Windows 11 Screen Flickering with YouTube: Fix It Now

If you're experiencing screen flickering in Windows, it is often caused by a display driver issue or an incompatible app. Here’s a guide to help you troubleshoot and fix the issue.

How to Troubleshoot Screen Flickering in Windows 11?​

1. Check to See if Task Manager Flickers​

1. Open Task Manager:
   • Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete and select Task Manager.
   • If Task Manager doesn't open, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
2. Observe the Screen:
   • If Task Manager flickers along with everything else, the issue is likely with your display driver.
   • If only the rest of the screen flickers, an incompatible app is probably the cause.

This will help you identify whether the issue is with the display driver or an incompatible app.

2. Disable graphics/hardware acceleration​

2.1 Google Chrome​

1. Launch the browser, paste the following path in the address bar and hit Enter:chrome://settings/system
2. Now, disable the toggle for Use graphics acceleration when available.
   
3. Relaunch the browser to apply the changes.

2.2 Microsoft Edge​

1. Launch the browser, paste the following path in the address bar and hit Enter:edge://settings/system
2. Disable the toggle next to Use graphics acceleration when available, and then relaunch the browser.
   

2.3 Opera​

1. Launch Opera, paste the following path in the address bar and hit Enter:opera://settings/system
2. Disable the toggle for Use graphics acceleration when available, and then relaunch the browser.
   

If the YouTube screen flickers in full-screen mode, disabling hardware/graphics acceleration on the browser should fix things in no time. Although the video quality may be affected!

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3. Fix Your Display Driver​

3.1. Roll Back Your Display Driver​

1. Open Device Manager:
   • Click on the Start Menu and type Device Manager.
   • Select Device Manager from the list of results.
2. Expand Display Adapters:
   • Click the arrow next to Display adapters to expand it.
3. Open Properties:
   • Right-click the display adapter and select Properties.
4. Roll Back Driver:
   • Go to the Driver tab and select Roll Back Driver.
   • Click Yes to confirm and then restart your device.

Rolling back your driver can resolve issues caused by recent updates.

3.2. Update Your Display Driver​

1. Open Device Manager:
   • Click on the Start Menu and type Device Manager.
   • Select Device Manager from the list of results.
2. Expand Display Adapters:
   • Click the arrow next to Display adapters to expand it.
3. Update Driver:
   • Right-click the display adapter and select Update driver.

Updating ensures you have the latest driver that might resolve flickering.

3.3 Uninstall Your Display Driver​

1. Open Device Manager:
   • Click on the Start Menu and type Device Manager.
   • Select Device Manager from the list of results.
2. Expand Display Adapters:
   • Click the arrow next to Display adapters to expand it.
3. Uninstall Driver:
   • Right-click the display adapter and select Properties.
   • Go to the Driver tab and select Uninstall Device.
   • Check Delete the driver software for this device and click OK.
   • Restart your device.

Windows will attempt to reinstall the driver upon restart.

4. Update or Uninstall an Incompatible App​

4.1. Update an App​

1. From Microsoft Store:
   • Open Microsoft Store from the Start Menu.
   • Click on Library.
   • Select Get updates to update all installed apps.
2. From Manufacturer's Site:
   • Visit the manufacturer’s website.
   • Download and install the latest version of the app.

Updating apps can fix compatibility issues causing flickering.

4.2. Uninstall an App​

1. Open Settings:
   • Click on the Start Menu and select Settings.
   • Go to Apps and then Apps & features.
2. Find and Uninstall the App:
   • Locate the app causing issues.
   • Click the app and select Uninstall.
   • Confirm by clicking Uninstall again.
3. Restart Your Device:
   • After uninstalling, restart your device and check if the problem is resolved.

If the flickering persists, try uninstalling other apps one by one.

Reinstall an App (if necessary)​

1. Open Microsoft Store:
   • Open Microsoft Store from the Start Menu.
2. Reinstall the App:
   • Go to Library.
   • Find the app and select Install.

Reinstalling ensures you have a clean and updated version of the app.