My computer is having a weird display issue where it’s constantly displaying previously closed apps and haveing strange gamma

Question

My computer is having a weird display issue where it’s constantly displaying previously closed apps and haveing strange gamma

Ethan Rupper 20

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

Hendrix-V 19,115 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi Ethan Rupper,

The symptoms you described - previously closed windows remaining visible on the screen along with unusual color/gamma changes - can sometimes be related to the graphics subsystem, display settings, or the display panel itself.

To help narrow this down, please try the following quick checks:

1, Restart the graphics driver - press Win+Ctrl+Shift+B.

The screen may flicker briefly while Windows refreshes the display driver.

2, Test with another display - connect your PC to an external monitor or TV.

If the issue only appears on the built-in display, the screen panel may be the source of the problem.

3, Temporarily disable display enhancements

Turn off HDR, Night Light, or any manufacturer-provided color enhancement features.
Check if the ghosting or gamma issue changes afterward.

If possible, please share more information as suggested by the Independent Advisor that will help determine whether this is related to display hardware, graphics drivers, or a software configuration.

Let me know if you need further assistance, feel free to ask me by clicking "Add Comment" or "Add Answer" if you cannot add comment so your response will be visible. Thanks for your effort.

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

Hendrix-V 19,115 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-06-26T07:24:08.53+00:00

Hi Ethan Rupper,

If you have any further questions or updates regarding this issue, please feel free to let me know in the Comments section. I'd be happy to assist you.
Ethan Rupper 20 Reputation points

2026-06-30T15:06:50.8466667+00:00

I’ve already reset the graphics driver and that didn’t work for the last week I’ve been using a separate monitor which doesn’t have the screen glitches. I’ve taken it off the monitor and The screens gamma problems seem to be mostly better though the colors still a bit off and there’s still some artifacts
Hendrix-V 19,115 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-07-02T04:20:16.45+00:00
Please note that our forum is a public platform, and we will modify your question to hide your personal information in the description. Kindly ensure that you hide any personal or organizational information the next time you post an error or other details to protect personal data.

Hi Ethan Rupper,

Thank you for sharing the additional troubleshooting results.

Since the display appears normal on an external monitor, and the artifacts remain visible on the laptop's built-in screen, this helps narrow the issue considerably. The remaining visual artifacts and color irregularities suggest the problem is more likely related to the laptop display panel or its internal display connection rather than Windows itself.

A few targeted checks that you can try:

Check if the artifacts appear in BIOS

Restart the computer and enter the BIOS/UEFI setup screen.

If the artifacts are visible there as well, it points to a hardware-related display issue.

Test different screen angles

Slowly move the laptop lid forward and backward.

If the artifacts change or flicker, it may indicate an issue with the display cable connection.

Run the manufacturer's display diagnostics - use any built-in hardware diagnostics provided by your laptop manufacturer to test the LCD panel.

Based on your testing so far, the external monitor working normally is a useful indicator that the graphics processor is likely functioning correctly, while the built-in display path may need further inspection.

If possible, please let us know the laptop model and whether the artifacts are visible in the BIOS screen. That information will help determine the most appropriate next step.

I hope this helps point you in the right direction, and I look forward to your update.
Ethan Rupper 20 Reputation points

2026-07-15T20:44:27.4566667+00:00

Sorry that I haven’t posted any updates in a while, the computer I was talking about suddenly overheated and now it’s very likely that I will not be able to check anything on it again. Though I think that the bios was probably the issue
Hendrix-V 19,115 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-07-15T23:50:23.5333333+00:00

Hi Ethan Rupper,

I hope the insights shared in the forum help address your concerns effectively.

If there is anything else I can assist you with, please feel free to let me know in the Comments section.

1 additional answer

Your answer

Hendrix-V 19,115 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-06-26T07:24:08.53+00:00

Hi Ethan Rupper,

If you have any further questions or updates regarding this issue, please feel free to let me know in the Comments section. I'd be happy to assist you.
Ethan Rupper 20 Reputation points

2026-06-30T15:06:50.8466667+00:00

I’ve already reset the graphics driver and that didn’t work for the last week I’ve been using a separate monitor which doesn’t have the screen glitches. I’ve taken it off the monitor and The screens gamma problems seem to be mostly better though the colors still a bit off and there’s still some artifacts
Hendrix-V 19,115 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-07-02T04:20:16.45+00:00

Please note that our forum is a public platform, and we will modify your question to hide your personal information in the description. Kindly ensure that you hide any personal or organizational information the next time you post an error or other details to protect personal data.

Hi Ethan Rupper,

Thank you for sharing the additional troubleshooting results.

Since the display appears normal on an external monitor, and the artifacts remain visible on the laptop's built-in screen, this helps narrow the issue considerably. The remaining visual artifacts and color irregularities suggest the problem is more likely related to the laptop display panel or its internal display connection rather than Windows itself.

A few targeted checks that you can try:

Check if the artifacts appear in BIOS

Restart the computer and enter the BIOS/UEFI setup screen.

If the artifacts are visible there as well, it points to a hardware-related display issue.

Test different screen angles

Slowly move the laptop lid forward and backward.

If the artifacts change or flicker, it may indicate an issue with the display cable connection.

Run the manufacturer's display diagnostics - use any built-in hardware diagnostics provided by your laptop manufacturer to test the LCD panel.

Based on your testing so far, the external monitor working normally is a useful indicator that the graphics processor is likely functioning correctly, while the built-in display path may need further inspection.

If possible, please let us know the laptop model and whether the artifacts are visible in the BIOS screen. That information will help determine the most appropriate next step.

I hope this helps point you in the right direction, and I look forward to your update.
Ethan Rupper 20 Reputation points

2026-07-15T20:44:27.4566667+00:00

Sorry that I haven’t posted any updates in a while, the computer I was talking about suddenly overheated and now it’s very likely that I will not be able to check anything on it again. Though I think that the bios was probably the issue
Hendrix-V 19,115 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-07-15T23:50:23.5333333+00:00

Hi Ethan Rupper,

I hope the insights shared in the forum help address your concerns effectively.

If there is anything else I can assist you with, please feel free to let me know in the Comments section.

Answer 1

John DeV 170.2K Independent Advisor

Hi, good day!

When was the last time it worked properly?
Have you made any changes to your computer recently?
Does the issue appear in BIOS?
Does it appear on an external monitor?

Please try to connect your computer to a different monitor or TV.

Alternatively, connect the monitor to another computer.

I look forward to receiving your update and I'm willing to collaborate with you till we resolve the issue. Do keep me informed by clicking "Add comment" below instead of Yes or No button.

Ethan Rupper 20 Reputation points

2026-06-26T19:10:03.41+00:00

It worked properly a day or two before I posted this

it does work normally on an alternate monitor and that is the thing I am currently using

I have not made any significant changes recently though in may I did update the graphics driver

i dont know how to check BIOS and I will attempt to look at that