How to Fix OneNote Flickering or Not Working on Second Monitor in Windows 11

Microsoft OneNote is a widely used note-taking application that helps users organize notes, tasks, research, and collaborative content across multiple devices. Many professionals and students use OneNote with dual-monitor setups on Windows 11 to improve productivity and multitasking. However, some users encounter issues where OneNote starts flickering, freezing, lagging, or completely stops working when moved to a second monitor.

This problem can occur due to display scaling conflicts, graphics driver issues, hardware acceleration bugs, refresh rate mismatches, or corrupted app settings. In some cases, OneNote may work perfectly on the primary display but behave abnormally on an external monitor or secondary screen.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through several effective methods to fix OneNote flickering or not working on a second monitor in Windows 11.

How to Fix OneNote Flickering or Not Working on Second Monitor

Before trying advanced troubleshooting methods, it’s recommended to check whether the issue is limited to OneNote or affects other apps as well. In many cases, the problem is caused by display settings or graphics-related conflicts that can be resolved with a few simple adjustments. Follow the methods below in order for the best results.

1. Restart Your PC and Second Monitor

Temporary glitches in Windows 11 or the graphics subsystem can sometimes cause display-related problems.

1. Save your work in OneNote.
2. Restart your PC normally.
3. Turn off the second monitor and unplug it for a few seconds.
4. Reconnect the monitor and launch OneNote again.

This refreshes display connections and clears temporary system issues.

2. Check Display Scaling Settings

Different scaling values between monitors can sometimes cause flickering or rendering problems in OneNote.

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
2. Navigate to System > Display.
3. Select your second monitor.
4. Under Scale & layout, set the scaling to the recommended value, such as 100% or 125%.
5. Ensure both monitors use compatible scaling settings.

Incorrect scaling configurations often lead to UI flickering in desktop applications.

3. Match Refresh Rates on Both Monitors

Mismatched refresh rates may cause instability when moving apps between displays.

1. Open Settings > System > Display.
2. Click Advanced display.
3. Select the second monitor.
4. Under Choose a refresh rate, select a stable refresh rate such as 60Hz or match it with your primary monitor.

After changing the refresh rate, reopen OneNote and check if the issue persists.

4. Disable Hardware Graphics Acceleration in OneNote

Hardware acceleration can sometimes conflict with certain GPU drivers or multi-monitor setups.

1. Open Microsoft OneNote.
2. Click File > Options.
3. Go to the Advanced tab.
4. Under the Display section, enable:
   Disable hardware graphics acceleration.
5. Click OK and restart OneNote.

This forces OneNote to use software rendering, which can reduce flickering issues.

5. Update Graphics Drivers

Outdated or corrupted graphics drivers are one of the most common causes of monitor-related issues.

1. Press Windows + X and select Device Manager.
2. Expand Display adapters.
3. Right-click your graphics card and select Update driver.
4. Choose Search automatically for drivers.

You can also download the latest drivers directly from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel.

Updated drivers often resolve display rendering and flickering problems.

6. Repair the OneNote App

Corrupted application files may cause OneNote to malfunction on secondary displays.

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
2. Go to Apps > Installed apps.
3. Locate OneNote.
4. Click the three-dot menu and select Advanced options.
5. Scroll down and click Repair.

Once the repair process completes, relaunch OneNote.

7. Reset OneNote

If repairing does not help, resetting the app may resolve persistent issues.

1. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
2. Find OneNote and open Advanced options.
3. Click Reset.
4. Confirm the action when prompted.

Resetting removes corrupted app data and restores default settings.

8. Change Graphics Performance Preference

Windows 11 allows you to assign graphics preferences to individual apps.

1. Open Settings > System > Display.
2. Click Graphics.
3. Add OneNote if it is not listed.
4. Click Options and select either:
   • Power saving, or
   • High performance
5. Save the changes and restart OneNote.

Switching GPU modes may resolve monitor rendering conflicts.

9. Install Windows Updates

System bugs affecting display handling may already be fixed in newer Windows updates.

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
2. Go to Windows Update.
3. Click Check for updates.
4. Install all available updates and restart your PC.

Keeping Windows updated improves compatibility with external displays and applications.

10. Reinstall OneNote

If none of the methods work, reinstalling OneNote can provide a clean fix.

1. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
2. Locate OneNote and click Uninstall.
3. Restart your PC.
4. Download OneNote again from the Microsoft Store or official website.
5. Install the application and sign back into your account.

A fresh installation removes corrupted files and restores proper functionality.

Conclusion

OneNote flickering or not working on a second monitor in Windows 11 is usually caused by display scaling conflicts, graphics driver issues, or hardware acceleration problems. Fortunately, most users can resolve the issue using simple troubleshooting methods such as adjusting display settings, updating drivers, or repairing the app.

By following the solutions outlined above, you should be able to use OneNote smoothly across multiple monitors without flickering or stability issues. If the problem continues even after reinstalling the app, it may indicate deeper graphics compatibility problems related to your monitor or GPU configuration.