This post will guide you in what to do if the DisplayLink in Windows 10 is not working. There are several users who reported that their DisplayLink device has stopped working with the Windows 20 Anniversary or the Creators update all of a sudden. According to users, this issue occurs right after they finish installing a big Windows Update like the Anniversary Update or the Creators Update or right when the DisplayLink driver is updated using Windows Update.
DisplayLink is a graphics transport technology that allows users to connect to any computer that supports USB or Wi-Fi. Aside from that, it is also an excellent universal docking solution to any platform which makes it a great solution for enabling multiple displays. Thus, it can be quite annoying when DisplayLink suddenly stops working. There really is no actual error message when it happens. The only telltale sign is that all the devices that use the DisplayLink technology will also stop functioning. There could be tons of reasons why DisplayLink stopped working. It could be due to an incompatible driver, or the DisplayLink driver itself is corrupted or is connected to a USB 2.0 port. In addition, the problem could also be due to the Nvidia Share (ShadowPlay) that conflicts with DisplayLink or that the Universal Serial Bus is broken. To resolve the issue, refer to the following options laid out below.
Option 1 – Run the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter
As you know, Windows comes with a built-in tool that you can use to troubleshoot the problem with DisplayLink. You can find it in Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot. For further instructions, follow these steps:
- The first thing you need to do is click on Start and then on the gear-like icon to pull up the window for Settings.
- After opening Settings, look for the Update and Security option and select it.
- From there, go to the Troubleshoot option located on the left-hand side of the list.
- Next, select Hardware and Devices from the list and open the Troubleshooter and run it. Once it is doing its job, wait for it to complete the process and then restart the system.
- After the system restarts, check if the problem’s now fixed. If not, refer to the next option given below.
Option 2 – Try to uninstall DisplayLink and reconnect the docking station
If the Hardware and Device troubleshooter is of no help, you can try uninstalling DisplayLink and reconnecting the docking station. To do so, follow these steps:
- Disconnect the docking station or any other device that uses DisplayLink.
- Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
- Then type “cpl” and hit Enter to open Programs and Features.
- From there, look for DisplayLink, right-click on it and click Uninstall.
- After that, follow the next on-screen instructions that appear on your screen to completely remove DisplayLink from your computer.
- Once you’ve uninstalled DisplayLink, click this link to download and install DisplayLink again.
- Now reconnect the docking station as well as other devices that use DisplayLink and follow the next on-screen instructions to reinstall the required drivers in your computer.
- Restart your computer and then check if DisplayLink is now working fine or not.
Option 3 – Try using a USB 3.0 port
If you are experiencing this issue with DisplayLink with a monitor that you’re trying to connect using DisplayLink, then you have to make sure that you are using a USB 3.0 port. Based on some reports, there are certain monitors that will not work with DisplayLink while connected to a USB 2.0 port since they have insufficient power to run the monitor.
Like pointed out earlier, the problem with DisplayLink might have something to do with the Nvidia ShadowPlay. This streaming feature was often reported to crash the DisplayLink monitors which is why you might want to try disabling it for a while to check if it’s really true. Once you’ve disabled Nvidia ShadowPlay, restart your computer and check if your DisplayLink monitor now works.
Option 5 – Reinstall the Universal Serial Bus controller
You can also reinstall the Universal Serial Bus controller to fix DisplayLink since a malfunctioning USB port can sometimes cause issues with DisplayLink.
- Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
- Then type “msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Device Manager.
- From there, look for the Universal Serial Bus controllers and expand its drop-down menu.
- Next, right-click on every Host Controller and then click on Uninstall Device.
- After uninstalling every entry, restart your computer to force your system to reinstall the drivers you’ve just uninstalled.
- Once your computer has rebooted, wait until the drivers are reinstalled and then try opening DisplayLink again.
Option 5 – Reinstall the Universal Serial Bus controller
You can also try to perform a System Restore as it can also help you fix DisplayLink. You can do this option either by booting into Safe Mode or in System Restore. If you are already in the Advanced Startup Options, just directly select System Restore and proceed with the next steps. And if you have just booted your PC into Safe Mode, refer to the steps below.
- Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
- After that, type in “sysdm.cpl” in the field and tap Enter.
- Next, go to the System Protection tab then click the System Restore button. This will open a new window where you have to select your preferred System Restore point.
- After that, follow the on-screen instructions to finish the process and then restart your computer and check if the problem is fixed or not.