Lines on Laptop Screen: What Causes Them and How to Fix Them
Vertical or horizontal lines on your laptop screen? Find out if it's the driver, display cable or panel with a screenshot, external monitor and screen test.
Published by LaptopTestOnline Editorial Team
Lines on Laptop Screen: What Causes Them and How to Fix Them
Quick answer: connect your laptop to an external monitor. If the lines show only on the laptop screen, the fault is in the panel or its display cable. If the lines show on both screens, the graphics driver or graphics chip is the cause, and updating or reinstalling the driver is the first fix to try. You can confirm what you are seeing with our free screen test, which fills the display with solid colors so lines stand out clearly.
Horizontal or vertical lines on a laptop screen look alarming, but they don't always mean the screen is finished. The checks below tell you which part has failed in about ten minutes.
Types of lines and what they usually mean
| What you see | Most likely cause |
|---|---|
| One thin line, always in the same place, any color | Failed row or column in the panel |
| Many vertical colored lines across the whole screen | Panel or display cable fault |
| Lines that move, flicker, or change when you tilt the lid | Loose or damaged display cable at the hinge |
| Lines that also appear on an external monitor | Graphics driver or graphics chip |
| Lines only in one app or game | Software or driver bug |
| Lines after a drop or pressure on the lid | Cracked panel, even if the glass looks fine |
| Horizontal lines that look like a faint shimmer | Refresh rate or driver mismatch |
Step 1: Take a screenshot
Press Print Screen on Windows or Shift + Command + 3 on a Mac, then open the screenshot on another device. If the lines show in the screenshot, they are being drawn by the graphics card or software. If the screenshot is clean, the problem is in the screen hardware.
Step 2: Check with an external monitor
Plug in a monitor or TV over HDMI or USB-C. On Windows, press Windows key + P and choose Duplicate.
- Lines only on the laptop: the panel or its cable is at fault. Software fixes won't help.
- Lines on both: the graphics driver or chip is the cause. Go to Step 4.
Step 3: Tilt the lid slowly
Open and close the lid gently while watching the lines. If they appear, disappear or change as the hinge moves, the display cable that runs through the hinge is worn or loose. This is a common, fairly cheap repair compared with a new panel.
Step 4: Update or reinstall the graphics driver
- Right click Start and open Device Manager.
- Expand Display adapters.
- Right click the graphics adapter and choose Update driver.
- If that doesn't help, download the newest driver from Intel, AMD, NVIDIA or your laptop maker, uninstall the current one, restart, and install the new one.
If the lines started right after a driver update, use Roll Back Driver in the same menu.
Step 5: Check the resolution and refresh rate
The wrong settings can cause shimmering or faint lines.
- Go to Settings > System > Display and choose the resolution marked Recommended.
- Under Advanced display, try a different refresh rate, then switch back.
Our refresh rate test shows whether the screen runs at the rate it should, and the resolution test shows whether the image is sharp at the native resolution.
Step 6: Test in the BIOS
Restart and open the BIOS or setup menu (F2, F10 or Delete on most laptops). The BIOS doesn't use your Windows graphics driver. Lines in the BIOS point to hardware. A clean BIOS screen points back to the driver or Windows.
Many makers also have a built-in display test. Dell laptops run one from the startup diagnostics, and HP PC Hardware Diagnostics has a screen check. These are good evidence to show a repair shop.
Step 7: Run a full screen test
Open the screen test in full screen and cycle through white, black, red, green and blue. Note:
- Exactly where each line sits.
- Whether it changes color with the background.
- Whether new lines or dots appear.
While you are there, check for dead or stuck pixels and backlight bleed, because they are often damaged together after a drop.
Can you fix lines on a laptop screen yourself?
You can fix driver and settings problems yourself, plus temporary heat-related lines that fade when the laptop cools. Pressing on the screen or using "pixel fixing" videos won't repair a failed row or column, and pressure can make panel damage worse. Our pixel repair tool helps with stuck single pixels, not lines.
Hardware lines need one of two repairs:
- Display cable replacement: fixes lines that change with the lid angle. Usually the cheaper option.
- Panel replacement: fixes fixed lines in the screen itself. Price depends heavily on the panel type, size and touch support.
If the laptop is new or still under warranty, report the fault right away. Most makers treat panel lines as a defect. See our guide to dead pixel and display warranty policies and the return window checklist.
Common questions
Why are there vertical lines on my laptop screen?
Vertical lines that stay in one place usually mean a fault in the panel or its connection. Check with an external monitor. If that screen is clean, the laptop panel or cable needs repair.
Can a virus cause lines on a laptop screen?
Almost never. Lines come from the screen, the cable, the graphics chip, or the driver. A screenshot test tells you which one.
Why do lines appear when I move the lid?
The display cable runs through the hinge and wears with use. Lines that change as the lid moves almost always point to this cable.
Is it worth fixing lines on a laptop screen?
If it is the cable or a driver, yes. If the panel needs replacing on an older budget laptop, compare the quote with the value of the laptop, or use it with an external monitor.
Cover photo by Niels Heidenreich: PowerBook G4 display failure, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. Cropped for this article.
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