Windows 10 detects too many monitors

I have a Dell Precision laptop running the latest version of Windows 10. I'm experiencing problems with my display settings where it sometimes won't recognize new displays connected via HDMI. When my laptop is not connected to any external displays and I go to Display settings, there are four extra displays shown, all grayed out and disabled.

I don't know what they are or why they are there. Is there any way to remove these? Or is there a way to reset all display configurations?

Daniel

Posted 2016-11-09T10:55:17.173

Reputation: 255

Answers

Try solution mentioned on https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-performance/windows-10-multiple-non-existent-screens/541f1815-de00-47a2-b638-5c0a6fdb01a4 that helped me.

It seems to be an issue in the Intel HD Graphics driver. Installing previous version, more specifically 15.40.4.64.4256 (https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/25150/Intel-Iris-Iris-Pro-and-HD-Graphics-Production-Driver-for-Windows-10-64-bit) solves it for me, until someone will come up with better idea.

hysterical

Posted 2016-11-09T10:55:17.173

Reputation: 311

This solved it. Although it seems like a backwards solution to install an older driver. I tried reinstalling the latest driver after installing the older driver, only for the problem to reappear. Hopefully a future driver update will get it right again. – Daniel – 2016-11-14T09:22:51.783

2018 here... I got this problem as well :/ – Yogurtu – 2018-08-29T04:18:49.520

@Yogurtu: Did you try reverting Intel GPU driver or other drivers for other GPUs you might have? – hysterical – 2018-10-03T16:41:48.883

In my case, I have a nvidia gtx 560, it seems to fail if I install latest nvidia drivers, but if I remove and reinstall with older version, it works fine, so basically the solution when you have an old video card, is to use old drivers. – Yogurtu – 2018-11-16T21:16:54.897

In 2020, updating drivers seems to work. After installing version 20.19.15.5070 the problem went away. – Максим Корчагин – 2020-02-14T18:29:53.187

This is how I solved it on my Windows 10:

On the desktop, Right click > Display Settings > Under "Select and rearrange displays" click "identify" - Take note of the numbers that appear on your monitors. Those are you, valid monitors.

Select one of the "invalid" or "ghost" monitors. Scroll down and click the multiple display drop down. Select "Disconnect this display" and accept the change when prompted. Then click "Remove this display" from the same drop down.

Repeat this for each monitor you wish to remove, the display should go away.

papigee

Posted 2016-11-09T10:55:17.173

Reputation: 151

doesn't work. It never gives any prompt to accept the change – Farrukh Waheed – 2019-07-02T03:06:55.347