If pressing Win + Shift + B does nothing:

The magic lies in what this command does behind the scenes. It forces the Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) to reset the graphics driver’s state, reinitialize the video memory, and re-establish communication between the GPU, the display, and the operating system. This is profoundly different from simply toggling a monitor off and on, which only affects the physical display. Win + Shift + B addresses the logical and software-based pipeline that renders everything from your cursor to complex 3D environments.

Did you know that you can quickly refresh your screen in Windows 11 using a simple keyboard shortcut?

If a game freezes and covers your screen, sometimes minimizing it isn't enough. This shortcut can force the display to reset, sometimes allowing you to close the crashed application via Task Manager.

System-Wide Crash (BSOD): If your entire PC has "Blue Screened," the keyboard inputs are likely ignored by the processor.

Frozen Apps: When a game or high-end design program hangs and locks your display.

Hardware is Dead: If your HDMI cable is frayed or your GPU has physically failed, refreshing the driver won't bring the image back.