Windows 11 screen flickering? How to find the cause and fix it

2 min read · 7 steps · Updated 2 October 2026

Short answer

Press Windows + Ctrl + Shift + B to restart the graphics driver. If it still flickers, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. If Task Manager flickers too, the display driver is the cause. If it stays steady while the rest flickers, an app is the cause.

Microsoft narrows screen flickering down to two causes, a display driver or an incompatible app, and gives one simple test to tell them apart. A loose cable or a failing screen is the third possibility, and the test helps there too.

These steps are for Windows 11. The pictures are simplified diagrams, not screenshots, so colours and spacing on your PC look a little different.

Step by step

  1. Windows+Ctrl+Shift+BRestart the graphics driver

    Restart the graphics driver

    Press the Windows key together with Ctrl, Shift and B. The screen goes dark for a moment and Windows reloads the driver. If the flicker remains, restart the PC.

  2. Ctrl+Shift+EscOpen Task Manager

    Open Task Manager as a test

    Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc. Watch the Task Manager window. If it flickers with everything else, go on with the driver steps. If it does not flicker, skip to the step about apps.

  3. Driver: roll back

    Search the taskbar for Device Manager and open it. Expand Display adapters, right-click the adapter and choose Properties. On the Driver tab, click Roll Back Driver and Yes, then restart. This helps when the flicker began after an update.

  4. Driver: update

    If rolling back is not offered, right-click the adapter in Device Manager and choose Update driver. The newest driver is often only on the website of the PC or graphics card maker.

  5. Driver: uninstall and let Windows reinstall it

    In the adapter's Properties, on the Driver tab, choose Uninstall Device, tick Attempt to remove the driver for this device and click OK. Restart the PC. Windows installs a fresh driver by itself.

  6. – ▢ ✕SettingsSystemBluetooth & devicesNetwork & internetAppsAccountsTime & languageAccessibilityWindows UpdateAppsInstalled appsAdvanced app settingsDefault appsStartup

    App: update or remove it

    If Task Manager did not flicker, think of what you installed recently. Update the app from the Microsoft Store or the maker's website. If that does not help, open Settings, Apps, Installed apps, find the app and choose Uninstall. Restart and test after each removal.

  7. Check the cable and the refresh rate

    On an external monitor, reseat or replace the cable and try another port. Under Settings, System, Display, Advanced display, choose a refresh rate the monitor supports.

Good to know

If the screen flickers before Windows has even started, for example in the maker's logo, or when you move the lid of a laptop, the fault is in the hardware. Ask the maker about a repair.

Antivirus programs from other makers and old system utilities have been common app causes. Start with those.

Related: Windows 11 black screen: 8 fixes to try and second monitor not detected on Windows 11: 8 fixes to try.

In short: Windows + Ctrl + Shift + B, Task Manager test, then driver (roll back, update, uninstall) or app (update, uninstall), check cable and refresh rate.

Sources
  • Microsoft Support: Troubleshoot screen flickering in Windows

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