Laptop screen flickers when closed and attached to docking station

[Iains1]

This is a really weird issue that I am having with this laptop but when I have the laptop attached to a docking station it will work fine if the laptop lid is still open but once I close the lid the screen goes black and just quickly flashes the desktop every couple seconds but never fully stays on the desktop.

Now I have gone through and ran all of the updates through the HPIA including the BIOS as well and that didn't make a difference, I have tried changing the display drivers and that didn't work.  I thought it may have been the motherboard and the USB-C ports but after changing the board the issue still remained.  I then thought it might be the docking station but it would still do the same thing when attached to other docking stations.  I thought it might have to do with the firmware on the docking station but all the ones I tested were up to date.  I then went into the BIOS to see if maybe there was something going on with the ports but whatever I changed the issue still remained.  Not to sure what else to try.

If anyone has had this issue before and was able to figure out the issue please let me know what your fix was or the steps you took to fix it.

Thanks!

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @Iains1 

Welcome to the HP Support Community! We're here to help you get back up and running.

Thanks for the detailed breakdown. Based on your testing and the symptoms—external monitors flashing when the lid is closed—it appears to be a power or display handoff issue triggered by lid state changes. 

Since you've already updated BIOS, display drivers, and tested multiple docking stations and boards, the issue likely stems from how the system handles lid closure events in conjunction with external display routing.

Here are some steps that may help resolve the issue:

Recommended Steps to Resolve Display Flicker When Lid Is Closed

1. Adjust Power Settings

• Go to Control Panel > Power Options > Choose what closing the lid does
• Set “When I close the lid” to “Do nothing” for both Battery and Plugged in
• Save changes and reboot

This ensures the system doesn’t attempt to sleep or reinitialize display routing when the lid is closed.

 

2. Set External Display as Primary

• Right-click on the desktop and select Display Settings
• Identify your external monitor and set it as Primary display
• Disable the laptop screen if possible

This forces the system to route all display output through the external monitor, avoiding flicker during lid transitions.

3. Update Docking Station Firmware

Even if firmware appears current, reapplying the update can help:

• Visit HP Docking Station Firmware Update Utility
• Select your docking station model and follow the update instructions

4. Check Display Refresh Rate Compatibility

• Go to Display Settings > Advanced Display Settings
• Set the refresh rate to 60Hz for all connected monitors
• Avoid HDR or high refresh rates during testing

Some docks and monitors may flicker if refresh rates are mismatched or unsupported during lid closure.

5. Disable Panel Self Refresh (Intel Systems)

• Open Intel Graphics Command Center
• Go to Power Settings
• Disable Panel Self Refresh

This can prevent flickering caused by power-saving transitions when the lid is closed.

You're clearly thorough in your approach, and these adjustments should help narrow down the root cause.

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Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye