HDMI to DisplayPort Adapters: Direction, Active vs Passive, Limits

Before you order an adapter, work out which end is the source and which is the display. Adapters are directional. A DisplayPort output on a computer can often drive an HDMI display through a simple adapter, but an HDMI output driving a DisplayPort monitor needs an active converter, and a passive cable that looks like it should work will give you a black screen.

Past direction, the real questions are how fast the adapter can run, whether it passes variable refresh rate, HDR and copy protection, and whether it needs power. This guide sorts those out so the part you buy matches the desk you are building.

Step 1: Find the direction of the signal

Look at the two devices. The one sending the picture (a laptop, graphics card, console or media player) is the source. The one showing it (a monitor or TV) is the display. Then match the connector on each to the table below.

This is an easy mistake to make: buying a DisplayPort to HDMI adapter and plugging it in backwards, or buying a cable labelled for the opposite direction. The two connectors are not interchangeable, and an adapter built for one direction does nothing in the other. A product listing should say which direction it supports; if it does not, treat that as a warning sign.

Step 2: Passive or active

The reference for this is the DisplayPort standard's own dual-mode feature. Wikipedia's DisplayPort article, a secondary source, explains it this way: dual-mode, often marked DP++, lets a DisplayPort source use simple level-shifting adapters to connect to HDMI or DVI displays. The same article notes that dual-mode is optional, so not every DisplayPort output supports it, and that it is one-way. There is no counterpart that lets a passive adapter take an HDMI or DVI signal into a DisplayPort display. Any such signal must be converted to the DisplayPort format by an active conversion device.

That gives you the rules of thumb:

• DisplayPort source to HDMI display: often a passive adapter works if the source output supports dual-mode. If it does not, or if you want a higher mode, choose an active adapter.
• HDMI source to DisplayPort display: always active. Expect a small box or plug with electronics inside, and check whether it draws power from a USB port or a separate supply.
• Unsure about your source: check the computer or graphics card manual for dual-mode or DP++ support, or choose an active adapter and avoid the question.

The VESA DisplayPort FAQ confirms the basic point from the manufacturer side: DisplayPort has the unique ability to support external display adapters, adapters for HDMI 2.x exist, and the source provides power at the plug and detects the type of adapter connected. It does not rank adapters, so a product's own spec sheet is what tells you how it behaves.

Step 3: Refresh rate, resolution and other limits

Adapters set a ceiling. The monitor may support a high refresh rate and your graphics card may output it, but the adapter in between may not carry it. Wikipedia's article notes that passive dual-mode adapters have speed limits that depend on the dual-mode version, and that slower cables and connectors may limit the resolution or refresh rate available. Active adapters have their own ceiling, which the maker should state.

So look for a stated maximum mode, written as a resolution and refresh rate, on the product page or spec sheet. If the listing only says 4K or high refresh without numbers, you cannot know what you will get. If you see a monitor stuck at a lower mode after adding an adapter, remove the adapter from the chain and compare. Our guide to monitors stuck at 60Hz uses that same remove-and-compare test.

Features that do not pass through automatically

• Variable refresh rate. G-Sync, FreeSync and similar features depend on the converter passing the right signalling. Many converters do not, and many listings are silent. If it matters to you, look for it named in the spec sheet, and otherwise assume it will not work. Our VRR range explainer covers what the feature does.
• HDR. An adapter that cannot carry the HDR signal gives a dull picture. Again, only trust a stated HDR capability.
• Copy protection. The DisplayPort FAQ says the HDCP 2.2 requirement applies to DisplayPort to HDMI 2.0 converters as well. Protected video can fail if an adapter does not support the version your source requires.
• Audio. The FAQ notes that DisplayPort to HDMI adapters can carry HDMI audio. If your monitor has speakers, confirm that sound arrives, and choose the output in your operating system.
• USB-C chains. Wikipedia's article says passive DisplayPort to HDMI adapters do not function when chained from a USB-C to DisplayPort adapter. If your source is a USB-C laptop, use a USB-C to HDMI or USB-C to DisplayPort cable made for the job. Our guide on DisplayPort Alt Mode over USB-C covers which cables carry video.

Step 4: When to skip the adapter

An adapter is a workaround. Sometimes a different cable removes the need for one. If your monitor has both HDMI and DisplayPort inputs, and your computer has a matching output, use the native pair. If your computer has only HDMI and the monitor has only DisplayPort, the converter is the answer. If you want the best features on a gaming monitor, the cable between matching ports is usually the least troublesome path; our DisplayPort versus HDMI guide lays out when each port is the better pick.

For long runs, converters add one more thing that can fail. The earlier guide to active and passive cables for long runs deals with distance; the adapter question is about format, and the two problems can stack.

Buying checklist

• Direction is stated on the listing and matches your source and display.
• A maximum resolution and refresh rate is stated and covers your monitor.
• Active or passive is stated, and power requirements are clear.
• HDR, VRR and HDCP support are named if you need them.
• The return policy covers an adapter that does not work with your hardware.

If the screen stays black or flickers

Power the monitor and source off, connect everything, then power the display on first and the source second. Try a different cable on each side of the adapter, and read the adapter's note on power. If the picture drops out intermittently, lower the resolution or refresh rate to test whether the adapter's limit is the cause. Our no signal and flickering guide has the full order of checks.

Frequently Asked Questions