Laptop Screen Flickering: What’s Causing It?
Screen flicker on a laptop ranges from a minor annoyance to a sign that the display is about to fail completely. The cause matters because the fix is different in each case — sometimes it’s a driver update, sometimes a cable, and sometimes a full screen replacement.
Does it flicker on an external monitor too?
The first thing to check: connect your laptop to an external screen via HDMI. If the external display is stable but the laptop screen flickers, the fault is isolated to the display assembly — the panel itself, the display cable, or the backlight.
If the external screen also flickers, the problem is likely in the graphics driver or GPU rather than the display hardware.
Display driver issues
A corrupted or outdated graphics driver is one of the most common causes of flickering — and the easiest to fix. On Windows, open Device Manager, expand Display Adapters, right-click your graphics card, and choose “Update driver.” If the flicker started after a Windows Update, rolling back the driver to the previous version often resolves it immediately.
You can also check for flicker in Task Manager. Open it and watch whether the screen flickers with it or separately from it — if Task Manager flickers too, a software or driver issue is likely. If Task Manager stays stable while everything else flickers, an application or Explorer process is more likely to blame.
Loose or damaged display cable
The cable connecting the motherboard to the screen runs through the hinge of the laptop. On machines that are opened and closed repeatedly — especially when the hinge is stiff or damaged — this cable can develop a partial break. The flicker typically appears when the screen is at certain angles, or gets worse over time as the cable deteriorates further.
This is a hardware repair. The cable needs to be replaced before it fails completely and leaves you with no display at all.
Backlight failure
Most modern laptop screens use LED backlights. When these begin to fail, the screen often flickers — particularly in lower brightness settings — and may eventually go dark even though the machine is still running. You can sometimes verify this by shining a torch at the screen in a dark room: if you can faintly see the display image, the backlight has failed but the panel itself is still working.
Backlight failure usually means replacing the full screen assembly, as backlights are not individually serviceable on most modern panels.
Physical panel damage
Cracked or pressurised LCD panels can cause flickering, lines on the display, or localised black areas. This kind of damage is usually visible if you look closely — distortion or discolouration around the point of impact. The only fix is panel replacement.
Hinge damage
If the screen wobbles or doesn’t hold its angle firmly, a damaged hinge is putting stress on the display cable and panel. Left unfixed, the cable will eventually fail, and the constant mechanical stress can crack the panel near the hinge. It’s worth addressing hinge damage before it causes a more expensive screen replacement.
When to get it repaired
Screen flicker rarely resolves on its own. If the issue started after a drop or is getting progressively worse, the longer you leave it the more likely a cable fault becomes a full screen failure.
We handle screen replacement for all major laptop and MacBook models, including screen replacement in Earls Court and across South West London.
Contact us or call 020 7610 0500 for a free quote.