How to Fix Laptop Screen Lines — Vertical and Horizontal Lines

Lines on a laptop screen are one of the most common display faults. Here's how to diagnose and fix them.

Step 1 — Hardware or Software?

Connect to an external monitor. If lines appear there too — it's a GPU/driver issue. If external display is fine — it's the screen panel or cable.

Step 2 — Update Display Drivers

Open Device Manager, expand Display Adapters, right-click and update or reinstall your graphics driver.

Step 3 — Check the Video Cable

Reseat the video cable connection on the back of the screen. If lines change when you flex the lid, a damaged cable is almost certainly the cause.

Step 4 — Replace the Screen Panel

If the cable is secure but lines persist, the LCD panel has likely failed. Signs: lines present from boot, visible on BIOS screen, physical damage marks visible.

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