Monitors blinking on and off

Thank you for your message.

Has there been any recent hardware or software changes made recently?

Please disconnect all the cables from the monitor, press & hold down the power button for 30 seconds (this will release the static). Connect only the power cord & start the monitor & check if the screen flickers. This will help us diagnose if there is an issue with the monitor.

Restart the computer & tap F12, choose diagnostics. Check if there is an error message listed.

Please click on the message tab – click new message & search for my Dell username (Dell-Sreejith R) & send a private message with the service tag, registered name & email address.

How to fix the flashes of dell monitor

https://downloads.dell.com/manuals/all-products/esuprt_display_projector/esuprt_display/dell-s2318h-monitor_user%27s_guide_en-us.pdf

Your monitor provides a self-test feature that allows you to check if your monitor is  functioning properly. If your monitor and computer are properly connected but the  monitor screen remains dark, run the monitor self-test by performing the following  steps:
1.  Turn off both your computer and the monitor.
2. Disconnect the video cable from the back of the computer. To ensure proper
Self-Test operation, remove all digital and analog cables from the back of
monitor.
3. Turn on the monitor.
If the monitor is working correctly, it detects that there is no signal and one of
the following message appears. While in self-test mode, the power LED remains
white.

Dell S2X18H/HX
The display will go into Power Save Mode in 4 minutes.
www.dell.com/support/monitors
No HDMI Cable?

NOTE:This box also appears during normal system operation, if the video cable
is disconnected or damaged.
4. Turn off your monitor and reconnect the video cable; then turn on both your
computer and the monitor.

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@LisaCrawford wrote:
Need help my monitors are blinking on and off and I can not get to settings; I’ve powered down and restarted in F8 but it won’t go to repair location

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Always include the exact PC model and version of Windows in your posts.

If you're using Win 8.1 or Win 10, F8 doesn't do anything.

Reboot and immediately tap F12 to open that menu. Do screens blink now? Look for option on the F12 menu to run diagnostics and run all of them.

Can you also test these monitors on a different PC? That will tell if this is a monitor problem or an issue with the PC (eg, video card and/or software).

I've had a Dell 24" monitor for a few years.  Recently, it started blinking off for a few seconds with a message "scanning for signal", then it blinks back on.  I tested all the connections, tried turning it off and one, etc.  I figured the monitor was just giving in to old age and go another Dell 24 inch SE2422HX Monitor and hooked it up.  It's doing exactly the same thing so clearing it's not the monitor itself.  I've tried everything, changing cables, blowing potential dust out of the ports, changing the refresh rate, etc.  Nothing is fixing the problem.  As I said, it's worked flawlessly for a number of years, this is a very recent problem.  I have a TESmart Dual monitor KVM that it's going through so I can switch between my HP laptop (work) and my Dell desktop (home).  However, the problem isn't there because I've had this setup for about 5 years and the problem just started happening about 2 weeks ago.  Help!!

"Always include the exact PC model and version of Windows in your posts." - RoHe

If your monitor is plugged in HDMI, try DP.  My Precision 3620 has the same problem on the HDMI port, but DP works fine.

@bradthetechnut​ 

Thank you for responding.

Both computers (HP Elite Notebook and Dell XP 8940 177NILM desktop) are running Windows 11.  However, absolutely nothing on either of those machines has changed since before the problem started.  There's been no SW or HW updates to initiate the problem, not even the updates from both vendors.  I've tried both DP and HDMI on both computers, nothing fixes it.  I find no common denominator for the problem. I was sure it was the old monitor just giving up from old age, but the brand new one is doing the same thing.  I'm scratching my head on what to try next.  Thanks for the input!

@Whyisthissohard​ 

For what it's worth...

BTW, I'm using 2 extended monitors for the laptop.  When I'm on the laptop, I have 3 monitors in total (onboard and extended Dell monitors).  When I'm on the desktop, it's just the 2 Dell monitors. 

The other Dell monitor is having zero problems. 

When on the laptop, the functioning monitor is #1 with #2 being the main display (the poorly functioning one).

When on my desktop,  the functioning monitor #1 is the main display and functioning with the poorly functioning monitor is #2.

So, I don't think it's a case with the specific screen assignments in the display.

Hi Community!  Does anybody have anything else else I can try to resolve this monitor issue?  I've messed with all of the setting I can think of and still no success.  I'd appreciate any guess, however wild it might seem.  Thanks!

Could it be the KVM switch/hub?  If I remember right, you said it doesn't matter which monitor is #2, it has the blinking problem.  What if it's plugged in directly?  That may help troubleshoot the KVM switch/hub, or try a different one.