[Fix] Onn HDMI to VGA Adapter Not Working (100% Working)

If you still own one of those older display devices, you probably need a VGA adapter to connect them. But, what if your Onn HMI to VGA adapter is not working?

The first thing you should check is the power supply. For more fixes, continue reading. Let’s start. 

Possible Reasons for Onn HDMI to VGA Adapter Failure

A number of scenarios can occur that end up stopping the VGA adapter from working. Some probable reasons are as follows.

Power Shortage

If the chips inside the adapter do not receive the amount of power required for operation, the adapter might stop working. A poorly connected USB usually triggers this phenomenon.

Misconfigured Resolution and Refresh Rate

Monitors with support for lower resolution output will fail to work if the incoming signal is of higher resolution. The same holds for the refresh rate. For instance, if your computer is sending out a 2160p or 1440p signal to a display that only takes in 1080p or lower, it won’t work. Lowering the resolution from the source is therefore necessary.

Outdated Graphics Driver

The VGA adapter can also fail if your graphics driver has not received an update in a while. So, check if the automatic update option is working. If not, a manual update might help.

Damaged Ports

If none of the above is the case, you probably have faulty ports on either the computer or the end device. Physically damaged ports will hinder the signals from passing despite the adapter having no problems in the first place.

How to Fix VGA Adapter Not Working Issue?

Try the troubleshooting steps below in any particular order you like to get your HDMI to VGA up and running.

Use an External Power Supply

If the HDMI cable you’re using fails to deliver the adequate power needed to run the converter, you will need an external power supply. Generally, each active Onn HDMI to VGA converter will consist of a pretty power-hungry chip. It comes into action whenever there’s a need for transferring high-res video signals.

So, if you have a condition where your adapter is not getting enough power, connect it to a power source through the USB cable. Doing so will provide a stable connection when running a secondary screen using the adapter.

Configure the Resolution and Refresh Rate

If the resolution or the refresh rate on the secondary screen differs from the primary, the HDMI to VGA might not work. For example, suppose the external display supports only 720p 60Hz, but you are sending a 1080p signal with a higher refresh rate. The setup won’t work unless you downgrade the signal resolution.

Therefore, configure the output signal so that it complies with the screen on which you want the content to appear.

Update the Graphics Driver

Make sure the graphics driver on your device is up to date, or it will prevent the HDMI to VGA from working. On Windows, you can go to Device manager, then Display adapters for updating the driver.

You can right-click on the Integrated graphics option and choose to update automatically. Or you can go to the official brand website and install the latest drivers manually. Once you’ve updated them, see if the issue got fixed.

Replace Damaged Ports

If your Onn HDMI to VGA adapter is not working, you might be dealing with faulty input ports. It commonly occurs in PCs, monitors, and TVs that have aged quite a bit and now have ports that degraded over time.

To check if there are bad ports, use them to connect devices other than the one you’re currently working with. And if you can get a proper connection, the ports are probably okay, and you have other things to worry about. Otherwise, you do have malfunctioning ports that require a replacement.

Replacement ports come pretty inexpensive these days in the after market. However, installing them can be a bit tricky if you don’t have experience in the relevant field. In that case, take expert help to replace the damaged port.

Know Your Adapter

People often confuse HDMI to VGA adapters with anything with a VGA slot and a port for HDMI cable. But the two are entirely different, given the adapter will need the power to do the conversion. Unless it has a power supply, it won’t do much other than just connecting two ports with different heads.

However, that does not mean the HDMI to VGA cable is of no use. As long as your device can display HD input, it should get the job done without requiring a full-blown adapter.

That said, the recommendation would be to check if yours is not a mere cable but a proper HDMI to VGA adapter. You can tell the difference by looking at the USB connector equipped with adapters. If it isn’t there to provide the power, yours is the cable only, and you better get the actual thing instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does HDMI to VGA adapter need power?

HDMI to VGA is not a passive conversion, meaning it requires power. The power conversion is done internally for most converters like Onn. If it doesn’t, the converter will come with a power cable.

How much power does HDMI to VGA converter use?

There’s no hard and fast rule for power consumption. But as a ballpark figure, it’s about 5 volts or 200 mA.

Wrapping Up

The tips above apply to most devices, including Windows PCs, external monitors, and TVs. Yet, if you use the Onn HDMI to VGA adapter with a PS4 (PlayStation 4) or mac OS device, you’ll need to follow a few special instructions. For example, the converter needs to get powered up because the PS4 uses high-res video signals.