How to Fix a Laptop Screen with Lines

Lines across your laptop screen indicate a display connection issue, driver problem, or hardware failure. These troubleshooting steps will help you identify and resolve the problem systematically.

1. Restart your laptop. Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds to force shutdown. Wait 30 seconds, then press the power button to restart. This clears temporary display driver glitches that often cause line artifacts.
2. Connect an external monitor. Connect your laptop to an external monitor using HDMI, DisplayPort, or USB-C. Press Windows + P and select Duplicate or Extend. Check if the lines appear on the external display.
3. Update your display drivers. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager. Expand Display adapters, right-click your graphics card, and select Update driver. Choose Search automatically for drivers and restart when prompted.
4. Adjust the screen gently. Slowly open and close the laptop lid while watching for changes in the lines. Gently press around the screen bezels and hinges. If lines flicker or change, the LCD connection cable is loose.
5. Boot into Safe Mode. Hold Shift while clicking Restart from the Start menu. Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart. Press 4 to boot into Safe Mode and check if lines persist.
6. Run Windows display troubleshooter. Open Settings with Windows + I, select Update & Security, then Troubleshoot. Click Additional troubleshooters, select Hardware and Devices, and run the troubleshooter. Follow the recommended actions.
7. Check for physical damage. Inspect the screen for cracks, pressure marks, or dead pixels along the line patterns. Look for loose hinges or damaged cables visible at the hinge connection points. Physical damage requires professional repair.