FIX: Your PC Cannot Project to Another Screen

Steps to fix ‘Your PC can’t project to another screen’ errors

1. Reinstall your video drivers
2. Check your hardware
3. Run the Hardware  and Devices troubleshooter
4. Run SFC
5. Clean boot your computer
6. Use a different user account

Dealing with incompatibility issues along with various malfunctions is not an isolated problem when talking about Windows 10, Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 platforms. Unfortunately, more and more users are reporting problems after installing the latest Windows 10 updates.
One common problem is related to the following message or alert: Your PC can’t project to a second screen. Try reinstalling the driver or using a different video card. This error message affects all Windows versions. However, it seems that it’s prevalent for Windows 10.

For this reason, the solutions described in this troubleshooting guide mainly refer to Windows 10. Of course, you can use them on all Windows versions, as well.

Well, this problem is really stressful especially when you want to connect your Windows 10, 8, 8.1 or Windows 7 laptop, tablet or desktop to an external monitor or projector as you won’t be able to do so, even if you could establish the connection before updating to your OS. So why is this happening?

To find out the answer, check the guidelines from below. We will explain to you why your PC cannot project to another screen. We will also show you how you can easily address this annoying problem. Let’s dive in.

SOLVED: Your PC can’t project to another screen on Windows 10

Solution 1: Reinstall your video drivers

As the message states, you are dealing with an incompatibility issue. That is happening because after updating to Windows 10, your drivers are outdated and you need to apply compatible updates with the new OS.

So, the best will be to uninstall the video drivers and to reinstall them afterward. Of course, you should download compatible drivers with Windows 10 system right from your manufacturer’s office website in order to make sure that you get the right drivers. You can check this guide on how to update drivers for more information.

Basically, here are the steps to follow:

1. You need to open Device Manager > go to Display Adapters
2. Right-click on your display adapter driver > select Uninstall
3. Wait for the process to complete
4. Then, you can go to Action > Scan for Hardware Changes.

Of course, as recommended, you can also download the latest drivers directly from your manufacturer’s website.

Be careful, as downloading drivers manually can be a tedious task, especially if you’re not computer-savvy, but there are tools such as TweakBit Driver Updater that can automatically update all your drivers with just a single click. Thus, you will keep your system away from permanent damage by downloading and installing the wrong drive versions.

Editor’s note: Some features of this tool are not free

Solution 2: Check your hardware

Another thing to do is to check the cables you are using for establishing your connection with your external monitors. In some cases, Windows 10 isn’t supporting analog cables for second monitors that are hooked up.

So, before trying anything else, the best will be to try a direct DVI connection. In most cases, this is the perfect solution that resolves the ‘Your PC can’t project to a second screen. Try reinstalling the driver or using a different video card’ alert on Windows 10.

Solution 3: Run the Hardware  and Devices troubleshooter

Another quick solution is to run the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter. To do this, go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot. Locate and run the troubleshooter. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.

Solution 4: Run SFC

You may not be able to link your Windows computer to your projector due to system corruption issues. To fix this problem, you need to run an SFC scan. The System File Checker utility quickly analyzes and repairs system file issues. Here’s how to run it:

1. Go to Start > open Command Prompt as administrator
2. Type sfc /scannow > hit Enter
3. Wait for the scanning process to complete and then restart your computer. Try to connect your machine to your projector to check if this quick method solved the problem.

Solution 5: Clean boot your computer

Sometimes, various apps and programs may interfere with your projector, preventing your computer from connecting to it. To fix this, you need to start your computer using only a minimal set of drivers and programs. Here’s how to do that:

1. Go to Start > type msconfig > hit Enter
2. Click on System Configuration > go to the Services tab >  check the ‘Hide all Microsoft services check‘ box > click Disable all
3. Go to the Startup tab > Open Task Manager
4. Select each startup item > click Disable
5. Close Task Manager > restart the computer.

Solution 6: Use a different user account

If you’re using a multiple account computer, keep in mind that not all the user accounts available on the respective machine may have access or permission to project to another screen. Using a different user account may fix your problem.

Anyway, try the troubleshoot solutions listed above and see if you can fix your technical issues. In case the issue persists, let us know by using the comments field from below. Give us more details and we will try to assist you as soon as possible.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in July 2014 and has been since revamped and updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.