Applies To
Windows 11 Windows 10

A blank screen, often referred to as a “black screen” due to its appearance, can occur in Windows for several reasons. Whether it happens at startup, after login, or following an update, this guide will help you identify the cause and resolve the issue.

Note: For error messages on a black screen, such as “Your device ran into a problem and needs to restart,” see Troubleshooting Windows unexpected restarts and stop code errors. If you have a Surface device, see Surface won't turn on or start. 

You might encounter a blank screen in Windows in these situations:

  • Blank screen with a cursor: Often caused by a stalled Windows process or driver issue. 

  • Blank screen at login: May result from display output misconfiguration or corrupted user profiles.

  • Blank screen after an update: Frequently linked to incompatible drivers or incomplete updates.

  • Blank screen with a blinking cursor: This it's because the UEIF (or BIOS) cannot find a boot device.

Here's some basic steps you can try to fix blank screen problems in Windows:

  • Check connections: Make sure your device is fully charged and/or plugged in. If you are using an external monitor, make sure the monitor is connected, plugged in, and powered on.

  • Wake the screen: Press Windows + Ctrl + Shift + B to reset the graphics driver. You should hear a beep or see a screen flicker if successful.

  • Check display mode: Press Windows + P, then tap P again and press Enter to cycle through display modes (e.g., PC screen only, duplicate, extend)

  • Use Ctrl + Alt + Del: If you see the security screen, try launching Task Manager and restarting Windows Explorer.

  • Force restart: Free the power button for 20 seconds.

Here's more advanced step-by-step for troubleshooting a blank screen in Windows:

1. Check Hardware Connections

  • Ensure all cables (HDMI, DisplayPort, VGA) are securely connected.

  • Try a different monitor or cable to rule out hardware issues.

  • If using a laptop, disconnect external displays and peripherals

2. Boot into Safe Mode (if the screen remains blank)

  • Force shutdown your PC by holding the power button for 10 seconds.

  • Repeat this 2–3 times until Windows enters Recovery Mode.

  • Navigate to Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart.

  • Press F5 to boot into Safe Mode with Networking.

3. Update or Roll Back Graphics Drivers

  • In Safe Mode, open Device Manager.

  • Expand Display adapters, right-click your GPU, and choose Update driver.

  • If the issue started after an update, select Roll back driver instead

4. Restart Windows Explorer (If you see a cursor on a blank screen)

  • Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.

  • Find Windows Explorer, right-click it, and select Restart.

  • If it’s not listed, go to File > Run new task, type explorer.exe, and press Enter

5. Perform a System Restore (If the issue began recently)

  • Boot into Safe Mode or Recovery Mode.

  • Go to Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > System Restore.

  • Choose a restore point from before the issue started

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