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Fix: Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter not Connecting

Check out these fixes to resolve Microsoft wireless display adapter not connecting issue

8 min. read

Updated onOctober 4, 2023

updated onOctober 4, 2023

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Key notes

Some Surface Pro 3 usershave complainedthat they’re unable to connect their Surface to a smart TV via the Microsoft wireless display adapter after the upgrade to Windows 10.

So, we did a little research on this and found a couple of solutions for the problem with the Microsoft wireless display adapter in Windows 10.

Problems with Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter can prevent you from enjoying multimedia on an external display. Speaking of issues, users reported the following problems as well:

Why does Windows 10 not connect to a wireless display?

Here are some common reasons your Windows 10 PC couldn’t connect to a wireless display.

How do I fix the Microsoft wireless display adapter if it’s not connecting?

1. Uninstall the driver, and let Windows install it

In some cases, just uninstalling the Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter driver and letting Windows 10 install it again automatically will solve the problem.

Now you can turn on your TV and check if everything is OK. If the issue is still present, you can try using a dedicated driver update tool to do it automatically.

Outbyte Driver Updater

2. Reset the adapter

If reinstalling drivers didn’t get the job done, you can try resetting the adapter. This will bring your Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter to its default settings, so it would now be changed if something was wrong.

3. Change the wireless frequency band

If you’re using Surface 3, Surface Pro 3, Surface Pro 4, or Surface Book, you can communicate with the Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter on the 2.4GHz or 5GHz wireless frequency band.

However, you must have the 2.4GHz frequency band enabled if you want to pair your Surface device with the adapter.

So, if this frequency band is disabled, you won’t be able to use the Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter to project the screen from your Surface on your TV.

It’s also good to keep a closer eye on your Wi-Fi connection. We have a list of thebest Wi-Fi analyzer tools for Windows 10that will help you with that.

4. Reinstall the graphics card driver

And finally, maybe some issues with your graphics card (Intel HD Graphics, if you’re using Surface) usually prevent your Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter from working.

So, we’re going to do the same thing as we did in the first step, only with a different device.

Windows Update will install your graphics card driver again, and you’ll know if it was an issue or not.

5. Connect the adapter properly

If the Connect to a wireless display option is not showing, you might be able to fix the problem by connecting it properly.

This is a basic solution, but several users reported it worked for them, so be sure to try it out.

6. Change your refresh rate

Your refresh rate can cause this issue. However, several users reported fixing the problem simply by opening their graphics adapter software and changing the refresh rate from 30Hz to 25Hz.

Users reported this problem with Intel Graphics, but the issue might appear with other graphics adapters as well.

7. Uninstall problematic software

Sometimes third-party applications can interfere with your Internet connection and cause various problems. For example, if you can’t connect to a wireless display in Windows 10, the cause might be your VPN client.

Many users reported thatCyber Ghost VPNcaused this issue, and after removing the application, the problem was resolved.

If you continue using Cyber Ghost, we advise you to download and install the latest version and check if that solves your issue.

VPN applications aren’t the only apps that can cause this problem, so you might have to research before you find the problematic application.

8. Disable your antivirus software

The problem might be your antivirus software if the Microsoft wireless display adapter is not connecting.

According to users, antivirus software such as AVG can sometimes interfere with your Internet connection and prevent Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter from working.

To fix the issue, users recommend temporarily disabling your antivirus and checking if that solves the problem.

Even if you disable your antivirus, your PC will remain protected by Windows Defender, so there’s no reason to worry. However, if disabling the antivirus doesn’t help, you might have to remove your antivirus.

It’s worth mentioning that antivirus tools can leave specific files and registry entries behind, so it’s recommended to use a dedicated removal tool.

Once you remove all files associated with your antivirus, the issue should be resolved.

Now you can reinstall the latest version of your antivirus orswitch to a different antivirus solutionand check if that solves the problem.

How do I fix Microsoft wireless display adapter not connecting on Windows 11?

Here are some quick solutions that you can apply to fix the wireless display adapter not connecting to your Windows 11 PC.

Does the Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter require Wi-Fi?

The Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter is one of the cheap options to project something on a TV because it is a Miracast device.

Moreover, it does not require access to a Wi-Fi connection to project something since it makes use of Wi-Fi direct to communicate between devices. This helps it communicate through a peer-to-peer network without relying on a standard router.

All you need to do is attach the adapter to your TV or projector using HDMI powered by USB.

Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter is a solid device, but sometimes issues can occur. Try some of our solutions if you have any problems with your Microsoft Wireless Display adapter.

Fix: Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter not Connecting#

Why does Windows 10 not connect to a wireless display?#

How do I fix the Microsoft wireless display adapter if it’s not connecting?#

1. Uninstall the driver, and let Windows install it#

Outbyte Driver Updater#

2. Reset the adapter#

3. Change the wireless frequency band#

4. Reinstall the graphics card driver#

5. Connect the adapter properly#

6. Change your refresh rate#

7. Uninstall problematic software#

8. Disable your antivirus software#

How do I fix Microsoft wireless display adapter not connecting on Windows 11?#

Does the Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter require Wi-Fi?#