If a monitor is flickering, what is a potential first step to troubleshoot the issue?

A flickering monitor can often be attributed to an issue with the physical connections involved in transmitting the display signal. Ensuring that the cable is securely connected is a fundamental troubleshooting step because a loose or damaged cable can lead to erratic signal transmission, resulting in flickering or other display problems. By checking the connection, you can quickly verify whether the issue might stem from something simple, which often resolves the problem without needing further, more complex adjustments or interventions.

While restarting the computer can resolve certain temporary glitches, it does not address potential hardware connection issues directly. Updating monitor drivers and adjusting resolution settings might also improve display quality under some circumstances, but they are typically further down the list of troubleshooting steps. Initially securing the cable connection is the most straightforward and effective method to potentially fix flickering display issues.