How to Check for Disconnected Monitor Power Cable Connections

Monitor won't turn on? Check every power point from the wall to the monitor

By
Tim Fisher
Photo of Tim Fisher, Lifewire GM and Writer
Tim Fisher
Senior Vice President & Group General Manager, Tech & Sustainability
  • Emporia State University
Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the VP and General Manager of Lifewire.
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Updated on August 11, 2022

What to Know

  • Check the power cable: The power cable connected to the monitor should fit firmly in the port on the back of the monitor.
  • Follow the power cable from the monitor to the wall outlet, surge protector, power strip, or battery backup. Ensure it's securely plugged in.
  • If you're using a surge protector or UPS, ensure that particular device is securely plugged into the wall outlet.

This article explains the process for checking for a proper power connection to a computer monitor. Checking every point where electricity is delivered to the monitor is usually an early troubleshooting step when a monitor is blank.

01
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Check the Power Cable Behind the Monitor

Picture of a power cable and HDMI cable plugged into the back of a monitor
Power cable connection behind monitor.

The power cable connected to the monitor should fit firmly in the port on the back of the monitor. This power cable is often (but not always) the exact same type as the power cable to the computer case, but may be a different color.

The monitor you see in this picture has an HDMI cable plugged in on the right; the power cable is located on the left in this picture. In this example, the monitor uses a three-pronged port, but not all monitors are identical; some, for example, have a much smaller, circular port.

If you have trouble identifying the power cable and its port, consider that there are probably only two cables plugged in to your monitor: the power and video cables. A process of elimination should help determine the power cable.

Some older styles of monitors have power cables that are "hard-wired" directly to the monitor. These cables don't typically come loose. If you suspect an issue with this type of power connection, keep your personal safety in mind and don't service the monitor yourself; replace it or seek help from a computer repair service.

Make sure you power off the monitor, using the power button on the front, before securing the power cable into the back of the monitor. If it's powered on and the other end of the power cable is plugged into a working outlet, you run the risk of electric shock.

02
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Verify Monitor Power Cables Are Securely Plugged In

Screenshot of several power cables plugged into a power strip
Power cable connections on power strip.

Follow the power cable from the back of the monitor to the wall outlet, surge protector, power strip, or battery backup that it is (or should be) plugged in to.

Make sure the power cable is securely plugged in.

03
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Verify Power Strip or Surge Protector Is Securely Plugged Into a Wall Outlet

Power cable connection on wall outlet
Power cable connection on wall outlet.

If the power cable from the monitor was plugged into the wall outlet in the last step, your verification is already complete.

If your power cable is instead plugged into a surge protector, UPS, etc., ensure that particular device is securely plugged into the wall outlet. If you're using one of these devices, there's an extra step you need to verify: that the surge protector or UPS is also switched on.

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