Why Is Monitor Flickering When Using Netflix or Spotify?

If your monitor starts flickering in weird colors—like green, red, or yellow—while you’re watching Netflix, Prime Video, or listening to Spotify, you’re not alone. This is a strange and frustrating problem that many people with dual monitor setups have reported.

What makes it even more confusing is that the flickering often happens even when you’re not streaming to anyone, like through Discord. Sometimes, it stops only when you click on the media app window or alt-tab to it.

So what’s going on? And what can be done to fix it?

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What’s Likely Causing the Flickering?

This issue is usually linked to a combination of DRM (Digital Rights Management) protections and hardware acceleration. Streaming services like Netflix, Prime Video, and Spotify use DRM to prevent screen recording or sharing their content. Some apps and operating systems handle DRM differently, especially when multiple monitors are used.

Here are a few likely causes:

• Hardware acceleration conflicts with your GPU or monitor settings.
• Your second monitor may have a different refresh rate or resolution, causing syncing issues.
• Certain apps, especially those using Electron (like Spotify) or browser-based video players, may behave poorly with specific GPU drivers.
• Discord or other background apps that interact with the screen could trigger color distortion.

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How to Fix Monitor Flickering When I Use Netflix or Spotify

1. Turn Off Hardware Acceleration

This is often the most effective fix.

• For Spotify:
  • Open Spotify > Settings.
  • Scroll down and find “Enable hardware acceleration”.
  • Turn it off and restart Spotify.
• For Browsers (Netflix, Prime Video):
  • In Chrome or Edge: Go to Settings > System.
  • Turn off “Use hardware acceleration when available.”
  • Restart your browser.

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2. Match Refresh Rates Between Monitors

If your main monitor runs at 144Hz and the second at 60Hz, it could cause visual glitches. Try setting both monitors to the same refresh rate:

• Right-click desktop > Display settings > Advanced display settings.
• Adjust refresh rate under each display.

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3. Update or Roll Back GPU Drivers

Sometimes, the issue starts after a driver update. You can try:

• Updating your GPU drivers from NVIDIA/AMD/Intel.
• Or if it started recently, try rolling back to an earlier version.

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4. Try a Different Cable or Port

Flickering can also be caused by a bad HDMI or DisplayPort cable or a faulty input port on the GPU or monitor. Try switching cables or ports to see if the issue disappears.

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5. Use Windowed Mode or Keep App Focused

As you mentioned, when you alt-tab to Spotify or click the app window, the flickering stops. This suggests the app behaves better when in focus. As a temporary fix, keep the app in windowed mode or place it on your main screen when using it.

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Final Thoughts

Monitor flickering with Spotify or Netflix on a second monitor can be super annoying, but it’s usually not a sign of hardware failure. Most of the time, it’s a software or compatibility issue with how content is displayed across monitors.

By turning off hardware acceleration, checking refresh rates, and updating drivers, the problem can often be resolved. If not, using your media app on the main display can help avoid the flickering altogether.