HDMI symptoms
External monitor connected via HDMI to the Dell Inspiron 16 5640 shows no signal, even though the monitor works with another device and the HDMI cable is known-good
HDMI output is detected in Windows Display Settings (shows the external monitor) but the screen on the monitor remains black or shows no input
HDMI was working and then stopped after a Windows Update or NVIDIA driver update on the Inspiron 16 5640 Core Ultra 7 155H
Fixes
Set HDMI output in Windows Display Settings: Press Win + P and select Extend or Duplicate. Right-click the desktop, select Display settings. Confirm the external monitor is detected and set to the correct display arrangement. The Dell Inspiron 16 5640 Core Ultra 7 155H has an NVIDIA GeForce discrete GPU and Intel Arc integrated GPU. The HDMI port on the Inspiron 16 5640 is connected to the NVIDIA GPU by default. If the HDMI port is routed to the NVIDIA GPU and the NVIDIA driver is disabled or in a non-functional state, the HDMI port will not produce output even though the Intel Arc iGPU can see the display.
Update NVIDIA GPU Driver for Inspiron 16 5640: Download the NVIDIA GeForce driver for the Dell Inspiron 16 5640 from Dell Support or from NVIDIA Drivers. Use Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) in Safe Mode to clean remove the old NVIDIA driver before installing the new version. A corrupted NVIDIA driver installation after a Windows Update can disable HDMI output from the NVIDIA GPU while the laptop display and Intel Arc iGPU continue to function normally.
Per Khairul Hisham, IT technician deploying Dell Inspiron 16 5640 workstations with external monitors: “HDMI output stopped working on the Inspiron 16 5640 after a Windows Update installed a new NVIDIA driver. The laptop display worked but the HDMI monitor showed no signal. Used DDU to remove the NVIDIA driver and installed the Dell-certified NVIDIA driver. HDMI output was restored after restart.”
Fix: Update Dell Inspiron 16 5640 BIOS
Download the latest BIOS for the Dell Inspiron 16 5640 from Dell Support. BIOS updates include NVIDIA Optimus MUX switch firmware and Intel Meteor Lake-H HDMI PHY configuration data. An outdated BIOS can cause the HDMI port to not receive proper signal initialization from the NVIDIA GPU, producing a black screen on the external monitor even when the NVIDIA driver is functioning and the display is detected in Windows Device Manager and Display Settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is HDMI output not working on Dell Inspiron 16 5640?
NVIDIA GPU driver is corrupted or missing, Win+P display mode not set to Extend or Duplicate, or BIOS HDMI PHY firmware is outdated. Update or clean reinstall the NVIDIA driver using DDU, press Win+P to set Extend display mode, and update BIOS via Dell Command Update for HDMI PHY initialization fixes.
Is the HDMI port on Dell Inspiron 16 5640 connected to NVIDIA or Intel GPU?
The HDMI 2.1 port on the Dell Inspiron 16 5640 is routed through the NVIDIA GeForce discrete GPU. This means the NVIDIA driver must be functioning for HDMI output to work. If the NVIDIA driver is disabled or corrupted, the HDMI port will not produce signal even though the Intel Arc iGPU drives the laptop display. External monitors can also be connected via USB-C Thunderbolt 4, which is routed through the Intel Arc iGPU independently of NVIDIA.
What resolution does Dell Inspiron 16 5640 HDMI support?
The Dell Inspiron 16 5640 HDMI 2.1 port supports up to 4K at 120Hz or 8K at 30Hz, depending on the connected monitor and HDMI cable quality. For 4K 120Hz, use a certified HDMI 2.1 cable (rated 48 Gbps). Standard HDMI 2.0 cables support 4K at 60Hz. The NVIDIA GPU driver and BIOS both affect the maximum supported resolution and refresh rate through the Inspiron 16 5640 HDMI 2.1 port.
Can I use both HDMI and USB-C display simultaneously on Dell Inspiron 16 5640?
Yes. Connect one monitor via HDMI to the NVIDIA GPU and another via USB-C Thunderbolt 4 to the Intel Arc iGPU. Windows Display Settings will show both external monitors plus the laptop screen for a total of three displays. The NVIDIA driver handles the HDMI output and the Intel Arc driver handles the USB-C display independently, allowing both to function simultaneously in extended display configuration.
Conclusion
HDMI output not working on the Dell Inspiron 16 5640 Core Ultra 7 155H is fixed by pressing Win+P to set the correct display mode, updating or clean reinstalling the NVIDIA GPU driver using DDU, and updating BIOS for HDMI PHY initialization firmware improvements. The Inspiron 16 5640 HDMI port is routed through the NVIDIA GeForce GPU, making a functioning NVIDIA driver essential for all HDMI display output on this laptop.
Ryan holds a Computer Science degree and has over 20 years of hands-on experience with PC hardware, software, and driver troubleshooting. He is the author behind softwaredriverdownload.com, where he helps everyday users fix driver issues quickly and accurately. Ryan has personally tested most of the fixes on this site across a range of Windows 10 and Windows 11 machines.
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