If you’re like most people, you use your computer daily. You rely on it to get your work done, pay your bills, and manage emails. Whether you primarily use a computer at work or home, it’s an essential item.
That’s why it’s so frustrating when you experience debilitating computer issues. One of the most common issues is lines on computer screen displays.
Sometimes, these are horizontal lines on computer screen displays. In other cases, it’s vertical lines. Whatever the case, you need to know how to solve this problem when it arises.
If that describes your situation, don’t worry! In this article, we’ll explore the different types of lines that may appear and how to get rid of them.
Ways to Fix Vertical Lines on Computer Screen Displays
In many cases, you may see thin green lines on computer screen displays. If you see these lines, but you can still operate your computer, there are some solutions. We’ll outline some of these solutions below.
Check Your Screen Resolution Display Settings
First, right-click the Start button on your screen. Then, select the Control Panel option. Once you’ve done so, navigate to the Appearance and Personalization choice.
Click here, then click Adjust screen resolution. The next step is to go down to Resolution and click the little drop-down arrow.
The setting marked Recommended is the one most suitable for your desktop or laptop screen. You can then set your brightness and contrast from monitor controls.
Update Your Graphics Driver
Another option for getting rid of these lines is to update your graphics driver. This practice is essential for ensuring your driver achieves its maximum performance. There are two primary ways to keep these up to date.
First, you can use third-party software. If you use your workplace computer most, your company may provide this software solution.
Another way to fix this problem is by updating your drivers manually. Follow these steps to do this.
First, right-click Start again and select the Device Manager. Then, check for the graphics or video card drivers that have a notification.
These notifications take several forms. Some of these include yellow exclamation marks, question marks, down-arrow marks, and error notifications.
If the driver has a yellow exclamation mark on it, click it twice. From there, open Propertiesand choose Update Driver under the Drivers tab. Finally, Restart your PC.
Check Whether Green Lines on Computer Screens Appear in the BIOS
If you get to the BIOS settings and still see these green lines, it could be a symptom of hardware failure. If so, perform a hard or forced reset. Next, issue a BIOS update.
Updating BIOS can be an intimidating step for many people. If you’re not sure how to go about this, don’t worry. You can always take your computer to expert technicians to have them look over it.
However, it’s also possible that you don’t see any vertical lines in the BIOS. If that happens, the cause likely stems from software issues. In this case, you can update the display drivers to remedy the problem.
How to Fix Horizontal Lines on Computer Screen Displays
Horizontal lines appearing on a screen often stem from similar issues as vertical lines. So, you may see overlapping approaches to solving these problems.
Bear in mind that many of these issues happen to affect various iterations of Windows programs. So, we’ll also include some fixes for different Windows generations.
Updating Your Graphics Driver
Once again, a leading cause of horizontal lines on computer screens stems from driver issues. If you have the wrong graphics driver for your system or an out-of-date model, updating the driver could solve the problem.
There are several ways to do this. Some software solutions will scan your system and find the best drivers for it. Once again, if this issue affects your work computer, you can talk to your boss or call the IT technicians to fix your problem.
Adjusting Your Screen Resolution
As with vertical lines, fixing your screen resolution could also resolve the issue. How you do this could change depending on what generation of Windows you use. We’ll cover how to do this on both Windows 10 and Windows 8/7.
If you’re using Windows 10, you can right-click the empty area of your desktop and find the Display Settings. From there, go to Resolution.
While in this setting, click the drop-down menu and make sure you select the recommended setting. Theoretically, this should resolve your issue. If it doesn’t, it may be time to take your computer to a technician.
That’s the approach for Windows 10, but what about Windows 8 or 7? Fortunately, fixing this is similar to the later 10 system.
As with Windows 10, start by right-clicking the empty part of your desktop screen. Next, click Screen Resolution. From there, adjust the screen resolution until you see the horizontal lines vanish.
Wipe the Screen Gently with Cotton Balls
If the above approaches don’t fix your issue, you may have a hardware problem with your desktop or laptop. So, what then?
Start by powering off your computer. Once it shuts down, use a few cotton balls to wipe the screen. Sometimes, these lines stem from grime or fluid that managed to infiltrate the glass.
However, don’t get overzealous. Go slowly and gently so that you don’t cause worse damage.
Final Step in Fixing Lines on Computer Screen
If none of the above approaches removes the lines on computer screen displays, there’s one final step to take. You’ll have to take your computer to the best technicians you can find.
If you need your computer repaired, consider our services! We’ve fixed our customer’s technology all across the state of Virginia. If you want the best service in the state, call us today to receive an estimate.
