Why is your laptop screen black and what can you do to fix it? (Windows 10)
The black laptop screen is one of the most irritating malfunctions a laptop can do, as there is no error message explaining to you what the problem is or what you should do to fix it.
Fortunately, a black laptop screen can be fixed through some troubleshooting and most black screen cases are fixable!
Below are a few common reasons for a laptop screen going black and some troubleshooting tips to fix them:
1. Refresh the Display
An easy solution to a black screen is to refresh your laptop’s display. You can do this by using the Windows logo key + Ctrl + Shift + B. If Windows is responsive, you will hear a short beep sound and the screen will blink to indicate Windows is attempting to refresh the screen.
2. Operating System (OS) Issues
If your laptop boots up but show no display after you log in, there may be an issue with the OS. Another indicator of OS issues is if you can see the mouse cursor on the screen but nothing else.
A corrupt system file may be preventing your laptop’s operating system from booting, causing the screen to go black. As a first step, restart Windows to determine if this is just a temporary issue. If the problem persists, you may have to erase your hard drive and reinstall Windows.
3. Black Screens and a Windows 10 update
Errors can occur when installing Windows or updating from a previous version:
- Setup may still be in progress: Check if the hard drive’s LED is flashing. The operating system is probably still setting up, only it’s taking a long time. This might be due to the age of your computer. It should take a few hours for the setup to complete.
- Setup has halted: If you observe no HDD activity when setup has stopped, power off your PC, disconnect any non-essential peripherals (connected devices), and then power up your PC again. This should prompt setup to restart. If it does not restart, and you are upgrading from a previous Windows version, then try installing with the Media Creation tool.
4. Check the Graphics Card
A corrupted graphics driver or issue with the LCD backlight can cause a laptop screen to go black. To test the display, you could attach an external monitor to the laptop and then restart the laptop.
If the external display operates fine then there may be a problem with your laptop LCD screen. Or the connection from the motherboard to the LCD screen.
If an external monitor does not work, the internal graphics card, motherboard or cable is defective. You may need to have the graphics card or motherboard replaced. We recommend taking the laptop to a repair workshop to evaluate whether it can be repaired.
5. Overheating
When laptops overheat, it can cause the display to go black, and the laptop might restart. Overheating can be caused by the graphics card or the processor.
Built-up debris on the laptop’s fan, heat sink, or vents can cause overheating. If the processor has overheated, the black screen will usually be followed by a restart or an automatic shut down of the laptop.
Cleaning your PC often helps to solve overheating. Avoiding internal cables, you can use a vacuum to suck up built-up dust and debris. Ensure that all fans are working and replace any defective ones. If this cleaning does not solve the overheating then a faulty cooler or video card and/or processor may be the culprit.
Other potential issues:
If none of these tips helped you, then there is a possibility that your laptop has other hardware issues such as a faulty LCD screen, a shorting-out motherboard, power supply issues, etc. We recommend consulting a professional laptop repairer to evaluate the next steps to take depending on your PC. Fortunately, CapeTownITSupport boasts a team of experienced laptop repair professionals that are sure to help you get your laptop running efficiently. Contact for more information.
