Fix: Windows Does Not Detect Second Display After Windows Update

Do you have more than one screen attached to your PC? If so, then sometimes you may find that Windows does not detect your second display after a new Windows security update or core update. Well, this is a glitch that many users are currently facing. Yeah! I know it is quite frustrating when you find that one of your displays stops working, but nothing to worry about. I have some troubleshooting fixes for you that you can use to resolve if your second monitor is not detected on your Windows 11 PC. So, let’s check out those fixes.

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Why Is Windows Computer Not Detecting or Extending The Second Monitor?

If you find that the dual monitor is not detecting or extending on your Windows PC, then it might occur because of the following reasons:

A Faulty USB-C Cable (for new model monitors).
Damaged HDMI Cables or Ports.
Driver Incompatibility or Corruption.
Display Settings Misconfiguration.
Windows Update Bugs.
Power Management Settings.
External Device Interference.

What Do You Do If the Dual Monitor is Not Detecting After Windows Update?

You won’t have to worry if you find that Windows does not detect your second display after a new Windows security update or core update. Yes, you heard it right! I also experienced this problem when I was a rookie, but when I researched about this, I successfully fixed this problem. So, let’s check out my troubleshooting suggestion and see if it helps you resolve the dual monitor not detecting issue:

Fix 1: Check Your HDMI Cable And Port

The very first thing that you need to check whether the HDMI cable or port you are using to connect your second monitor is working or not. There are high possibilities that you may face this issue because the monitor’s HDMI cable is damaged.

However, in case you have a modern day monitor, then it might be have USB-C type power cable, you must also check it. If both the cables are fine, then you are good to go with the next fix.

Fix 2: Enable Extend Option in Windows

Enabling the extended option in Windows 11 might help users resolve the issue with a dual monitor connection. In a few cases, I’ve seen that when users update their Windows 11 to a newer patch update, this feature automatically gets disabled, due to which it fails to recognize the secondary monitor. So, you must enable the extend option in Windows using these steps:

Open the Windows Settings (Win+I).
Thereafter, tap on the System.
Now, go to the Display option.
Afterwards, under Select a Display to Change The Setting For It. Drag the Display To Rearrange Them option; you must select your secondary display and tap on the drop-down icon as shown in the image below.
Then, select the Extend These Displays option.

Fix 3: Detect Second Monitor Manually

You can also manually detect the secondary monitor on your Windows 11 device using the Multiple Displays option. There are many users who reported that initially, Windows did not detect your second display after the new Windows security update or core update, but after doing this, the issue automatically got resolved on Reddit. To detect the second monitor manually, you must perform these steps:

Initially, open Settings > System.
Go to the Display.
Then, under the Scale & Layout section, tap on the Multiple Displays option.
Afterwards, hit the Detect button next to the Detect Other Display option.
Thereafter, it will detect the display if it is connected to your device.

Note: If you have a wireless display, then you must tap on the Connect to a Wireless Display option and wait until it connects.

Fix 4: Make the Frame Rate Identical

Are you sure both monitors on your device have set the same frame rate? Well, it is the most crucial thing that we do not avoid as sometimes because the FPS is not matched on dual monitors, and Windows may fail to recognize them. So, you have to make the frame rate identical for both displays. Here’s how you can do this:

Firstly, open the Windows Settings.
Afterwards, go to the System > Display.
Then, simply tap on the Advanced Display option under the Related Settings.
Now, you can locate the option Change Refresh Rate and tap on the drop-down menu.
Then, select a refresh rate that fits your needs.
Thereafter, again, select the other display and set the same refresh rate as you set for your primary monitor.

Fix 5: Update Display and Graphics Card Driver

Make sure that on your Windows 11 PC, you have updated your display and GPU driver to the latest version. This sometimes comes up as the main reason why your PC fails to recognize the second monitor. So, you must perform the steps mentioned below in order to update these drivers:

Right-click on the Start menu.
Afterwards, select Device Manager.
Now, extend the Display Adapter option.
Thereafter, first, right-click on your Display device and select the Update Driver option. Then, perform the on-screen instruction to update it.
Afterwards, right-click on your GPU device and do the same.

That’s it. Now, check if Windows still does not detect your second display after a new Windows security update or core update. If so, then don’t panic, as I have more fixes for you.

Fix 6: Disable HDR For The Second Monitor

Yeah, I know this is quite strange, but trust me, it has already helped many users. In most cases, I found that using an old monitor by enabling the HDR mode caused compatibility issues, which caused your dual monitor not to detect or extend on your Windows PC. So, I would highly recommend you disable the HDR mode for your secondary monitor (if it does not support HDR) using the steps mentioned below:

First of all, open Windows Settings.
Then, go to the System > Display.
Afterwards, tap on HDR.
Thereafter, hit the toggle button to off located next to HDR Video Streaming. But before that, don’t forget to choose the display for which you want to disable this feature.

Fix 7: Run SFC Scan And DISM

If you are still in the same boat and find that your dual monitor is not detecting or extending on your PC, then there might be some serious issues with your system files. So, in this case, we suggest you try running the SFC scan along with DISM. This will locate and fix any corrupted files. So, to do this, perform these steps:

Firstly, run the command prompt using admin rights.
After that, execute the command: sfc/scannow
Thereafter, once done, execute the following command one after the other:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Fix 8: Check For Windows Update

Lastly, as per my experience, you have got this error through Windows Update; therefore, chances are that Microsoft may roll out a new patch update to resolve this problem. So, checking for Windows Update will be a great choice for you if you find that Windows does not detect your second display after a new Windows security update or core update. So, let’s check how to update Windows 11:

Initially, open Windows Settings.
Go to the Windows Update.
Now, hit the Check For Updates.

Now, once you update your Windows, you must check whether or not it recognized your secondary monitor. If not, then except contacting an offical tech support, you have no other choice.

Also Read:

So, that’s all I have for you on how to fix if Windows does not detect your second display after a new Windows security update or core update. It’s my hope that the fixes I’ve mentioned in this guide have helped you. But, if you still have any doubts or queries regarding this topic, then comment below and let us know.

Fix: Windows Does Not Detect Second Display After Windows Update

Why Is Windows Computer Not Detecting or Extending The Second Monitor?