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Dealing with incompatibility issues along with various malfunctions is not an isolated problem when coming to Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 platforms. Unfortunately, due to different causes more and more users are reporting problems after installing the Window 8.1 update.
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’. Well, this problem is really stressful especially when you want to connect your Windows 8 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 Windows 8.1. So why is this happening?
By checking the guidelines from below I will try to explain why the ‘Your PC cannot project to another screen’ alert is being caused on your Windows 8.1 device and also I will try to show you how to easily address this annoying problem.
How to solve the ‘Your PC cannot project to another screen’ error on Windows 8.1
1.) Check your video drivers
As the message states, you are dealing with an incompatibility issue. That is happening because after updating to Windows 8.1 your drivers are outdated and you need to apply compatible updates with the new OS.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 the same afterward – of course, download compatible drivers with Windows 8.1 system right from your manufacturer webpage in order to make things right. You can check this guide on how to update drivers.
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
2.) Check your hardware
Another thing to do is to check the cables you are using for establishing your connections with external monitors. In some cases, Windows 8.1 platform 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 as 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 8.1 system.
Anyway, try the above indicated troubleshoot solutions and see if you can address your problems; in case the issue persists, don’t hesitate and share your thoughts with us by using the comments field from below – we will, of course, 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.
