Your PC can’t project to another screen? Try these fixes
- Many users complain that their PC cannot project to another screen after installing the latest Windows 10 updates.
- Checking the hardware is one of the first things to be done to solve this problem.
- You should consider reinstalling your video drivers by using a reliable update software.
- Also, start your computer using only a minimal set of drivers and programs.
Dealing with incompatibility issues along with various malfunctions is not an isolated problem when talking about the Windows 10 platform.
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 laptop, tablet, or desktop to an external monitor or projector.
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, so let’s dive in.
What to do if your PC can’t project to another screen?
1. Reinstall your video drivers
- You need to open Device Manager, and go to Display adapters.
- Right-click on your display adapter driver, and select Uninstall.
- Wait for the process to complete.
- Then, you can go to Action, and select Scan for hardware changes.
As the message states, you are dealing with an incompatibility issue. That is happening because after updating to Windows 10, your drivers are outdated.
Therefore, 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 official website in order to make sure that you get the right drivers.
Want the latest GPU drivers? Bookmark our detailed guide and always stay updated with the latest and greatest.
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 dedicated tools 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 driver versions.
So if you want an efficient solution to install your drivers accordingly, without affecting the operating system, you can rely on DriverFix.
2. Check your hardware
You should also 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.
3. Run the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter
- Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app.
- Go to the Update & Security section, and select Troubleshoot.
- Locate and run the troubleshooter.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.
Another quick solution is to run the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter. If you’re having trouble opening the Setting app, take a look at our helpful guide to solve the issue.
4. Run SFC
- Go to Start, and open Command Prompt as administrator.
- Type sfc /scannow, and hit Enter.
- 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.
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.
If you’re having trouble accessing Command Prompt as an admin, then you better take a closer look at our complete guide.
5. Clean boot your computer
- Go to Start, type msconfig > hit Enter.
- Click on System Configuration, and go to the Services tab.
- Check the Hide all Microsoft services check box, and click Disable all.
- Go to the Startup tab, and open the Task Manager.
- Select each startup item, and click Disable.
- Close Task Manager, and restart the 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, by following the above steps.
If you want to know how to add or remove startup apps on Windows 10, check out our easy guide and solve this problem in no time.
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, so be sure to try it out. Anyway, try the troubleshooting solutions listed above and see if you can fix your technical issues.
Also, check out our detailed guide on how to connect a projector to your Windows 10 PC, and hold your business meeting.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
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The display adapter driver and a recent Windows update that messed up some settings are both common causes of this error, so use this guide to fix PC projection issues.
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To project your Windows PC to your PC with ease, perform some tweaks in the Action center.
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To stop projecting you should use the keyboard shortcut Windows key+P, and select the PC Screen Only option.
