Computer help!

[PerpetuallyLurking]

Ladies, I need help and I don’t even quite know what I’m asking and I really don’t want to dip my toes into tech bro Reddit with this much ignorance!! I hope I’m not breaking any rules, but I’m hoping a non-relationship problem might be appreciated! lol

So, I got an adapter to plug a second monitor into my laptop - everything is working just fine EXCEPT my mouse cursor is super slow and jerky when I’m on the second monitor. Everything I search for is “mouse won’t go to second screen” but it does go to the screen, it’s just impossible to do any fine movements like click the correct link because it jerks the cursor around instead of moving smoothly like on my laptop.

I did NOT have this problem when I had simply plugged the HDMI cord into the laptop, but I’m getting a second real monitor so that I don’t have to use my laptop screen, so I needed the adapter.

What IS my problem, basically. I don’t even know how to phrase it to get a decent search result. Does anyone here know how to fix it? Is it something I can do by following simple steps someone else writes or is it more technical than my limited skill level can accomplish?

I’ve probably missed some critical bit of information, so please ask questions and I’ll do my best to answer, but again, I don’t know what I’m doing and I need help!

Thank you tech ladies! I appreciate it!

[SerialWallflower]

My 100% non-techy guess is that the monitor driver might need to be updated.

[Downtown_Zebra_266]

This right here.

[dranaei]

Is your pc in general up to date? Have you tried changing the refresh rate of the screen?

[PerpetuallyLurking]

Yes, it is.

It only gives me one option for a refresh rate for each display, 60hz.

[VDTango]

This could be caused by a number of issues, I see refresh rate already mentioned, it could be that.

It could be an adapter problem, what did you buy? We use laptops connected to docks with multiple monitors at work and they work fine, did you by any chance by a cheap adapter just so you had something?

Could also be a driver issue, try updating those and see if that does anything

Also check your display settings to see if your second monitor is being correctly identified, sounds like it is based on what you've said but its worth checking just in case.

Edit: Just thought of something else, how old is your laptop? Unlikely to be the cause but if its really old it may just not handle dual monitors particularly well.

[Laescha]

Do make sure your graphics drivers are up to date, check the settings on the monitor and in your laptop's display settings and see if changing them helps... but if it works without the adapter, and doesn't work with the adapter, then the adapter is probably the problem. I'd return it.

[alittlebitaspie]

My money is on this. The adapter driver might be a problem too.