Users of Dell monitors (U2414H LCD, S2417DG, and U2713H displays especially) are pretty familiar with the error message “No DisplayPort Cable” or the monitor saying “No signal” when setting up the display. Often, the monitor goes to sleep after this error message. It’s common in new monitors and can be annoying.
If there is no DP signal from your device on Dell monitor, this can be due to a hardware or software defect. In most cases, the error is caused by the cable between the display not being correctly connected or the LCD’s On-Screen Display (OSD) menu setting.
With a bit of luck, however, a monitor that is not receiving a display signal (or rather, a cable that’s not transmitting) can be fixed with a few tries. Keep reading to find out!
Dell monitor no DP signal from your device – possible causes
Some of the reasons for a no DP signal from your device on Dell monitor are the following:
1. The monitor’s DisplayPort may be damaged
You won’t get a DisplayPort signal if the port is bad. I suggest trying the DP cable on another display monitor so you can see if it’s the problem. You need to change the cable if the issue repeats on another monitor.
2. The cable is loosely plugged
Remove and plug the cable again, this time firmly, to see if the signal will come up. If it’s not coming up or the signal is coming up intermittently, it may be that the port is loose or the cable has a problem.
3. You haven’t enabled DisplayPort
Typically, the connection via DisplayPort should be recognized directly and automatically. However, some monitors like the Dell U2414H require that the DisplayPort is enabled before you can use it. And this is why many people have the no DP signal from your device issue on their monitors. To start using the DP with the monitor, you have to enable it manually.
4. Your graphics driver or firmware is outdated
An outdated graphics driver or monitor firmware may also cause the problem. On the other hand, if your drivers are up to date, perhaps the recent driver update you made is causing the issue.
5. Your graphics card doesn’t support the cable
Perhaps your version of the video card doesn’t support the DP cable. For example, if you’re using Dell S2417DG, your video card needs to have 586MHz or a higher pixel clock, according to Nvidia. So, confirming which video card version works with your monitor and cable is best.
6. Power saving is turned ON
I’ve seen a couple of Dell users resolve the no DP signal from your device issue by turning Power Savings OFF.
Dell Monitor No DP Signal from Your Device – Working Fixes to Try
Now that we have an idea of what the causes could be, here are some working fixes to try:
Fix 1: Check and reconnect the cable
If your screen remains in operation when waking up from power-saving mode without a signal, reconnecting the cable usually helps. Pull the cable OFF the monitor and plug the DisplayPort connector back into the corresponding port.
You can switch to a different port if you have more than one DP port. Then, with some luck, Windows will automatically re-detect the screen, and the signal will return.
Fix 2: Restart the monitor
If the monitor remains without a signal, Windows may have frozen. First, try to shut it down by pressing the power button. If this is unsuccessful, you can force the computer to shut down by pressing and holding the power button for a couple of seconds. This reboot should typically return your display signal.
Fix 3: Try an alternative connection cable
Defects in monitor cables are rare but possible. You can easily check this with an alternative cable. Alternatively, you could try a DisplayPort alternative like an HDMI, DVI, VGA, or S-Video.
Fix 4: Replace the graphics card
If the above doesn’t help, you could try replacing the graphics card. If that doesn’t help, we recommend contacting a professional or Dell support.
How do I enable Dell DisplayPort?
- Use the buttons on the right side of the front bezel to enter Display Settings in the menu.
- Select DisplayPort. This can be 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, etc., depending on your DisplayPort version
- Then select ENABLE. By now, your DisplayPort should be enabled for use on your monitor.
Source: Multimonitor Computer
As earlier mentioned, the connection via DisplayPort should be recognized directly and take place automatically. However, problems often arise as some monitors require a manual enabling of the DisplayPort.
However, the DisplayPort problem usually arises with DisplayPort 1.3 or 1.4. To enable this, you must check your graphics card for updates and update accordingly.
You can do this using the Nvidia Firmware Updater. It will inform you whether an update is necessary. This often affects older graphics types that were produced before 2018. The picture and sound should work if you have downloaded all necessary updates and connected your graphics card via DisplayPort.
How do you reset a Dell monitor?
To reset your Dell S2318M monitor to factory default settings, follow these instructions:
- Press the button labeled 3 (the menu button) in the diagram below on your Dell monitor. Doing this will make the monitor enter On Screen Display (OSD). This button looks like a miniature monitor that can be found on the side or front of the monitor.
Source: Dell
- Press Button 1 or 2 to highlight the Others option in the menu, and press Button 3 to select.
- Press Button 1 or 2 to have the Factory Reset option highlighted, and select using Button 3.
- Then use Button 3 to confirm reset.
How Do You Hard Reset a Dell Monitor Using a Third-Party Service?
Just above, I explained how to hard reset (or factory reset) a Dell monitor using the onboard buttons. However, unlike many brands of monitors, Dell monitors can be reset within Windows through third-party software that is available online for free.
- Go to http://www.entechtaiwan.com/lib/softmccs.shtm . Download the softMCCS software by clicking the word “softMCCS” next to the disk icon at the top left of the window.
- Click “Run” when prompted and follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation of softMCCS.
- Run the softMCCS program once the installer has finished.
- Scroll down the “SoftMCCS Default Options” window, then click the green reset arrow to the right of the “Restore Factory Defaults” option. The screen goes black and then turns back on.
- Click the green restore arrow to the right of the “Restore Factory Geometry Defaults” option.
- Click the green reset arrow to the right of “Reset Color Values.”
- Close the softMCCS software and click “no” if prompted to keep the new settings. The monitor is now restored to factory settings.
Tips and Warnings
Leave the softMCCS software installed on your computer for faster access if you need to restore the monitor at a later date.
Best DisplayPort alternatives for Dell Monitors
DisplayPort is, without a doubt, the best display connectivity option for Dell monitors. But suppose you’ve tried to no avail to connect your DisplayPort cable to the port with no signal. In that case, you may try the following alternatives:
- HDMI
Since HDMI is the most common monitor cable, there is almost any length for every need. However, while HDMI uses a 19-pin cable, DisplayPort has 20. Both HDMI and DisplayPort cables look alike, but the DisplayPort connector has a latch that prevents the cable from disconnecting accidentally.
- VGA
The VGA connection can be found on every somewhat older device but is no longer on newer monitors. This means you should consider using VGA only if your Dell monitor is old. So, this is not an option on models such as the Dell S3422DWG or Dell Alienware AW3821DW.
- DVI
Even today, the majority of graphics cards still have a DVI connection. There are numerous variations of the DVI connector. Here the connection to press it out also consists of numerous pins. Compared to the VGA connection, the maximum resolution is 2560 × 1600.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are quite a few fixes for a no DP signal from your device issue. The first thing to try is to unplug and plug in the cable again. Also, replacing the entire cable can help. Another option is to unplug the monitor and restart it. You can also connect your monitor to another monitor or connect the cable to another monitor. This way, you can determine whether the problem is with the cable, monitor, or graphics card.
