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Black screen when Windows starts

A black screen can mean the laptop is on but the display is not showing anything, or that Windows has stopped part-way through starting. Stay calm and try these in order.

Quick fixes to try first

  • Check the laptop is actually on. Listen for a fan and look for lights.
  • Turn the brightness up using the brightness keys on the top row of the keyboard.
  • Unplug any extra monitor, TV or cable. Windows may be sending the picture to the wrong place.
  • Unplug USB sticks and other devices, then restart.

Step by step

  1. Press the Windows key, Ctrl, Shift and B all at once. This restarts the graphics system and you may hear a beep.
  2. Wait 30 seconds. If you see nothing, press Ctrl, Alt and Delete together and see whether a blue menu appears.
  3. If nothing changes, hold the power button for about 10 seconds until the laptop switches off.
  4. Wait a few seconds, then press the power button to start it again.
  5. If you see a mouse arrow on a black screen, press Ctrl, Shift and Esc to open Task Manager, choose Run new task, type explorer.exe and press Enter.

If that did not work

If Windows fails to start several times in a row, it should open a blue Recovery screen by itself. Choose See advanced repair options, then Troubleshoot, then Advanced options. From there you can try Startup Repair or System Restore. Do not choose any option that says reset or remove everything unless your files are backed up, as it can erase them.

If you can reach Safe Mode, our guide on it will help.

When to get more help

Stop and email us if the screen stays black after a forced restart, the laptop beeps in a pattern, you see an error about no boot device, or the screen shows a crack or lines. Your files are very likely still safe, so please do not reinstall Windows. Tell us the make, model and anything you can see on screen.

Did this help? If you are still stuck, email Vision Tech and tell us what you can see on the screen. Menus and button names can differ slightly between versions and makes. If something does not match, stop and ask rather than guess.

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