How To Fix Black Screen of Death on Windows 10 and 11

It may seem silly, but if your screen is black upon startup, it might just be that your brightness is turned down. The first thing you should do if you see a black screen is find the brightness key on your keyboard and tap it a few times. Best case? It works, and you’re done. But if your PC still isn’t waking up after you tap the sunshine key, read on for some tips to troubleshoot before and after logging in.

Solutions for a black screen (before login)

A black screen during boot up, before your Windows login screen appears, is usually easy to fix with a few quick checks of your cables or a keyboard shortcut. You can also use built-in tools, such as Safe Mode, Windows repair tools, and diagnostic checks.

Here are eight ways to fix a Windows black screen of death before login:

1. Perform a brief diagnostics check

You can perform a quick diagnostics check using your keyboard by pressing the Caps Lock or Num Lock keys, and seeing if the indicator lights (the small light in the corner of the key or keyboard) turn on.

If the lights don’t respond, the system may be frozen or isn’t fully booting. Hold down the power button for 10-15 seconds to do a hard reset and reboot your laptop or PC. If this doesn’t work, try the steps below.

If the lights do turn on, it means your computer is likely running as it should and the fault is in the display path (between your graphics unit and monitor) or the shell (the graphics layer that displays the Windows desktop, taskbar, Start menu, etc). In this case, keep working through the solutions below, focusing on troubleshooting steps that deal with hardware.

2. Use a keyboard shortcut

Use the keyboard shortcut Windows key + P to switch display mode, Win + Ctrl + Shift + B to reset the graphics driver, or Ctrl + Alt + Del to bring up the security screen. These are a few quick solutions that may get your PC up and running again in a matter of seconds. The shortcuts are the same for both Windows 10 and Windows 11.

3. Check your cables and connections

If your otherwise fully functioning Windows device suddenly displays a blank screen, check your computer cables connected to your monitor. There could be an issue with the connection or the cables.

Here’s how to check your cables and other important connections and peripherals:

Unplug and reconnect your video cables

Disconnect and reconnect all of your video cables: HDMI, DVI, DisplayPort, and VGA. Try blowing gently into the ports (Nintendo 64 style) to clear any dust or other debris that might be interfering with the connection.

Unplug and reconnect your cables and peripheral connections.

Try a different cable

Constantly unplugging and plugging in cables — for example, if you use a laptop with an external monitor — causes them to wear out over time, and eventually break.

To check whether a cable is causing the black screen, try plugging in a different cable that you know works, like one from your TV. If you get an image instead of a blank screen with that cable connection, it’s time to get a new computer cable.

Try a different monitor

Your monitor display might be defective or set to the wrong source, which can lead to a black screen. Try connecting to a different display, if you have one, or move your connection from your monitor to your TV (or vice versa).

A blank screen on startup for a Windows 10 or 11 build might also be caused by a mismatch between your monitor and your display’s resolution. For example, an optimized gaming PC might not work with a projector that can’t display the high resolution.

If your Windows PC shows a “boot error” when connected to a projector, try hooking it up to a regular monitor. If the monitor displays images normally, your issue is likely due to a resolution requirement that your projector can’t handle.

4. Unplug all unnecessary accessories

External hard drives, USB connections, VR headsets, and other accessories can cause issues during boot. If your computer screen is black on startup, unplug everything that’s not essential for your PC to work. Leave only your monitor, mouse, and keyboard plugged in, and restart your computer.

If you have a desktop and restarting your computer didn’t work, try a power cycle (cold reset): switch off the power supply (PSU) or unplug the PC’s power cord from the wall for 10–20 seconds, then reconnect and power on.

If you suspect it’s a hard drive issue, you can check for signs of hard drive failure and use CHKDSK commands to fix hard drive issues.

If you have an upgraded PC and are comfortable with custom builds, try removing all unnecessary components, like additional sound cards and extra upgraded RAM sticks. If you still see nothing on your screen after startup, switch out the graphics card to see if this is the problem.

5. Try a BIOS/UEFI reset and check the boot order

BIOS and UEFI are crucial programs that manage essential hardware configurations and ensure the proper launch of your operating system. BIOS is commonly used in older PCs, while UEFI runs on newer models. If you’re getting a black screen of death, try reverting to default settings or make your PC boot from its hard disk drive (HDD) or SSD (solid state drive).

You can run a CPU stress test using a reputable third-party tool to check your BIOS/UEFI performance after your computer boots.

If your computer fails the test and causes the black screen of death, your drivers might be outdated. You can easily update your drivers with one of the best free driver updaters on the market.

To enter the BIOS/UEFI, turn your PC off and on again. Then immediately during startup, you’ll get a prompt to press a certain key to enter setup (usually F2 or the DEL key). Hit that key repeatedly to open BIOS/UEFI.

Reset to default settings

Once you’re in BIOS/UEFI, find an entry that says Load Defaults, Optimized Defaults or something similar. Hit the corresponding key to reset everything back to default settings.

Resetting your BIOS/UEFI to default can help remove firmware-level settings that are interfering with your boot or display, such as graphics settings, overclocking adjustments, or component changes.

Make sure your PC boots from its internal drive

Your black screen may be caused by your PC trying to boot from an external drive, a USB thumb drive (to install Windows), or even a CD/DVD (rescue disk). In the Boot Priority (or First Boot Device) settings, ensure the hard disk drive (HDD) or SSD option is selected. This forces your system to boot from the selected option.

6. Launch a Windows repair

If your PC boots to a black screen, try launching Windows Automatic Repair, a set of tools and diagnostic utilities built directly into the operating system. You can trigger the repair process by repeatedly interrupting the boot-up process.

Here’s how to launch and run Windows Startup Automatic Repair:

1. Turn on your PC and as the Windows logo appears, hold the power button to turn it off. Repeat this 2-3 more times until you see the Automatic Repair screen.

2. Select Advanced options > Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Repair > Restart.

3. If it doesn’t fix the black screen issue, re-enter Automatic Repair again using Step 1 > Select Advanced options > System Restore.

   

4. Select a system restore point from before you started having black screen issues > Hit Next > Finish to restore all necessary files and return to working order.

   

After the restore, you may need to reinstall any apps or updates added after the restore point was created. You should continue on to the next steps to help resolve any residual issues.

If the Windows Automatic Repair doesn’t work or you can’t reach the recovery screen, you need to create a bootable Windows 11 or Windows 10 drive, plug it in, and use BIOS/UEFI settings to make sure your PC boots from the USB drive.

7. Boot into Safe Mode

Windows Safe Mode launches your PC with the minimum drivers and programs running. It helps you eliminate interference from unnecessary programs or drivers and investigate potential causes of the Windows 10 or 11 black screen of death.

Once Windows has booted into Safe Mode, your desktop will be low-resolution with a black background and “Safe Mode” written in the corner.

Note:

If you’re on a corporate network or device, you may not be able to access Safe Mode — ask your IT team for support.

Here’s how to boot Windows into Safe Mode and investigate your black screen problems:

1. Turn on your PC and as the Windows logo appears, hold the power button to turn it off. Repeat this 2-3 more times until you see the Automatic Repair screen.

2. At the Automatic Repair screen select Advanced options > Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.

   

3. Press 5 on your keyboard to launch your computer in Safe Mode with Networking.

   

4. Right-click your taskbar and select Task Manager > Startup Apps in the left menu (or the Startup tab in Windows 10). Right-click and select Disable for each program.

   

5. Go to Start > Power > Restart to reboot your Windows system normally.

6. If the black screen is gone and everything is working, go to Task Manager > Startup Apps. Right-click and enable one of the startup programs by selecting Start > Power > Restart.

7. Continue step 6 for each startup program — enable one app at a time and reboot after each one — until all are active.

If one of the apps triggers a black screen on startup when you enable it, you have identified the program causing your issues. Keep it disabled, then uninstall or update it to resolve the issues.

8. Roll back or update all drivers in Safe Mode

A faulty device driver can cause an unbootable system. To fix this, uninstall any device drivers that could be a problem or roll back the software to a version before you had black screen issues.

Here’s how to roll back or uninstall drivers in Safe Mode:

1. Press Win + R > Type msconfig > Click Boot > Safe boot (Minimal) > OK > Restart. Your computer will now boot in Safe Mode.

2. Right-click Start > Device Manager > Expand the categories (e.g., Display adapters). Double-click the driver you wish to roll back, then go to the Driver tab and select Roll Back Driver > Yes.

   

3. If your problems persist, you may need to uninstall the driver completely. In Device Manager, expand the device category, then right-click the device, and select Uninstall device.

If that doesn’t help, updating your drivers might fix your Windows black screen problem. Check out our ultimate guide on finding and updating device drivers.

If you want to update your drivers immediately and keep them updated, download AVG Driver Updater and run a free scan. AVG Driver Updater’s organized dashboard helps you quickly identify and update your outdated or faulty drivers, fix lingering driver issues, and get your computer working optimally again.

Solutions for a black screen of death (after login)

If you get a black screen after entering your password and logging in, try disabling applications, updating your graphics driver, starting explorer.exe, or switching screens.

Here are four fixes for a Windows black screen after login:

1. Disable all automatic applications

If your PC or laptop displays a black screen after you log in, try disabling some startup apps to optimize your boot. AVG TuneUp lets you turn off all non-essential applications and put them to sleep automatically. Its built-in Sleep Mode feature also helps you get the most out of your RAM and CPU power so you have the resources you need at startup.

Alternatively, you can manually disable non-essential applications on a Windows 10 or 11 device by using the following steps.

1. Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete and select Task Manager. If the black screen prevents you from getting to Task Manager, follow the steps above on how to boot into Safe Mode.

2. In Task Manager, go to Startup. Then right-click and select Disable for every item. Reboot your computer and check if everything works normally.

   

Disabling resource-draining apps at startup and using a PC cleaner tool are easy ways to speed up your PC’s boot time and help avoid the black screen of death altogether.

2. Start explorer.exe

The program explorer.exe (Windows Explorer) is responsible for loading your desktop, taskbar, and Start menu. If the program isn’t loading after login, and all you see is a black screen with a floating cursor or logo, then Windows Explorer is malfunctioning and you’ll need to manually launch it.

To start explorer.exe, press Ctrl + Alt + Delete, select Task Manager > Run new task. Type explorer.exe then click OK. Your desktop should now reappear.

Next, you need to get Windows Explorer loading automatically at login by editing the Windows Registry — the heart of the Windows operating system. Before making any changes, create a backup of your PC or system restore point just in case.

Note:

Only edit the Windows Registry if you know what you’re doing. You can also use a specialized registry cleaning tool to clean up and repair any broken registry items on your Windows PC.

Here’s how to fix Windows Explorer launch issues via Windows Registry:

1. Press Win + R, type “regedit” and click OK.

   

2. Go to the correct folder (key): HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon.

3. Double-click Shell on the right of the screen. The value field should read explorer.exe. If the field is empty or something else is there, type explorer.exe and click OK.

   

If something else is written in the “Value data” section, it could be a virus, malware, or some other PUP. To find out, Google the name of the program. If it’s a virus, learn how to get rid of a virus or malware on your computer. And if your search doesn’t turn up any info, run a virus scan or adware cleaner tool just in case.

3. Install a new graphics driver

If you get frequent (and seemingly random) Windows black screen issues, your graphics driver could be the reason. Make sure to update all Intel, AMD, or NVIDIA drivers regularly so that your graphics card works properly. Check out our detailed instructions on how to update your graphics drivers.

4. Switch between screens

If your PC is connected to multiple monitors, or even a VR headset, TV, or projector, you can accidentally switch your output to a screen that’s off. If a blank screen randomly appears, hold down Win + P and use the arrow keys to pick a display mode option.

Why does my screen keep going black?

If your screen keeps going black it could be due to an error in your computer's operating system, such as a faulty device driver, a hardware defect, a Windows software glitch, or even malware. Other reasons include apps failing to startup properly, worn cables, and badly configured boot processes.

Here are common causes of a Windows 11 or 10 black screen of death:

• Problems with the connection between your PC and monitor

• Loose or damaged cables on a desktop or laptop

• Output switched to a different screen

• Graphics card issues

• Outdated or faulty device drivers

• A startup app that’s failing or freezing

• Windows Explorer not loading

• Peripheral/accessory conflicts during boot

• Hard drive issues or failure

• Hardware or software malfunctions

• BIOS/UEFI issues (misconfiguration or wrong boot order)

• Malware or unwanted programs altering the shell (Windows display)

If you see the full black screen before login, it’s probably due to a malfunctioning device driver or hardware issue. If the blank screen happens after login, there’s likely something wrong with Windows, such as a buggy update or a problem with an installed app.

A black screen doesn’t usually mean you have a computer virus, although it is possible. It’s more often an issue originating with hardware or software updates.

Performance users

You may also run into black screen issues when you’re trying to get the most out of your system for gaming or resource-intensive tasks, like video editing. Overclocking helps optimize PC performance, but it could lead to overheating and GPU issues — possibly leading to the black screen of death.

If you want to boost PC performance while avoiding a black screen, learn how to overclock CPUs safely — and always check GPU temperatures to maintain safe performance.

What is the black screen of death?

The black screen of death is a term used to describe when a Windows PC shows no user interface. It’s a common problem related to display, driver, or startup problems.

You can get a blank or black computer screen on startup, while updating software, or in the middle of device usage. Sometimes you can resolve a black screen on Windows 10 or 11 by rebooting your device. Either way, the sudden appearance of a black screen can be unnerving.

The black screen of death on Windows 11 after reboot.

The black screen is different from the blue screen of death, which happens when your computer runs into a critical system error and shuts down because it can’t operate safely. A black screen issue is typically less serious and easier to solve.

Get out of the dark with a PC optimization app

Fixing a black screen on Windows is relatively straightforward, but maintaining a properly functioning device is key to avoiding future issues. Use AVG TuneUp to help keep your Windows device updated, optimized, and running smoothly.

AVG TuneUp’s Automatic Maintenance feature lets you set regularly-scheduled optimizations, while its Sleep Mode feature disables unnecessary applications, ensuring you have the power you need for the apps and programs you’re using. Plus, the built-in Software Uninstaller gets rid of junk files you no longer need after software installation.

Try AVG TuneUp today and help say goodbye to Windows black screen issues.