How to Fix Windows + P Not Working on Windows 10/11? (2024)

You must be familiar with the Windows + P shortcut if you have more than one monitor. However, the Windows + P not working properly might happen occasionally. If you are facing this problem, this post from MiniTool can help you indeed.

It is inconvenient for multi-displayers when the Windows + P not working problem happens frequently. Here are several methods for you to fix this problem. You can read the instructions and try them one by one to find one that works for you.

How to Fix Windows + P Shortcut Not Working on Windows?

Fix 1: Run the Keyboard Troubleshooter

You are suggested to check whether the problem is caused by your keyboard’s misconfiguration, outdated driver, or physical damage.

Step 1: Press Win + I to open Windows Settings.

Step 2: Choose Update & Security, then shift to the Troubleshoot tab.

Step 3: Click on the Additional troubleshooters option on the right pane.

Step 4: Scroll down to find and click on Keyboard, then click Run the troubleshooter.

It will detect issues or any updates during the process. You can follow the on-screen instructions to fix the problem. If the problem doesn’t be resolved, you can move on to the next method.

Fix 2: Update/Reinstall the Display Driver

Another possible cause is the outdated driver. You can check the display driver by using Device Manager.

Step 1: Press Win + X and select Device Manager from the WinX menu.

Step 2: Locate and expand the Display adapters option.

Step 3: Right-click on the display driver and choose Update driver from the context menu.

Step 4: Choose Search automatically for drivers in the popup window.

It will search for the latest driver that is suitable for your computer. After this, you should restart your computer to fully apply the change.

If the problem is not fixed, you can reinstall the driver by choosing the Uninstall device from the same context menu and then clicking Uninstall again to confirm. The driver will be reinstalled automatically the next time you start the computer.

Fix 3: Turn Off the Game Mode

The Game Mode will turn off the background programs and tasks to improve the game experience. If you enable this feature, the Win + P shortcut may not work properly. You can go to check and turn off the Game Mode with the following steps.

Step 1: Press Win + S and type Game Mode Settings into the search box.

Step 2: Hit Enter to open the corresponding window.

Step 3: If the Game Mode is enabled, you can toggle the switch to Off.

After settings, you can close the window and try whether the Windows + P works normally.

Fix 4: Create a Display Switch Shortcut

You can create a display switch shortcut to troubleshoot the Win + P not working problem directly. You can create one with the following steps.

Step 1: Right-click on the blank space on your desktop, then choose New > Shortcut.

Step 2: You can copy and paste the location of one display switch option to enter the shortcut location box.

The positions of different display options are as below:

• PC screen only: %windir%\System32\DisplaySwitch.exe /internal
• Duplicate: %windir%\System32\DisplaySwitch.exe /clone
• Extend: %windir%\System32\DisplaySwitch.exe /extend
• Second screen only: %windir%\System32\DisplaySwitch.exe /external

Step 3: Click on the Next button.

Step 4: You can rename the shortcut, then click Finish.

Afterward, you can click on the shortcut on your desktop to reach the display switch option.

What does Windows + P Do?

The Windows + P shortcut helps you to control your multiple displays. You can switch between different displays smoothly by using this shortcut.

When you press Win + P, the PROJECT menu will appear on the right part of your screen. You can choose one option based on your requirements to switch to different screens.

• PC screen only: This option will only show videos on the primary screen.
• Duplicate: This option can display videos on the primary and second screens.
• Extend: This mode allows you to show your desktop to the screen as many as you connected.
• Second screen only: This mode will only show video on the second display.

Bottom Line

The Windows + P not working is not a fatal issue but can bother multi-display users a lot. Hope the methods in this post can help you resolve this problem. You are also welcome to share your problems with MiniTool software with us via [emailprotected].