Black screen at startup: how to get your display back

Black or blank screen although the PC seems to be running? Start with cables and quick keyboard shortcuts, then move on to Safe Mode and the display driver. It covers Windows 11 and Windows 10.

Before you start

Work out what you can see and hear, because it tells you where to look.

• No lights and no fan noise: the PC has no power. See PC won't turn on.
• Fans spin and lights are on, but the screen is black: continue with this guide.
• A mouse pointer on a black screen: Windows is probably running but the desktop did not load. Try Fix 3.
• A blinking cursor on a black screen: Microsoft says this means the firmware (UEFI or BIOS) cannot find a startup drive. Disconnect USB drives, restart, and see stuck in the Automatic Repair loop.

Allow about 25 minutes. If your drive is encrypted with BitLocker, Windows may ask for a recovery key when you use recovery options. Find it first: it is usually saved to your Microsoft account.

Try these fixes in order

Fix 1: Check the screen and cable

This takes about 5 minutes.

1. Make sure the monitor or laptop screen has power, and the monitor's power light is on.
2. On an external monitor, press its input button and choose the input your cable is plugged into, such as HDMI or DisplayPort.
3. Push both ends of the display cable in firmly. If you have a spare cable or a second monitor, try it.
4. On a desktop, check that the cable goes into the graphics card port if the PC has one, not the port on the motherboard. A separate graphics card's ports are usually in a lower slot on the back of the case.
5. On a laptop, disconnect any external monitor or dock and look at the built-in screen.

Fix 2: Wake the screen with shortcuts

Microsoft suggests these on its blank-screen page. Try them with the keyboard connected.

1. Press Windows + Ctrl + Shift + B together. This resets the graphics driver. A short beep or a flicker means it worked.
2. Press Windows + P. A list of display modes appears, such as PC screen only, Duplicate, Extend and Second screen only. Press P again to move down one entry, then Enter to choose it. Repeat to try each mode.

You may need to wait a few seconds after each key press.

Fix 3: Restart File Explorer or force a restart

1. Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete. If a blue or black options screen appears, choose Task Manager.
2. If Task Manager opens, select More details if needed, find Windows Explorer in the list, right-click it, and select Restart. The desktop may reappear. If Windows Explorer is not in the list, select File then Run new task, type explorer.exe, and press Enter.
3. If nothing works, hold the power button for about 20 seconds until the PC turns off, as Microsoft advises. Wait a few seconds, then press it again to start.

A forced shutdown is safe for the hardware but loses unsaved work. Do it only when the screen does not respond.

Fix 4: Start Safe Mode and repair the display driver

If the screen goes black each time Windows loads, a graphics driver may be at fault. Safe Mode starts Windows with basic drivers so the screen can work. This takes about 10 minutes.

1. Turn the PC on. When it starts to load, hold the power button for 10 seconds to force it off. Do this two or three times, until Windows opens its recovery screen.
2. Select Troubleshoot, then Advanced options, then Startup Settings, then Restart.
3. When the list appears, press F5 for Safe Mode with Networking. The screen should show Windows with Safe Mode in the corners.
4. Right-click Start and select Device Manager.
5. Expand Display adapters, right-click your graphics adapter, and select Update driver. If the problem began after a driver or Windows update, select Properties, open the Driver tab and select Roll Back Driver instead, if it is available.
6. Restart the PC normally.

For more on drivers, see fix driver problems in Device Manager. Get drivers from Windows Update or the PC or graphics maker's website only. Do not use driver-updater programs.

If it still does not work

• Try the PC on a different monitor or TV. If it works there, the first monitor or its cable is at fault.
• If the black screen follows an update that never finished, see Windows Update stuck or failing.
• If a repair screen keeps appearing, see stuck in the Automatic Repair loop.
• If the screen shows a blue error with a stop code, see blue screen errors.
• Use the support page on your PC maker's website. A damaged laptop screen or graphics card needs a repair.

Frequently asked questions