Share this article
This article is translated in
Improve this guide
External Monitor Not Detected After Sleep / Not Waking Up: Fix
This is not necessarily a monitor malfunction so read our solutions
5 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
Share this article
This article is translated in
Improve this guide
Read our disclosure page to find out how can you help Windows Report sustain the editorial teamRead more
Key notes
If your external monitor is not detected after sleep in Windows 10 yet it had been working well before, you should not assume that you could be facing a technical challenge.
Many reasons might lead to monitor connection problems. Some of them are easy to fix, while others might require you to replace either the monitor or your cables.
However, when you cannot detect your external monitor after your computer wakes up from sleep, it does not mean that the monitor could be facing a technical issue. This is something that you can handle on your own without hiring anyone for help.
You could be surprised that this problem can be fixed by simply disconnecting your monitor from the power supply or something as simple as checking your connection cables.
That notwithstanding, there are different ways of fixing your external monitor if it is not detected after sleep.
Why is my second monitor not waking up after sleep?
You might be left frustrated finding that your second monitor does not come on after your computer wakes up from sleep.
Unfortunately, there is no universal cause for this problem. Sometimes, it could be an issue with your drivers, the cables connecting the external monitor to your computer, power management, the monitor’s refresh rates, or even your project mode, among others.
All these issues might lead to problems with your external monitor not being detected after sleep.
What do I do if my second monitor is not detected after sleep?
1. Disable Link State Power Management
2. Roll back to a previous display driver
If the Roll Back Driver option is grayed out, that means you don’t have an older driver to load and you should skip this solution.
If rolling back doesn’t work, try an automated solution to find a recent version of the needed driver and update it, this might fix the issue. It can be helpful in this case because it scans all your device drivers and searches for the latest updates.
Where applicable, it will enable the update instantly, or if it is the case, it will download the missing ones.
This is an adequate driver monitoring tool because of its remarkable features. It will help you keep track of all your device drivers and maintain them updated at all times.
Outbyte Driver Updater
3. Set the same refresh rates on your monitors
4. Disable deep sleep on your monitor
5. Restart the graphics driver
How do I wake up my third monitor?
Just like with your second external monitor, you might also face issues with your third monitor if you have more than two – the same problem that happens with an external monitor not being detected after sleep.
You can fix thethird monitornot being detected by reconnecting the monitor, changing the display settings in the Control Panel, checking for updates, getting an ISO version of Windows, and disabling the integrated Intel card, among others.
Looking at the solutions shared here, you can see that they are easy fixes that you can handle on your own.
You may also be interested in reading our guide onwhat to do if the external monitor turns off randomly.
If you have any problems with one of the solutions, let us know in the comment section below.
Additionally, let us know about any other solution that helped you fix the problem with your external monitor not being detected after sleep.
More about the topics:monitors,windows 10,Windows 11
Vladimir Popescu
Being an artist his entire life while also playing handball at a professional level, Vladimir has also developed a passion for all things computer-related.
With an innate fascination for research and analysis, and realizing many other people share his passion for this subject, he delved into writing Windows-related articles, so other people can also benefit from the acquired information.
When not writing kick-ass articles, Vladimir likes to spend his time doing Crossfit and creating art.
User forum
2 messages
Sort by:LatestOldestMost Votes
Comment*
Name*
Email*
Commenting as.Not you?
Save information for future comments
Comment
Δ
Vladimir Popescu
