same problem with a different monitor, then something about your computer is causing the problem. It might be the video cable, or the graphics card, or a setting on your computer. You'll have to work through each one in turn.

Answer 1

Check whether the horizontal lines appear in the laptop’s BIOS/UEFI screen: lines visible there indicate the laptop display hardware path needs manufacturer service, while lines limited to Windows should be addressed by resetting and recovering the display driver.

1. Separate hardware from Windows

Restart the laptop and enter BIOS/UEFI setup using the manufacturer’s startup key, commonly F2, F10, F12, or Delete.
Leave the BIOS screen open briefly:
- Lines appear in BIOS: Windows and its graphics driver are not rendering that screen. The likely fault is the LCD panel, internal display cable, or graphics hardware. Contact the laptop manufacturer or a repair service.
- BIOS is clear: Continue with the Windows driver recovery below.
If available, connect an external monitor or TV:
- External display is clear but the laptop screen has lines: this further isolates the problem to the laptop panel or internal cable.
- Both displays show the lines only in Windows: continue with driver recovery.

2. Reset and roll back the display driver

Since updating did not help, do not repeat the update check.

Press Windows key + Ctrl + Shift + B. The screen may blink or beep while Windows resets the graphics driver.^1^
If the lines remain, right-click Start → Device Manager.
Expand Display adapters.
Right-click the Intel, AMD, or NVIDIA adapter → Properties → Driver.
Select Roll Back Driver → Yes, then restart.

Administrator privileges are required. If Roll Back Driver is unavailable, Windows has no previous driver stored; use the reinstall procedure instead.^1^

3. Reinstall the driver if rollback is unavailable

In Device Manager → Display adapters, right-click the graphics adapter → Properties → Driver → Uninstall Device.
Select Attempt to remove the driver for this device, then select OK.
Restart the laptop. Windows will attempt to reinstall the display driver automatically.^1^
If the problem remains, download and manually install the graphics driver supplied for the exact laptop model from its manufacturer’s support page. A manual manufacturer-driver installation can help when Device Manager reports that the current driver is already updated.^2^

When repair is the appropriate next step

Arrange manufacturer diagnostics or hardware repair when:

the lines appear before Windows starts or inside BIOS;
screenshots look normal when viewed on another device;
an external monitor is clear while the laptop panel retains fixed lines; or
driver rollback and reinstallation make no difference.

Avoid pressing or twisting the screen, because a damaged panel or internal cable can worsen.

References