You boot your PC or launch a game and the screen goes black with a floating box reading “Input Not Supported,” “Out of Range,” or “Signal Out of Range.” It is alarming but almost always fixable. The message means your PC is sending a resolution or refresh rate the monitor cannot display. Here is how to get your picture back.
What the message means
Monitors accept only certain combinations of resolution and refresh rate. If Windows, a game, or a graphics driver sets something outside that range, for example 165Hz on a 144Hz panel, or a resolution the display does not support, the monitor refuses the signal and shows the error instead of a blank screen. The fix is to force a supported mode.
| Cause | Typical trigger |
|---|---|
| Refresh rate too high | Overclock or wrong Hz setting |
| Unsupported resolution | Game or driver default |
| Driver update reset | New GPU driver changes mode |
| Wrong cable/port limit | HDMI capping high refresh |
Step-by-step fixes
Boot into Safe Mode to reset resolution
If the desktop is unreachable, restart and enter Safe Mode (interrupt boot a few times to reach recovery, then choose Safe Mode). Safe Mode uses a basic, always-supported resolution, giving you a visible desktop. From there, open Display Settings, set a standard resolution like 1920×1080 at 60Hz, and set the correct refresh rate for your panel, then reboot normally.
Fix an in-game trigger
If it only happens when launching a specific game, the game set an unsupported mode. Launch it in windowed or safe/low-resolution mode (many games offer a launcher option or a config file where you can edit resolution and refresh), then change the in-game display settings to match your monitor.
Check the refresh rate and cable
In Windows, go to Display Settings, Advanced display, and confirm the refresh rate matches your monitor’s rating. If you overclocked the panel, dial it back. Also verify your cable and port support the mode: some HDMI versions cannot carry high refresh at higher resolutions, so switching to DisplayPort or a rated HDMI 2.1 cable can resolve it.
Prevent it from happening again
Once you have a picture back, a few habits stop repeat scares. When you change refresh rate in Windows, keep the confirmation dialog handy; if you do not click to keep the new setting within fifteen seconds it reverts automatically, which is a built-in safety net. Avoid overclocking a panel beyond a rate it reliably displays. After a major GPU driver update, verify the resolution and refresh rate did not reset to something the monitor dislikes. And in games, set the display mode to match your monitor’s native resolution and rated refresh rather than letting a benchmark or preset push an unsupported combination.
FAQ
Why does out of range only happen when I start a game?
The game applied a resolution or refresh rate your monitor cannot show, often after an update reset its graphics settings. Start it in windowed or safe mode, or edit its config file, then set the display options to a supported resolution and refresh rate.
Can a cable cause an out of range error?
Indirectly, yes. If a cable or port cannot carry the requested resolution and refresh, you may get no signal or an out-of-range message. Use DisplayPort or a properly rated HDMI 2.1 cable for high-resolution, high-refresh modes.
Bottom line
“Input Not Supported” or “Out of Range” simply means your PC is sending a mode the monitor cannot display. Boot into Safe Mode to reset to a standard resolution and refresh rate, fix any game that set an unsupported mode, dial back panel overclocks, and confirm your cable supports the mode. With the signal back in range, your picture returns.
