How do I fix blank screen on startup?

The laptop screen black occurs when there is a corrupted graphics driver or a problem with the LCD display back light. To test the display, you can attach an external monitor and restart the computer. If an image displays on the external monitor, there might be a graphics driver conflict with the notebook LCD display that leads to laptop screen black but still running.

There are five practical ways to fix laptop screen black or laptop screen not turning on problems. The following table shows you the quick navigation to these solutions. Click on each fix for detailed guides.

User Issue: My Laptop Screen Is Black

"I've been experiencing problems with my HP Pavilion laptop. The power button light turns on but nothing appears on the screen. How to solve the laptop turns on but no display issue without affecting data inside."

It's common to see a laptop black screen of death after login with a cursor, no display, no options, just nothing. For years of experience in the IT field, the laptop with "LED light on, hard drive spinning, but no display" issue frequently happens to users, especially when Microsoft pushes a Windows operating system update.

And the corresponding troubleshooting for laptop screen black can be found anywhere on the internet, most will be related to a Windows reset or component reset, which wipes hard drive data. Press and hold the power button on your device for 10 seconds to turn it off, then unplug your adapter. After 30 seconds, plug your adapter back in and restart your device. If you still see a black screen, you can read on.

To resolve the laptop screen black issue, try the following five practical methods in order. 

Fix 1. First Thing to Do: Recover Data from Laptop Black Screen

In the process of solving this problem, there might be a risk of data loss. So, if you care about your data, try to access your hard drive and back up your important files at the very beginning 

We recommend you the easiest data recovery solution - EaseUS bootable disk data recovery software to access the hard drive when the laptop screen remains black. If the OS can't run properly or the system disk is corrupted, you can use it to restart your computer from a USB bootable drive and get data back. 

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard

• Recover data from dead laptop effectively 
• Recover photos, videos, audio files, documents, and other 1000+ file types from HDD, SSD, USB flash drive, SD card, etc.
• Support recovering data from crashed Windows, sudden deletion, power failure, OS re-installation/upgrade, hard drive crash.

Tip: Remember to take out the hard drive and recover data from it. Connect the hard drive to another computer and then use the data recovery software that doesn't need any technical know-how and minimizes data risks. If your hard drive contains the system, you can try to migrate OS to SSD/HDD for a better solution.

Step 1. Create a bootable disk

Prepare an empty USB. If you have important data on it, copy the data to another device. When you create a bootable disk, the data on the USB will be erased. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard WinPE Edition will help you create a bootable disk.

Connect the USB drive to PC, launch EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard WinPE Edition. Select the USB drive and click "Create" to create a bootable disk.

Step 2. Boot from the bootable USB

Connect the bootable disk to PC that won't boot and change your computer boot sequence in BIOS. For most users, it works well when they restart their computer and press F2 at the same time to enter BIOS.

Set to boot the PC from "Removable Devices" (bootable USB disk) or "CD-ROM Drive" (bootable CD/DVD) beyond Hard Drive. Press "F10" to save and exit.

Step 3. Recover data from a hard drive that won't boot

When you boot from the USB, you can run EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard from the WinPE bootable disk. Select the drive you want to scan to find all your lost files. 

Click "Scan" to start the scanning process.

Recover data from the computer or laptop. After the scan completed, you can preview all recoverable files, select the targeted files, and click the "Recover" button to restore your files. You'd better save all of the recovered data to another place to avoid data overwriting.

With data safely transferred, now you can begin the repair procedure by carefully following the solutions below, which are proven to be useful in fixing most laptops turning on but displaying nothing on the screen issue. You can also watch the following tutorial video about methods for laptop screen black but still running in five ways.

1. 0:05 - Check the charger to fix the laptop black screen
2. 0:16 - Check the battery to solve the laptop screen not turning on
3. 0:33 - Check over the charged problem 
4. 0:51 - Check RAM to fix the black screen on laptop
5. 1:07 - Check ribbon to resolve laptop screen black

Fix 2. Use Windows 10 Repair Services to Fix Laptop Screen Black 

A simple and efficient way to solve laptop screen black but still running problem is using manual Windows repair services. EaseUS professional technical team provides you with an exclusive data recovery service that can help you solve any hard drive and system startup errors, including system failure, system blue screen, system black screen, and so on.

Consult with EaseUS data recovery experts for one-on-one manual recovery service. We could offer the following services after FREE diagnosis:

• Fix Windows boot issues, including BSOD
• Fix Windows error and configure Windows environment
• Restore the system when it fails to boot
• Optimize Windows computer to make it run quickly

Fix 3. Hard Reset the Laptop to Resolve Laptop Blank Screen

Your laptop manufacturers should allow you to hard reset or factory reset your machine when it has trouble starting up or malfunctioning in other ways. If you have no idea how to do the hard reset, try to contact the manufacturer or seek help on the official support forum. This manner removes data and apps, still, it deserves an initial trial since it resolves the display blank or black issue mostly. Here, we take the HP laptop as an example:

Step 1. Turn off the laptop. Remove the laptop from any port replicator or docking station.

Step 2. Disconnect all external connected peripheral devices such as USB storage devices, external displays, and printers. Unplug the AC adapter from the laptop.

Step 3. Remove the battery from the battery compartment.

With the battery and power cord unplugged, press and hold the "Power button" for about 15 seconds to drain any residual electrical charge from the capacitors.

Step 4. Insert the battery and plug the AC adapter back into the laptop, but do not connect any of the peripheral devices.

Step 5. Press the "Power button" to turn on the laptop. The laptop starts normally or a startup menu opens.

Step 6. If a startup menu opens, use the arrow keys to select Start Windows Normally, and then press "Enter".

After Windows opens, reconnect each peripheral device that was disconnected, one device at a time, until all devices are reconnected.

Fix 4. Connect an External Monitor to Test the Display

The screen might remain black when there is a corrupted graphics driver or a problem with the LCD display backlight. To test the display, attach an external monitor, and restart the computer. This test is helpful if the display is black but you can hear that the computer is operating. You can connect most monitors and other display devices like projectors using the VGA, DVI, HDMI, or DisplayPort cables. 

Step 1. Connect an external monitor to the laptop.

• Know the video connectors on your computer and display devices to avoid problems and get the best possible picture quality.
• An HDMI connection can also carry audio. HDMI audio is lost when using a DVI to HDMI adapter or cable solution. You cannot connect DVI-D to VGA.

Step 2. If the computer screen does not display on the external monitor, press "F4" until the screen image displays.

Step 3. If an image displays on the external monitor, there might be a graphics driver conflict with the laptop LCD display. Download and install the latest graphics and chipset drivers for your specific computer.

Step 4. If you can hear sounds of operation but no image is visible on either display, you can change a monitor or send the laptop for service.

Fix 5. Reseat the Memory Modules to Fix Laptop Screen Black

If a memory module is loose, it usually causes a laptop not displaying an image. So, reseating the memory modules might resolve either a blank or black screen issue on a laptop. By removing the AC adapter from the laptop, removing and reseating the memory module, and then reconnecting the AC adapter to the laptop, you can finally make it.

Step 1. Turn off the laptop, and then disconnect the power cord. Before beginning any procedure, touch a grounded metal object to discharge static electricity.

Step 2. Remove the cover to access the memory.

Step 3. Remove memory modules on the laptop.

Step 4. Reinsert all memory modules.

Step 5. Perform any tests to verify that the laptop can start up and run in the Windows operating system.

Fix 6. Reset Your PC to Fix Laptop Black Screen but Still Running

If your turns on but no display, you can refresh or reset your PC or laptop to reinstall Windows without affecting your personal files, apps, or any of your settings.

Step 1. Press the Windows logo key and L on your keyboard. This will take you to the Windows 10 sign-in screen. Don't log in.

Step 2. Reset your PC by holding the "Shift" key while you click the "Power" button > "Restart" in the lower-right corner of the screen. Your PC will restart in Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) environment.

Step 3. From the options screen, choose "Troubleshoot > Reset this PC". Click "Next".

Then, select the quick option without removing your personal files. Wait for Windows to open. Follow any on-screen instructions.

Conclusion

If your PC turns on but no display, don't worry and try the methods we have listed above to effectively fix your issue. If you have any better solution for this issue, let us know. If you have any questions about data recovery or other problems while using EaseUS data recovery software, send an email to our support team. We will solve it as soon as possible.

Get more information on the laptop black screen issue.

1. Why is my computer running but the screen is black?

There are a number of potential reasons why your laptop might be running but the screen is black. Here are some of the most common causes:

• The display settings may be incorrect.
• The video driver may be corrupted or out of date.
• The video cable doesn't work properly.
• The computer's hardware has something wrong.

2. How do I fix a black screen on my laptop but still run?

To fix the black screen issue on the laptop, you can:

• Check your display settings
• Check your graphics drivers
• Try a different display
• Check for malware
• Perform a hard reset

3. How to fix HP laptop screen black but still running?

If your HP laptop's screen has gone black but the computer is still running, there are a few things you can try to fix the issue.

• Check the connection between the screen and the computer. If the connection is loose, try tightening or replacing it.
• Check your screen's brightness settings. If it's set too low, your screen will appear black.
• There may be a problem with your graphics card. Try updating your drivers or resetting your video settings.
• If none of the above solutions work, you may need to replace your screen entirely.

What would you do if the computer is on but the screen is blank?

How do you fix a computer that turns on but no display?