You turn on your computer. Fans spin up, hard drive whirs, maybe you hear the Windows chime—but your screen stays completely black. Or worse, you see the login screen, enter your password, and get dumped to a black screen with just a lonely cursor mocking you.

I've fixed hundreds of Windows black screens over the years, and here's what I've learned: the fix usually takes 20-30 minutes once you know what you're doing. The problem is figuring out which fix applies to your specific situation.

This guide covers every Windows black screen scenario I've encountered. Whether you're stuck at startup, after a Windows update, or dealing with random black screens during use, we'll get your PC back.

Quick Diagnosis: What Kind of Black Screen Do You Have?

Before diving into fixes, let's identify your specific situation. This determines which solution will work:

Black screen before Windows loads

No Windows logo appears
Can't see login screen
Usually a hardware or BIOS issue
Jump to Pre-Startup Black Screens

Black screen after login with cursor visible

You can log in, but desktop doesn't appear
Cursor moves on black background
Explorer.exe didn't start
Jump to Post-Login Black Screens

Black screen immediately after Windows update

Was working fine yesterday
Updated last night
Now stuck on black screen
Jump to Post-Update Black Screens

Random black screens during normal use

Happens unpredictably while using Windows
Screen goes black, comes back after seconds/minutes
Usually driver or hardware related
Jump to Random Black Screens

Not sure if it's hardware or Windows? Use our free black screen testing tool to rule out monitor/cable problems first. Takes 2 minutes.

Pre-Startup Black Screens

These happen before Windows even tries to load. Your monitor turns on but shows nothing, or you see the manufacturer logo then blackness.

Start with the Obvious: Check Your Cables

I know this seems obvious, but loose cables cause 30% of "black screens" I see. Before touching Windows:

Desktop users:

Turn off your PC completely
Locate your graphics card (if you have one)—it's the big card with fans in the back of your PC
Check that your monitor cable plugs into the graphics card ports, not the motherboard ports above them
If unsure, try both sets of ports
Unplug and firmly reconnect both ends of the cable
Try a different cable if you have one
If you have a second monitor connected, disconnect it temporarily

Laptop users:

If using an external monitor, disconnect it
Shine a flashlight on your laptop screen at an angle—can you see a very faint desktop? That's a backlight failure (hardware issue)
Try connecting to an external monitor via HDMI—if that works, your laptop screen hardware is dead

This fixes it about 25-30% of the time for desktops, 10% for laptops.

Force Windows to Detect Your Display

Windows can get confused about which display to use, especially on laptops with multiple display modes:

Power on your PC
When you think Windows has loaded (wait for hard drive activity to stop), press Windows + P three times
Wait 3 seconds between each press
This cycles through display modes: PC screen only, Duplicate, Extend, Second screen only, then back to PC screen only

You can't see the menu, so you're doing this blind. The third press should bring your display back if this is the issue.

Works about 15-20% of the time on laptops, 5% on desktops.

Check if Your Hardware Actually Works

If you can see the BIOS screen but not Windows, that narrows it down significantly—your hardware works, Windows doesn't.

To enter BIOS:

Restart your PC
Immediately start tapping the BIOS key repeatedly
- Common keys: F2, Delete, F10, F12, Esc
- Check your motherboard manual or watch for "Press [key] to enter Setup" during boot
If you can see the BIOS menu, your monitor and graphics hardware work

While in BIOS, check these:

Boot order: Is your Windows drive listed first?
Fast Boot/Fast Startup: Try disabling it
Secure Boot: Try disabling it (sometimes causes conflicts)
UEFI vs Legacy: If you see both options, try switching modes

Make one change at a time, save, and test. If it doesn't help, revert the change.

This solves it maybe 10-15% of the time, but it's worth checking.

Force Your Way into Safe Mode

If you can't see anything, you need to force Windows into Recovery Mode. This sounds complicated but it's just holding down the power button a few times:

Hold the power button for 10 seconds to force shutdown
Press power to turn on
As soon as you see the Windows logo, hold the power button for 10 seconds to force shutdown again
Repeat steps 2-3 three times total
On the fourth boot, Windows will automatically enter Recovery Mode

In Recovery Mode:

Click "Advanced options"
Click "Troubleshoot"
Click "Advanced options"
Click "Startup Settings"
Click "Restart"
When the menu appears, press 4 or F4 to enter Safe Mode

If Safe Mode works, you've confirmed it's a driver or software problem, not hardware. Continue to the fixes below.

Safe Mode solves about 60% of black screens if you can get there.

Post-Login Black Screens

You can log in, but instead of your desktop, you get a black screen—maybe with a cursor, maybe not. This is usually Explorer.exe failing to start.

Restart Explorer Manually

If you can see your cursor, Windows loaded but your desktop didn't:

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager
- If that doesn't work, try Ctrl + Alt + Delete, then click "Task Manager"
If Task Manager is minimized or you can't see it, press Alt + F, then N for "File > Run new task"
Type explorer.exe and press Enter
Your desktop should appear within 5 seconds

If this works but the problem comes back after restarting:

Explorer is crashing at startup. Common causes are corrupted user profiles, bad startup programs, malware, or corrupted Windows system files.

Try the Fast Startup fix and System File Checker below.

This is a quick fix that works about 45% of the time, but the problem often comes back.

Create a New User Account

User profile corruption is more common than you'd think, especially after big Windows updates:

Get to Safe Mode (see the Safe Mode section above)
Press Windows + I to open Settings
Go to Accounts, then Family & other users
Click "Add someone else to this PC"
Click "I don't have this person's sign-in information"
Click "Add a user without a Microsoft account"
Create a new local account with a username and password
Restart and log in with this new account

If the new account works:

Your old profile was corrupted
Copy your files from C:\Users\[OldUsername]\ to the new account
Reinstall your programs
This is annoying, but it's faster than reinstalling Windows

Works about 30-35% of the time when Explorer won't start.

Disable Startup Programs Without Seeing Anything

A bad startup program can cause Explorer to crash. Here's how to disable them when you can't see anything:

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc for Task Manager
Press Alt + F for File menu
Press N for Run new task
Type msconfig and press Enter
Press Alt + S for the Services tab
Press Alt + H to "Hide all Microsoft services"
Press Alt + D to "Disable all"
Press Alt + O to click OK
Restart

If this fixes it, you've got a bad startup program or service. Re-enable them one by one to find the culprit.

Success rate is around 20-25%.

Post-Update Black Screens

Windows updates are a leading cause of black screens. Microsoft pushes driver updates that break systems, or the update itself corrupts files.

Uninstall the Recent Update

Boot into Safe Mode first, then:

Press Windows + I for Settings
Go to Windows Update, then Update history
Click "Uninstall updates"
Look at the "Installed On" dates—find yesterday's or last night's update
Click it and select "Uninstall"
Restart

If this fixes it, pause updates for a week—Microsoft usually releases a fix for bad updates within 5-7 days.

To pause updates:

Settings, Windows Update
Click "Pause updates for 1 week"
Repeat if needed

This works 55-60% of the time for post-update black screens.

Roll Back or Uninstall Graphics Drivers

Graphics driver conflicts cause most post-update black screens:

Boot into Safe Mode
Right-click Start, then Device Manager
Expand "Display adapters"
Right-click your graphics card (NVIDIA GeForce, AMD Radeon, Intel HD/UHD)
Click "Properties", then "Driver" tab

Option A: Roll Back (if available)

Click "Roll Back Driver"
This undoes the recent update
Restart

Option B: Uninstall and Clean Install

Click "Uninstall device"
Check "Delete the driver software for this device"
Click "Uninstall"
Restart—Windows will install a basic driver
Once desktop is back, download the latest driver from:

Critical: Get drivers from the manufacturer, not Windows Update. Windows Update is what broke it in the first place.

This fixes 65-70% of graphics-related black screens.

Use System Restore

If you know when the problem started, System Restore can roll your entire system back:

Boot into Safe Mode or Recovery Mode
Press Windows + R
Type rstrui and press Enter
Click "Next"
Select a restore point from before the black screen started
- Look at the dates—pick one from when your PC worked
- If you don't see any, click "Show more restore points"
Click "Next", then "Finish"
Wait 10-20 minutes for the restore to complete

Important notes:

This only works if System Restore was enabled before the problem
Your personal files are safe
Recently installed programs will disappear
Windows Updates will be undone

Works 70-75% of the time if restore points exist.

Random Black Screens During Use

Screen goes black for 5-30 seconds, then comes back. Or it goes black and you have to restart. This is almost always hardware-related.

Check GPU Temperature and Throttling

Overheating graphics cards will shut down to protect themselves:

Download HWMonitor (free)
Run it and look at temperatures under "Temperatures" section
While watching temps, do whatever makes your screen go black (gaming, video editing, etc.)

Normal GPU temps:

Idle: 30-50°C
Gaming: 60-80°C
Danger zone: 85°C and up

If temps are too high:

Clean dust from your PC fans (especially GPU fans)
Reapply thermal paste to GPU (advanced, or take to a shop)
Check that all case fans are spinning
Improve case airflow

Fixes about 40-45% of heat-related blackouts.

Test with Integrated Graphics

If you have a dedicated graphics card (NVIDIA/AMD), it might be dying:

Shut down PC completely
Remove the graphics card (or leave it in, we're just not using it)
Connect your monitor to the motherboard video ports instead
Turn on PC—it'll use integrated graphics (Intel/AMD)
Use your PC normally for a day

If black screens stop: Your graphics card is failing If black screens continue: Check your power supply next

Not all CPUs have integrated graphics. If you get no display at all, your CPU doesn't support it—put the graphics card back.

This test is 80% accurate for diagnosing GPU failure.

Check Power Supply

A failing power supply can't deliver stable power to your GPU, causing black screens:

Symptoms of PSU failure:

Random black screens under load (gaming, rendering)
PC restarts randomly
Clicking or buzzing sounds from PSU
Black screens get worse over time

To test:

Borrow a known-good PSU from a friend or buy a cheap tester on Amazon
Swap it in temporarily
If black screens stop, your original PSU is dying

Can't test? Take your PC to a repair shop—they can test PSUs in 5 minutes.

PSUs degrade over time (3-5 year lifespan). If yours is old and showing symptoms, replacement is $50-150 depending on wattage.

Catches PSU problems about 60-70% of the time.

Advanced Solutions

When nothing else works, these dig deeper into Windows itself.

Repair Corrupted System Files

Windows has a built-in tool to fix corrupted system files:

Boot into Safe Mode
Right-click Start, then "Terminal (Admin)" or "Command Prompt (Admin)"
Type sfc /scannow and press Enter
This scans for corrupted files and fixes them (takes 15-30 minutes)
When finished, also run: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
This repairs the Windows image itself (takes 20-45 minutes)
Restart

These commands fix corrupted Windows files that cause black screens. Run both, in this order.

Works about 35-40% of the time.

Disable Fast Startup

Fast Startup causes more problems than it solves. It's supposed to speed up boot times, but it can prevent drivers from loading correctly:

Boot into Safe Mode
Press Windows + R, type control, press Enter
Go to Power Options, then "Choose what the power buttons do"
Click "Change settings that are currently unavailable"
Uncheck "Turn on fast startup (recommended)"
Click "Save changes"
Restart

Your PC will boot 3-5 seconds slower, but your black screens might disappear.

Fixes it 20-25% of the time.

Check for Malware

Malware can cause Explorer to crash or display issues:

Boot into Safe Mode with Networking
- Follow the Safe Mode steps above, but press 5 or F5 instead of 4 at the Startup Settings menu
Download Malwarebytes (free trial works)
Install and run a full scan
Remove anything it finds
Restart

Malware black screens are rare but possible. Worth checking if nothing else worked.

Only about 10-15% of the time is it actually malware, but when it is, this fixes it.

Reset Windows (Last Resort)

If absolutely nothing works, Windows Reset keeps your files but reinstalls Windows:

Boot into Recovery Mode (use the force-shutdown method from earlier)
Click "Troubleshoot"
Click "Reset this PC"
Choose "Keep my files"
Follow the prompts
This takes 30-90 minutes

What happens:

Windows reinstalls itself
Your personal files stay in place (Desktop, Documents, Downloads, etc.)
All programs uninstall—you'll need to reinstall them
Settings reset to default

Before doing this:

Back up important files to an external drive or cloud (just in case)
Write down your installed programs so you remember what to reinstall
Export browser bookmarks

This fixes 90-95% of software-caused black screens, but it's time-consuming to get your PC back to how you like it.

Prevention: Stop Black Screens Before They Start

Once you've fixed your black screen, follow these to prevent recurrence:

Update graphics drivers monthly (but not through Windows Update):

Visit NVIDIA/AMD/Intel directly
Download latest drivers
Clean install (select "Custom install", then check "Clean installation")

Enable System Restore:

Settings, System, About, System protection
Click "Configure"
Turn on System Restore
Set aside 5-10 GB

Disable Fast Startup (it causes more problems than it's worth):

Control Panel, Power Options, Choose what the power buttons do
Uncheck "Turn on fast startup"

Keep Windows updated (but pause if you hear about problems):

Follow tech news
If you see "Windows update causing black screens" headlines, pause updates for a week

Test your display hardware quarterly:

Use our free black screen testing tool every few months
Catches failing monitors/GPUs before they completely die

Clean your PC twice a year:

Dust buildup causes overheating
Overheating causes black screens
10 minutes with compressed air prevents hours of troubleshooting

Monitor your GPU temperatures:

Install HWMonitor
Glance at temps when gaming
If you see 85°C or higher, clean fans immediately

When to Give Up and Get Professional Help

Some black screens are beyond DIY fixes. See a professional if:

You've tried everything in this guide (seriously, everything)
You can't boot into Safe Mode or Recovery Mode at all
You smell burning or see physical damage
Your PC makes clicking, grinding, or loud fan noises
Your monitor works fine with a different PC (test with a laptop or friend's PC)
You're not comfortable opening your PC case
You need your data urgently and don't have backups

Professional diagnosis costs $50-100. Worth it if you're stuck or if your data is critical.

Fair warning about repair shops:

They'll often suggest a full Windows reinstall ($100-150)
Try the Windows Reset yourself first—it's free and takes the same amount of time
Only pay for hardware replacement or data recovery

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my screen go black but my PC stays on?

Windows loaded, but your display system didn't. Either Explorer crashed (if you can see a cursor) or your graphics driver failed to start. Try restarting Explorer first, then reinstalling graphics drivers.

Can I fix Windows black screen without Safe Mode?

Some fixes work without Safe Mode—restarting Explorer, force restarting, and checking cables. But if those don't work, you'll need Safe Mode for deeper fixes. There's no way around it.

How long should I wait before forcing a restart?

5 minutes maximum. If Windows hasn't shown anything after 5 minutes, it's stuck and won't fix itself. Hold the power button for 10 seconds to force shutdown, wait 30 seconds, then turn it back on.

Will I lose my files fixing a black screen?

No, unless you do the Windows Reset wrong. Every fix in this guide preserves your files. Even Windows Reset has a "Keep my files" option that saves everything in your user folders. System Restore, driver updates, Safe Mode—all safe for your data. But back up critical files anyway before major fixes, just to be safe.

Why does my laptop screen stay black but external monitor works?

Your laptop's LCD backlight or display cable failed. This is hardware damage. If you shine a flashlight on your laptop screen at an angle and can see a very faint image, that confirms it—backlight's dead. Use the external monitor permanently or get the laptop screen replaced ($150-400 depending on model).

Black screen with spinning dots (loading screen)?

That's Windows trying to load but stuck. Usually means Windows Update is stuck installing (wait 30 minutes, then force restart), corrupted system files (try the System File Checker), or a driver is failing to load (boot Safe Mode, uninstall recent drivers).

Give it 20-30 minutes. If the dots are still spinning, force restart and boot to Safe Mode.

Why does my screen go black when I play games?

Your GPU is either overheating (check temperatures), dying (test with integrated graphics), underpowered (PSU can't supply enough power), or has an outdated driver (update GPU drivers from manufacturer).

90% of the time it's overheating. Clean your PC fans first.

Random black screen for 5 seconds, then comes back?

Graphics driver is crashing and recovering. Windows will usually show a notification: "Display driver stopped responding and has recovered." Update your graphics driver. If that doesn't work, your GPU might be failing or overheating.

Related Resources

Other black screen scenarios:

Laptop Black Screen Fixes - Laptop-specific issues like battery reset and display cable problems
Valorant Black Screen Fix - Vanguard anti-cheat conflicts and gaming black screens
YouTube Black Screen Fix - Browser and YouTube-specific black screen solutions
Discord Black Screen Fix - Screen sharing black screen in Discord

Testing tools:

Free Black Screen Tool - Test your monitor for hardware defects (dead pixels, backlight, connections)
Black Screen Test Guide - Professional display testing workflow

Related articles:

Computer Black Screen Checklist - Quick diagnostic flowchart for all devices
OLED Burn-In Prevention - Protect your display investment
Black Screen Chrome Extension - Quick access to testing tools

You've Got This

Windows black screens are frustrating, but they're almost always fixable. Start with the quick fixes in your scenario, work your way through the list, and most of the time you'll be back up and running within an hour.

If you're still stuck after trying everything, use our free display testing tool to rule out hardware problems, or take your PC to a professional for diagnosis.

Good luck!

Windows Black Screen: The Complete Fix Guide [2025]