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Intel Iris Plus Graphics Driver causes flickering on Microsoft Surface Pro 7

GreenLizard1995
Beginner
29,289 Views

Good evening,

maybe someone knows something about this problem and has a solution or maybe the same issue.

I bought a brand-new Microsoft Surface Pro 7 a month ago. After a while the screen of the tablet started flickering, when the content of the screen was static or when i moved the mouse.

I researched a bit online and found some solutions or tips. The flickering isn't caused by any apps and the device is fine. When I deinstalled the driver and set it back to default (Microsoft Basic Adapter), the flickering stopped and everything was fine. But the driver installs itself back again and the flickering starts from anew.

Can someone help me with the problem. What should I do or what can I do?

Thank you.

Greetings Lizzie.

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19 Replies
AndrewG_Intel
Moderator
29,274 Views

Hello GreenLizard1995

Thank you for posting on the Intel® communities.


In order to check this further, could you please provide the following details?


1- Do you know what the driver version is that is constanly installing and causing this behavior?


2- Just to make sure, the issue only occurs on the built-in display and when the content of the screen was static or when moving the mouse? So for instance, it does not occur when playing a video or a game, is this correct?


3- Have you checked if the issue occurs on an external display?


4- Please run the Intel® Processor Diagnostic Tool to test the functionality of the processor :

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/19792/Intel-Processor-Diagnostic-Tool

To save the report, once the test is done, click on "File >> View Results File" and attach the .txt file to this thread.


5- Please provide a DxDiag* report following these steps:

  • In the keyboard, press WinLogo key + R.
  • In the Run box please type dxdiag and hit Enter.
  • Click on Save All Information.
  • Open the report.
  • Use the option "save all information" to save the .TXT file.


Note: To upload and attach a file, use the "Drag and drop here or browse files to attach" dialog below the edit box.


Best regards,

Andrew G.

Intel Customer Support Technician


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GreenLizard1995
Beginner
29,261 Views

Good day, thank you for the reply!

1. The driver is the Intel Iris Plus Graphics Driver Version 26.20.100.7641.

2. The issue only occurs when the content of the screen is static. While watching a video or playing a game the screen does not flicker.

3. I sadly dont have a second monitor to check that.

4. I attached both files to the reply.

 

Thanks for the help!

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AndrewG_Intel
Moderator
29,239 Views

Hello GreenLizard1995

Thank you for your response. We noticed that result of the test is "Pass" which should be an indication that the processor is working fine.


This driver 26.20.100.7641 should be one of the customized drivers provided by Microsoft. We would like to suggest trying the Bundled Driver package* available from Microsoft webiste, maybe a different driver will be obtained from this package (or maybe different behavior): https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=100419


We did some research and didn't find similar problem regarding Surface Pro 7, but we did find a similar forum* rearding Surface Pro 4 and we would like to share some of the suggstions:

  1. Does the issue occurs if you lower the screen resolution or refresh rate?
  2. Is the behavior the same if you perform a clean boot in Windows? How to perform a clean boot in Windows >> https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/929135/how-to-perform-a-clean-boot-in-windows
  3. Try to Calibrate the touch screen. Please refer to Microsoft® support or official Microsoft® documentation for the proper steps.


As a second option, you may try to install one of the Intel generic drivers. However, usually installation of generic drivers on Microsoft® Surface devices is not allowed/approved by Microsoft. You may try installing Intel's graphics driver Version: 27.20.100.8681:

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/29855/Intel-Graphics-Windows-10-DCH-Drivers


If you encounter problems to install the driver, you may try the Clean Installation of Intel® Graphics Drivers in Windows® 10 steps. However, we highly recommend checking first with Microsoft® Support if this is recommended (or perhaps they can assist you to install and test using Intel® generic driver):

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000057389/graphics.html


Best regards,

Andrew G.

Intel Customer Support Technician


*Links to third-party sites and references to third-party trademarks are provided for convenience and illustrative purposes only. Unless explicitly stated, Intel® is not responsible for the contents of such links, and no third-party endorsement of Intel® or any of its products is implied.

*Surface Pro 4 screen flickers forum: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/forum/all/surface-pro-4-screen-flickers/e431e3c8-ced5-4ed7-b208-eda8c72aa313


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AndrewG_Intel
Moderator
29,186 Views

Hello GreenLizard1995


We are checking this thread and we would like to know if you were able to try the previous recommendations or to check this with Microsoft® Support. Please feel free to share any feedback about the outcome of the steps.


Best regards,

Andrew G.

Intel Customer Support Technician


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AndrewG_Intel
Moderator
29,168 Views

Hello GreenLizard1995


We are checking this thread and we have not heard back from you so we will proceed to close it now. If the issue persists, and considering this is a new laptop and the updates for this platform is highly customized and controlled by Microsoft, we recommend checking this further with Microsoft support for further debugging from their side and to discard possibility of hardwdare issue. If you need any additional information, please submit a new question as this thread will no longer being monitored.


Best regards,

Andrew G.

Intel Customer Support Technician


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jmdd21
Beginner
29,137 Views

I don't think it's a Microsoft issue. Flickering also happens for me on an HP Pavilion laptop, and only with Intel Iris Plus Graphics installed (27.20.100.8681). The flickering only happens on initial boot from a shut down state, so my workaround is to reboot immediately after turning on the laptop. Otherwise, the flickering makes the computer unusable.

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DamonA
Beginner
29,023 Views

I recently bought a Microsoft Surface Pro 7 which now flickers, as well!
After uninstalling the "Intel Iris plus graphics" from the device manager I don't see any flickering anymore!

While the graphic card driver is "Microsoft basic display adapter" there is no flickering. But as soon as my Windows updates the VGA driver (automatically) to the "Intel iris plus graphic", flickering comes back!
The driver version (that gets updated automatically) is 26.20.100.7641

I have also downloded/installed "SurfacePro7_Win10_18362_20.082.25905.0.msi" from "https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=100419". Nothing got fixed!

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hackerface
Beginner
28,842 Views

Yes, my notebook (ASUS Zenbook Flip 13 - UX363JA) is having exactly the same problem.  The flickering occurs when under the first boot (after being off for a while).  An immediate reboot fixes the issue.  

I do not have similar problem when booting my notebook to Ubuntu 20.04.  I suspect that it is due to the intel driver problem (27.20.100.8190.02).  Really hope that this could be fixed.  Although an immediate reboot solves the problem, this sounds stupid to do it everyday...

 

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n_scott_pearson
Super User
28,781 Views

Usually when I see a reboot fixing an issue like this, my first thought is: BIOS issue. Have you checked recently to see if there are any BIOS updates (and specifically one that updates the Video BIOS)? If not, you might want to ask MS if they have recently checked to see if there is an updated Video BIOS release from Intel.

Hope this helps,

...S

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hackerface
Beginner
28,780 Views

In my case, I do not see much for video specific setting under BIOS (except DVMT pre-allocated 32M/64M memory setting).  Also, I have tried a number of times booting my notebook into Ubuntu Linux (when it was off for a long time) and I did not see the similar problem.  It only occurs under Windows 10, while the driver is in version 27.*, signed by Intel.  

 

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hackerface
Beginner
28,455 Views

Intel has released the driver version 27.20.100.8853.  After getting this driver installed for some days, it seems that I do not see the same flickering issue anymore.

 

 

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jmdd21
Beginner
28,442 Views

I concur, flickering appears to have been resolved with 27.20.100.8853. Thanks Intel!

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mavogler
Beginner
28,212 Views

It didn't work for me. Installed the 27.20.100.8853 but the screen keeps flickering.

I can manually ¨trigger¨ the flickering by sleeping the device and waking it up again. I'm attaching a video for where you can watch it.

Please help me. I've contacted with Microsoft and they will replace my device, but I live in Argentina and it costs me 400usd to send it to the us and bring the new one back into my country. If i can avoid the replace, I'll be really happy.

 

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DamonA
Beginner
28,198 Views

The flickering I had was different! The screen did not go off and on repeatedly.
Instead, the display had a shadow of everything was on it with a slightly different color (something like TV's snow) half of an inch below the original images.
You can see a version of it in the link below
https://www.theverge.com/2018/2/1/16958954/microsoft-surface-pro-4-screen-flickering-issues-flickergate
For this problem, I had a solution which I mentioned here. But I'm not sure if that fixes your problem as well since the issue on your laptop looks different.
Anyway, you can give it a try. Who knows, maybe it solves yours as well.

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jmdd21
Beginner
27,993 Views

If your flickering issue only happens when waking from a Sleep state, I recommend turning of Fast Startup. This feature is also a battery drain. Hope that helps you as it did for me.

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Adi
Beginner
28,869 Views

Hi, I'm having the same issue with Surface Pro 7. I bought it about a month ago and after a few days, I noticed that screen flickers, but not all the time. It was happening from time to time. Today while I was using Surface it started to flicker and didn't want to stop. I restarted the device to see if it helps and even on the update screen (this blue screen with white text: "getting things ready etc...") the screen was flickering. After a restart, nothing has changed. Then I started to research and found this thread. I uninstalled (from device manager: "uninstall device") Intel Iris Plus Graphics and the flickering stopped.

Driver version I had: 26.20.100.7641

I hope we all will find a solution to this problem!

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DamonA
Beginner
28,857 Views

I found an inconvenient fix for this problem.
The fix works on driver version 26.20.100.7641 which is from Microsoft, not the most recent updated version which is 27.x.x.x!

There is an Intel software named "Graphic command center" which is an updated version of an old software named "Intel HD graphic control panel". I uninstall the recent software and install the old one which is "Intel HD graphic control panel" from the Microsoft store. Then flickering was gone when I open this software (Without changing the settings)!

The inconvenient part is I have to do it after each reboot. So I returned my Surface pro and will avoid all the laptops that come with Intel IRIS graphic card.

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moo-alabd
Beginner
17,716 Views

hi i can't  download 26.20.100.7641 version can you send it to my email please 
moh_alabd@hotmail.com

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n_scott_pearson
Super User
17,660 Views

First of all, you should *never*, *ever* put your email address in a post. You are asking for SPAM this way. You should *immediately* edit your post and remove the email address. Folks can contact you using the Community's IM service (click on your avatar and select Messages to get to the IM service.

Secondly, you have a laptop. In the case of laptops, vendors very often customize the graphics driver installation packages to also install support for special features of their laptop (hotkeys, focus/brightness controls, wireless enable/disable, etc.). If you overinstall a customized driver package with one of the Intel generic packages, you will lose these special features and you may end up with an unstable system. Only if your vendor is telling you that they do not customize the packages should you attempt to use Intel's generic packages.

As for this particular release, it is old enough that Intel does not make it available any longer. I do have a copy of the 7755 release squirreled away, but it is way too large (>370MB) for email delivery.

...S

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